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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. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Painting Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Scientific Name Diospyros abyssinica Trade Name Black bark Family Name Ebenaceae Synonyms Maba abyssinica, Maba mualala, Maba warneckei Common Names Black bark, Blidzo, Blonyateo, Chatuyet, Cheptua, Cheptuiyet, Gbliteo, Giant diospyros, Kenduiwet, Legurdien, Logo, Lusui, Mdaa-mwitu, Mlala, Mpimbye, Mpojwa, Msambu, Mseseyu, Mubale, Muhoko, Muirosi, Mukor'or, Munyakungu, Mutharagwe, Mutimuiro, Nkinga, Nserere, Ochol, Ol-gurdien, Omuhoko, Omuyonjo Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Angola, Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe Common Uses Agricultural implements, Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Flooring, Furniture, Golf club heads, Light construction, Mine timbers, Musical instruments, Poles, Posts, Sporting Goods, Textile equipment, Tool handles, Toys, Turnery Heartwood Color Brown White Black Highly variable White to cream Pale red to pink Pale brown Sapwood Color Brown Yellow White Red Same as heartwood Grain Straight Interlocked Weak (figure) Figure Even Straight Interlocked Weak figure Texture Fine Even or uniform Uniform Fine Medium Natural Durability Very durable Durable Resistant to termites Non durable Perishable Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Moderately durable Toxicity Unspecified toxicity Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed UK=A US=T2D4/T2D3 Fr=1 Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is fairly rapid UK=C US=T3C2/T3C1 Fr=3 Drying Defects Checking Slight end splitting No end splitting Slight surface checking No surface checking Moderate cupping Slight twist/warp Severe cupping Moderate twist/warp Slight spring/bow Slight cupping Severe twisting/warping Moderate surface checking Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Easy Kiln Drying Rate Fairly rapid (11-17 days for boards under 32 mm, to 31-51 days for boards greater than 63 mm) Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is cylindrical Tree Size Bole length is 0-10 m Tree height is 10-20 m Blunting Effect High to severe Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Difficult Easy Carving Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to glue Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to mortise Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good finishing results Easy to mould Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Difficult to nail Possible if prebored Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Planes well, to a good finish Planes to a poor finish Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Heartwood is moderately resistant Heartwood is resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Routing is easy Sanding Easy to sand Good sanding finish Screwing Pre-boring recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Painting Good results Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Varnishing Good results Strength Properties Bending strength (MOR) = medium Max. crushing strength = high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Max. crushing strength = medium Hardness (side grain) = soft Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = large Hardness (side grain) = medium Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = very high Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = high Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 9310 14566 psi Density 43 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1279 lbs Impact Strength 64 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 5496 8275 psi Shearing Strength 1918 psi Stiffness 1393 1607 1000 psi Weight 42 34 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 654 1024 kg/cm2 Density 689 kg/m3 Hardness 580 kg Impact Strength 162 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 386 581 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 134 kg/cm2 Stiffness 97 112 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 673 544 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % References Battiscombe, E., Dale, I.R.,1936,Trees and Shrubs of Kenya Colony,Govt. Printer Nairobi Battiscombe, E.,1926,A Descriptive Catalogue of some of the Common Trees and Woody Plants of,Kenya Colony,Crown Agents for the Colonies London Bois, P.J.,1966,The Strength Properties of Tanzania Timbers,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi Tech. Note, No.35 Bolza, E., Keating, W.G.,1972,African Timbers - the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 700 Species,C.S.I.R.O. Div. of Building Research Bryce, J. and Kitambi, G.,1960,The Air-drying Properties of some Tanganyika Timbers Technical Note No 23,Tanganyika Forest Department Utilisation Division Technical Note Bryce, J.M.,1967,Commercial Timbers of Tanzania,Tanzanian Forestry Division Util. Sec. Moshi Dale, I.R., Greenway, P.J.,1961,Kenya Trees and Shrubs,Buchanans Kenya Estates Ltd. Nairobi Hatchards London Eggeling, W.J.,1940,Indigenous Trees of Uganda,Govt. Printer Entebbe Uganda Flamwell, C.T.,1958,The Woodworking Properties of Diospyros abyssinica,Tanzania Forest Dept. Util. Sec. Moshi Tech. Note,No.11 Goldsmith, B., Carter, D.T.,1981,The Indigenous Timbers of Zimbabwe,Forestry Commission, Zimbabwe Research Bulletin No.9 Irvine, F.R.,1961,Woody Plants of Ghana,O.U.P. London Keay, R.W.J.,1964,Nigerian Trees Vol.2,Nigeria Federal Department of Forest Research, Ibadan Murira, K.,1984,Natural Durability Tests of Tanzanian Timbers 1955 - 1982,Tanzania Forestry Research Institute, Timber Utilisation Research Centre,,Moshi. Patterson, D.N.,1963,The strength of Kenya timbers, their derivation and application,Kenya Forestry Department Research Bulletin,No.23 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 Tanzania Forest Department,1960,The Natural Durability of Local Timbers,Tanzanian Forest Dept. Tech. Note,No.14 Tanzania Forest Division,1960,Diospyros abyssinica (Msambu,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi - Timbers of Tanganyika Tanzania Forest Division,1966,Kiln Drying Schedules for Tanzania Timbers Technical Note no.38,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi Tanzania Forest Division,1967,The Weights and Shrinkage of some Local Timbers,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sect. Technical Note,No.25 Uganda Forest Department,1954,The Mechanical Properties of some Ugandan Timbers,Uganda Forest Department Timber Leaflet,No.1 White, F.,1962,Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia,O.U.P. London Wimbush, S.H.,1950,Catalogue of Kenya Timbers,Govt. Printer Nairobi Kenya