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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Boring Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Cynometra ramiflora Trade Name Kekatong Family Name Leguminosae Synonyms Cynometra hosinoi, Cynometra ne Common Names Balitbitan, Belangkan, Gal mendora, Gulos, Gulus, Hambabalanak, Irapu, Iripa, Irippa, Irudhu, Kahsilah, Kameu, Kammau, Kanaka, Kanakamara, Katong, Katong laut, Kekatong, Kelengui, Ketenguit, Ketunguit, Kumoh, Madhuka, Mahuka, Mang kha, Mangkha, Moivi, Myin-ka, Myinga, Myinka, Myinkabin, Naipudukan, Ommo, Omo, Oringen, Pamortisan, Shingar, Shingra, Yeminga Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vanuatu, Vietnam Common Uses Agricultural implements, Balusters, Baskets, Boat building: framing, Broom handles, Building construction, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Chemical derivatives, Construction, Crossties, Domestic flooring, Door, Excelsior, Factory flooring, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Food containers, Fuelwood, Furniture, Handles, Handles: general, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Joinery, Ladders, Light construction, Mine timbers, Moldings, Parquet flooring, Poles, Railroad ties, Shafts/Handles, Sporting Goods, Stairworks, Stringers, Sub-flooring, Tool handles, Toys, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative, Woodwork Environmental Profile Vulnerable in parts of its natural habitat Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Distribution Overview Common in the tidal forests of the Andamans and Sunderbans, but is rather sacrce in other areas in India. It is also found in Burma, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines. Heartwood Color Brown Grey Reddish brown Dark brown Red Pale red to pink Initially pink brown Sapwood Color Pink/Red Paler than heartwood Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Interlocked Straight Figure Even Distinct (figure) Growth rings (figure) Interlocked Straight Distinct figure With distinct light and dark bands Texture Fine Fine to medium Medium to coarse Fine Medium Luster Lustrous Dull Natural Durability Perishable Moderately durable Non durable Susceptible to marine borer attack Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) The heartwood of Cynometra timbers is susceptible to attack by decay fungi while the sapwood is vulnerable to powder-post beetle attack. Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules T6 - D4 (4/4) US/T6 - D4 (4/4) US Drying Defects Severe twisting/warping Severe surface checking Severe end splitting Moderate twist/warp Moderate end spitting End splitting Checking and warping are some common defects during air-seasoning Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Thick Stock Requires Care Little degrade Variable results. Tangenital shirkage 7%+ Radial shrinkage 0-3% Shrinkage of Cynometra spp.(Green to Air-dry) Tree Identification Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is misshapen Bole/stem form is cylindrical Tree Size Stems are often of poor form Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Difficult to saw Gluing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to nail Nails hold poorly Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Heartwood is moderately resistant Permeable Complete penetration is rather difficult to achieve. Response to Hand Tools Easy to machine Difficult to machine Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing Pre-boring recommended Fair to Good Results Turning Fair to Good Results Veneering Qualities Easy to cut Suitable for peeling Painting Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory results Good results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu.ft. Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft Shrinkage, Radial = small Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Tangenital =moderate Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Bending strength in the air-dry condition (about 12 percent moisture content) is very high. Compression strength parallel to grain, or maximum crushing strength, is very high - higher than in Teak or Hard maple. It is a very heavy wood. The wood is very dense. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 13313 18563 psi Density 56 lbs/ft3 Maximum Crushing Strength 6502 9508 psi Stiffness 1842 2479 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.72 Weight 61 55 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 936 1305 kg/cm2 Density 897 kg/m3 Maximum Crushing Strength 457 668 kg/cm2 Stiffness 129 174 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.72 Weight 977 881 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % References Bourdillon, T.F.,1908,The Forest Trees of Travancore,Travancore Government Press Browne, F.G.,1955,Forest Trees of Sarawak and Brunei and their Products.,Government Printing Office, Kuching, Sarawak Burgess, P.F.,1966,Timbers of Sabah,Sabah Forest Record, no.6 Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Desch, H.E.,1954,Manual of Malayan Timbers (2 vols,Malayan Forest Records,no.15 Eddowes, P.J. 1977. Commercial Timbers of Papua New Guinea - Their Properties and Uses. Forest Products Research Center, Office of Forests, Department of Primary Industry, Papua New Guinea. I. Soerianegara and R.H.M.J. Lemmens (Editors,1993,Plant Resources of South-East Asia 5,(PROSEA, 1,Timber trees: Major commercial timbers,Pudoc Scientific Publishers, Wageningen 1993 Keating, W.G., Bolza, E.,1982,Characteristics properties and uses of timbers. South East Asia, Northern,Australia and the Pacific,C.S.I.R.O. Div. Chemical Technology,Inkata Press,1 Oey Djoen Seng,1964,Specific gravity of Indonesian woods and its significance for practical,use,Communication No.1. Lembaga Penelitian Hasil Hutan, Bogor, Indonesia Ramesh, Rao K., Purkayastha, S.K.,1972,Indian Woods - Their Identification Properties and Uses,Dehra Dun India,Vol. 3 Rao, K.R. and S.K. Purkayastha. 1972. Indian Woods - Their Identification, Properties and Uses, Volume III - Leguminosae to Combretaceae. Published by the Manager of Publications, Delhi, India. Reyes, L.J.,1938,Philippine Woods,Commonwealth of the Philippines Department of Agriculture and Commerce,Technical Bulletin,No.7 Whitmore, T.C. (Ed.,1972,Tree Flora of Malaya A Manual for Foresters Volume 1,Forest Department Ministry of Agriculture and Lands Malaysia