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Blunting Effect
Boring
Carving
Comments
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Family Name
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Schedules
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Silica Content
Staining
Strength Properties
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning

Scientific Name
Cordia millenii

Trade Name
African cordia

Family Name
Boraginaceae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
African cordia, Akaboa, Aliiba, Cordia, Cordia d'Afrique, Ebais, Ebe, Ketumba, Mujugangoma, Mukebu, Mukumari, Mungoma, Mutumba, Omah, Omo, Omon, Sumba, West African cordia

Regions of Distribution
Africa

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Ivory Coast, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda

Common Uses
Boat building (general), Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Furniture, Joinery, Musical instruments: percussion, Veneer: decorative

Environmental Profile
Vulnerable
Extinct
Abundant/Secure
Endangered


Heartwood Color
Brown
Yellow
Brown
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Pale brown


Sapwood Color
Paler than heartwood


Grain
Figure
Interlocked
Stripe (figure)
Rays (figure)

Interlocked
Striped figure
Rays figure


Texture
Fine
Uniform
Even or uniform
Coarse


Luster
Lustrous


Natural Growth Defects
Brittleheart is often frequent and extensive


Natural Durability
Durable
Resistant to termites
Non-resistant to pinhole borers
Susceptible to insect attack
Durable
Moderately durable
Resistant to wood staining fungal attack
Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles


Silica Content
High
Siliceous


Kiln Schedules
UK=K US=T13C4S/T11D3S
Drying (speed) is fast
Dry at a slow speed


Drying Defects
Splitting
Checking
Distortion
Slight twist/warp
Slight spring/bow


Ease of Drying
Reconditioning Treatement
Fairly Easy
Easy


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is cylindrical
Bole/stem form is buttressed


Tree Size
Tree height is 30-40 m


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Blunting Effect
High to severe
Blunting effect on machining is slight


Boring
Fairly difficult to very difficult
Easy


Carving
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Cutting Resistance
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw


Mortising
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Finishes satisfactorily


Moulding
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Movement in Service
Small


Nailing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Holds satisfactorily
Easy to nail


Planing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Ease of planing is moderate
Planes to a satisfactory finish


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant sapwood
Resistant heartwood
Heartwood is resistant


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to machine


Routing & Recessing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Satisfactory routing results


Screwing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Turning
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Polishing
Very Good to Excellent Results
Good results


Staining
Finish is generally good


Strength Properties
Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft.
Bending strength (MOR) = low
Shrinkage, Tangential = very small
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low
Max. crushing strength = medium
Hardness (side grain) = very soft
Shrinkage, Radial = very small
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low
Max. crushing strength = low
Bending strength (MOR) = medium
Shrinkage, Radial = small


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength691110833psi
Density25lbs/ft3
Hardness319lbs
Maximum Crushing Strength33245570psi
Shearing Strength1560psi
Stiffness101711991000 psi
Weight2521lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage2%
Tangential Shrinkage4%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength485761kg/cm2
Density400kg/m3
Hardness144kg
Maximum Crushing Strength233391kg/cm2
Shearing Strength109kg/cm2
Stiffness71841000 kg/cm2
Weight400336kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage2%

References
Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.

Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood A. Wood Species from African Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department

Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO

France - C.T.F.T.,1973,Investigations and Tests carried out on Tropical Timber by several,Research Laboratories,CTFT

Tack, C.H.,1969,Uganda Timbers,Govt. Printer Uganda

Takahashi, A.,1978,Compilation of Data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part,III) Africa,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No. 7

Uganda Forest Department,1969,The Shrinkage of Some Ugandan Timbers,Uganda Forestry Department Timber Leaflet,No.47