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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 Drying Rate
Kiln Schedules
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Polishing
Product Sources
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Veneering Qualities
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Common Names
Bhotbeula, Bhotuk, Biti, Bodbera, Bombay blackwood, Bombay rosewood, Botbiola, East Indian rosewood, Eetti, Eravadi, Eruvadi, Indian palisandre, Indian palissander, Indian rosewood, Iridi, Iti, Java palisandre, Jitangi, Jitegi, Jitiyegishi, Kala-rukh, Kalaruk, Karitti, Makle, Malabar, Rute, Ruzerap, Saisa, Satsayar, Satsiyar, Seris, Serisso, Shisham, Siase, Siras, Siris, Sirsa, Sirsai, Sisali, Sison, Sissa, Sissu, Sissua, Sissui, Sisu, Sitsal, Sonobrits, Sonokeling, Thethagatti, Thodagatti, Thothagatti, Veeti, Vitti, Yerugudu
Regions of Distribution
Oceania and S.E. Asia
Countries of Distribution
[VIEW MAP]
India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam
Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Artificial limbs, Bearings & bushings, Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boat building: framing, Bobbins, Boxes and crates, Brush backs & handles, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Core Stock, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Door, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Drum sticks, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Food containers, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Handles: woodworking tools, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Matches, Mathematical instruments, Mine timbers, Musical instruments , Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Musical instruments: strings, Office furniture, Organ pipes, Paneling, Piano keys, Pianos , Picker sticks, Plain veneer, Plywood, Plywood: veneer (marine), Poles, Pulp/Paper products, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Shade rollers, Shuttles, Sounding boards, Specialty items, Spindles, Sporting Goods, Structural work, Tables, Textile equipment, Tool handles, Toys, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Walking sticks, Wheel spokes, Wheels
Environmental Profile
| Abundant/Secure |
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| Status has not been officially assessed |
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| Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center |
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Distribution Overview
The natural range of Dalbergia latifolia stretches from the sub-Himalayan tract to the southern tip of India and the island of lava in Indonesia. Its best growth occurs in the Western Ghat forests of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. It has been introduced to Burma, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria, and Kenya.
Heartwood Color
| Brown |
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| Purple |
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| Pink |
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| Red |
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| Purple |
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| Dark brown |
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| Pale brown |
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| Brown |
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| Black |
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| Yellow to golden-yellow to orange |
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| Reddish brown |
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| Red |
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Sapwood Color
| White |
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| Yellow |
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| White to yellow |
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| Clearly differentiated from the heartwood |
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| Pink/Red |
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| Different than heartwood |
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Often with a purplish tinge
Grain
| Figure |
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| Interlocked |
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| Distinct (figure) |
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| Straight |
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| Even |
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| Rippled (figure) |
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| Other (figure) |
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| Mottle |
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| Stripe (figure) |
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| Interlocked |
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| Distinct figure |
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| Straight |
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| Rippled figure |
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| Striped figure |
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| Other figure |
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| Mottled or streaked figure sometimes |
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Combination of darker streaks of color and interlocked grain give the timber a very attractive appearance.
