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Blunting Effect
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
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Resistance to Splitting
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Strength Properties
Synonyms
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Turning
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Dacrydium nidulum

Trade Name
Rimu

Family Name
Cupressaceae

Synonyms
Dacrydium nidulum


Wood Image 1

Common Names
Ekor kuda, Fijian dacrydium, Huon pine, Malor, Melor, Rimu, Ru bukit, Sempilor, Srol kraham, Yaka

Regions of Distribution
Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Cambodia, Fiji [Polynesia], Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam

Common Uses
Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: masts, Boxes and crates, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Carvings, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory construction, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Living-room suites, Millwork, Mine timbers, Moldings, Office furniture, Packing cases, Paneling, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Railroad ties, Shipbuilding, Toys, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative

Environmental Profile
Status has not been officially assessed


Distribution Overview
Likely in New Zealand, Australia, New Caledonia, the Malay Archipeloago, and Borneo.

Heartwood Color
Yellow
Red
Purple
Pink
Brown
Reddish brown
Pale red to pink
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Pale brown
Red
Greenish to greyish

The timber may contain sound or unsound knots

Sapwood Color
Yellow
White
White to yellow
Same as heartwood
Paler than heartwood
Different than heartwood
Color not distinct from heartwood
Clearly differentiated from the heartwood


Grain
Straight
Closed
Even
Figure
Wavy
Mottle

Straight
Mottled or streaked figure sometimes
May be wavy or curly

Fine dark streaks impart an attractive figure to the wood.

Texture
Fine
Medium
Fine
Even textured


Luster
Medium
High


Natural Durability
Perishable
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Susceptible to marine borer attack
Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Resistant to decay

The timber is resistant to decay and termites but logs are vulnerable to attack by pinhole borers.

Odor
Has an odor
No specific smell or taste


Toxicity
Throat irriatation
Nose irritation


Kiln Schedules
T13 - C4S(4/4); T11 - D3S(8/4) US/T13 - C4S(4/4); T11 - D3S(8/4) US


Drying Defects
Splitting
Checking
Distortion
Slight surface checking
Slight collapse and honeycomb

There is a slight tendency for surface checking. Deformations caused by drying can be removed by a short steaming treatment. A high humidity treatment may be necessary after drying to relieve stresses.

Ease of Drying
Reconditioning Treatement
Fairly Easy
Easy
Radial and tangential shrinkage from 4-7%
Moderate
Kiln dries well


2 inch (50 mm) thick stock air-seasons well under cover.
Shrinkage of Dacrydium spp.(Green to 12% MC)
Volumetric - 6.2%

Comments
Moderately strong tough and hard

Blunting Effect
High to severe
Blunting effect on machining is slight


Boring
Fair to good results
Fairly difficult to very difficult
Well defined


Carving
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Cutting Resistance
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy
Cutting Resistance with green wood is moderate
Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is moderate


Gluing
Fair to Good Results
Easy to glue


Mortising
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Yields clean surfaces but requires some care


Moulding
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Good finishing results

Moulding requires care, but clean surfaces can be achieved

Movement in Service
Excellent Stability - Small Movement
Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement
Stable
Shape retention after manufacture is usually good


Nailing
Pre-Boring Recommended
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Holds satisfactorily
Tends to split during nailing
Pre-Boring is necessary
Easy to nail


Planing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Planes well, to a good finish
Easy to plane
Ease of planing is moderate


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant sapwood
Resistant heartwood
Heartwood is resistant
Sapwood is moderately resistant


Resistance to Splitting
Satisfactory
Poor


Response to Hand Tools
Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work
Easy to machine
Moderate working qualities


Routing & Recessing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Good in both routing and recessing.


Sanding
Fair sanding qualities


Screwing
Pre-boring recommended
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Tendency to split on screwing
Possible if prebored


Turning
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Good results
Easy to turn


Veneering Qualities
Easy to cut
Suitable for slicing
No drying degrade. Dries flat without splitting


Polishing
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Satisfactory results
Good results
Easy


Strength Properties
Max. crushing strength = medium
Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft.
Shrinkage, Radial = small
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low
Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft.
Bending strength (MOR) = low
Shrinkage, Tangenital =moderate
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium
Bending strength (MOR) = medium
Shrinkage, Tangential = very small
Shrinkage, Tangential = small
Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large
Shrinkage, Radial = very small
Shrinkage, Radial = moderate
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low
Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft.


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength862613605psi
Crushing Strength6961215psi
Density35lbs/ft3
Hardness1196lbs
Maximum Crushing Strength45587709psi
Shearing Strength1860psi
Static Bending49008085psi
Stiffness141616371000 psi
Toughness88inch-lbs
Specific Gravity0.470.52
Weight3429lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage3%
Tangential Shrinkage7%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength606956kg/cm2
Crushing Strength4885kg/cm2
Density560kg/m3
Hardness542kg
Maximum Crushing Strength320542kg/cm2
Shearing Strength130kg/cm2
Static Bending344568kg/cm2
Stiffness991151000 kg/cm2
Toughness101cm-kg
Specific Gravity0.470.52
Weight544464kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage3%

References
Alston, A.S.,1966,Natural Heartwood Durability,Fiji Forestry Department, Suva. Fiji timbers and their uses No. 2

Alston, A.S.,1982,Timbers of Fiji: Properties and potential uses,Fiji Forestry Department, Suva

Bois et Forets des Tropiques,1955,Baboen (Virola sp.,Bois et Forets des Tropiques,No.39,pp25-8

Bolza, E., Kloot, N.H.,1972,The Mechanical Properties of 56 Fijian Timbers,Australia C.S.I.R.O. Division of Forest Products Technological Paper,No.,62

Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 4 South East Asia,TRADA, Red Booklet Series

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

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.

Eddowes, P.J.,1977,Commercial Timbers of Papua New Guinea: Their Properties and Uses,Hebano Press, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Fiji Department of Forestry,1969,A Summary of the Properties of 34 Indigenous Timbers,Fiji Forestry Department, Suva. Fiji timbers and their uses No.38

Fiji Department of Forestry,1972,Guide to the use of local timbers,Fiji Forestry Department, Suva. Fiji timbers and their uses No.55

Fiji Forestry Department,1969,Timbers for Flooring A Note on Current & Potential Species,Fiji Timbers and their Uses No.36, Department of Forestry, Suva, Fiji

Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed.

I.U.F.R.O.,1973,Veneer Species of the World,Assembled at F.P.L. Madison on behalf of I.U.F.R.O. Working Party on,Slicing and Veneer Cutting

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

Limaye, V.D. and B.R. Sen. 1956. Weights and Specific Gravities of Indian Woods. Indian Forest Records (New Series). Timber Mechanics. Volume 1 No. 4. Manager of Publications (Publisher, Delhi

Stone, H.,1924,The Timbers of Commerce and their Identification,William Rider & Sons Ltd. London