Texture
| Coarse |
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| Medium to coarse |
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| Uniform |
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| Medium |
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| Fine to medium |
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Luster
Natural Growth Defects
Natural Durability
| Perishable |
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| Very durable |
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| Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) |
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| Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles |
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| Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present |
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| Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack |
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| Moderately durable |
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| Durable |
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Odor
| No distinctive odor or taste after seasoned |
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| May be fragrant when green |
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Toxicity
Kiln Schedules
| Dry at a slow speed |
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| UK=E US=T6D2/T3D1 Fr=5 |
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| Drying (speed) is fast |
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| Dry at a moderate speed |
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| Fairly rapid (11-17 days for boards under 32 mm, to 31-51 days for boards greater than 63 mm) |
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| UK=J US=T10D5S/T8D4S Fr=4 |
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| T6 - D2 (4/4); T3 - D1 (8/4) US |
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| Schedule E; United Kingdom |
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| Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is rather slow |
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Drying Defects
| Collapse |
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| Distortion |
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| Slight surface checking |
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| Slight end splitting |
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| Moderate surface checking |
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| No twisting or warping |
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| No end splitting |
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| Moderate end spitting |
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| End splitting |
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Must be protected against too rapid drying, to avoid surface checking and end-splitting. Existing shakes may extend during drying. Degrade can be minimized during air-drying by the application of end-coatings
Ease of Drying
| Fairly Easy |
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| Reconditioning Treatement |
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| Rapidly |
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| Easy |
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| Kiln dries well |
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| Dries at a fairly rapid rate |
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The color of the timber improves during drying
Kiln Drying Rate
| Fairly rapid (11-17 days for boards under 32 mm, to 31-51 days for boards greater than 63 mm) |
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| Very slow (>28 days for boards < 32 mm, to >84 days for boards >= 63 mm) |
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| Slow (18-28 days for boards < 32 mm, to 52-84 days for boards >= 63 mm) |
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Tree Identification
| Bole/stem form is cylindrical |
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| Bole/stem form is straight |
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| Bole/stem form is not buttressed |
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| Bole/stem form is buttressed |
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Tree Size
| Tree height is 30-40 m |
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| Tree height is 40-50 m |
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| Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm |
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| Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm |
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They produce straight clear trunks that are 35 to 50 feet (10 to 15 m)
Product Sources
Quantities of Rosewood available on the market are rather limited because of increasing demand for rosewood. The material is shipped in the form of 10 to 36 inches (25 to 90 cm) diameter logs, most of which is converted into veneer. Rosewood is unsuitable for plywood manufacture.
Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good
Generally strong, tough, and hard.
It is one of two most popular woods for carving and engraving, the other species being Sissoo (D. sissoo ). In the seasoned condition, Indian rosewood is two-and-one-half-times as hard as Oak (Quercus ), about twenty-five percent stronger in bending and compression along the grain, and fifteen percent stiffer.
Blunting Effect
| Little |
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| Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe |
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| Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is severe |
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| Blunting effect on machining is moderate |
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| Blunting effect on machining is severe |
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The wood occasionally contains chalky deposits which can blunt cutters rather severely and rapidly
Boring
| Fairly difficult to very difficult |
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| May Blunt cutting edges and interfere with boring operations |
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Carving
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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Cutting Resistance
| Easy to saw |
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| Moderate to saw |
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| Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult |
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| Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy |
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May be difficult to saw because of calcareous deposits in vessels.
Gluing
| Fair to Good Results |
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| Easy to glue |
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Mortising
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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| Easy to mortise |
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Very slow speeds have been recommended for mortising operations.
Moulding
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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| Good finishing results |
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| Easy to mould |
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Movement in Service
| Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement |
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| Small |
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| Shape retention after manufacture is usually very good |
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| Dimensional stability is generally very good |
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Nailing
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
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| Fair to Good Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Difficult to nail |
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| Holds nails well |
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Planing
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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| Planes well, to a good finish |
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Resistance to Impregnation
| Permeable sapwood |
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| Resistant sapwood |
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| Resistant heartwood |
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| Sapwood is permeable |
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| Heartwood is very resistant |
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| Heartwood is resistant |
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Response to Hand Tools
| Responds Readily |
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| Easy to Work |
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| Difficult to machine |
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| Moderate working qualities |
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| Easy to machine |
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Routing & Recessing
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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Sanding
Screwing
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
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| Fair to Good Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Screwing yields good results |
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| Good screw holding properties |
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| Easy to screw |
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Turning
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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| Easy to turn |
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| Good results |
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Veneering Qualities
| Suitable for slicing |
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| Easy to cut |
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| Suitable for slicing |
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| Suitable for peeling |
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| Good gluing qualities |
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The timber responds very well to peeling after a soaking treatment, but it is liable to develop numerous small surface checks. Plywood manufactured from Rosewood has good strength properties, but the surfaces are usually not very smooth and uniform
Steam Bending
| Poor to Very Poor Results |
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| Tends to Degrade |
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| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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| Moderate |
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| Good |
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Polishing
| Fair to Good Results |
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| Surface Preparation |
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| Satisfactory results |
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| Good results |
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| Grain filling required for satisfactory results |
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| Excellent results |
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Staining
| Fair to Good Results |
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| Surface Preparation |
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| Finish is generally satisfactory |
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Strength Properties
| Bending strength (MOR) = medium |
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| Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low |
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| Max. crushing strength = high |
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| Shrinkage, Radial = very small |
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| Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu.ft. |
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| Shrinkage, Tangential = small |
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