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Blunting Effect
Boring
Carving
Comments
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Family Name
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Schedules
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
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
Strength Properties
Synonyms
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning

Scientific Name
Diospyros ferrea

Trade Name
Ata-ata

Family Name
Ebenaceae

Synonyms
Ehretia ferrea, Ferriola buxifolia, Maba buxifolia


Wood Image 1

Common Names
Ata-ata, Balatinao, Bantolinao, Batulinau, Bibis, Black ebony, Ebano, Ebony, Irumpalei, Irunbali, Kamaho, Karianthovarai, Kathuthovarai, Kaya arang, Kayu arang, Keloran, Ki merak, Kihagilo, Layong, Mariathovarai, Merakan, Mobohagio, Palatinao, Pasiniki, Poeloet, Rangkemi, Riboe-riboe, Sachinit laut, Secherek laut, Tagintin, Ugao, Uti, Yerruti

Regions of Distribution
Africa, Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Australia, Burma, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Vanuatu

Common Uses
Billiard-cue butts, Boxes and crates, Brush backs & handles, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Furniture, Golf club heads, Handles: general, Heavy construction, Ladders, Light construction, Mathematical instruments, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: strings, Plywood, Sporting Goods, Textile equipment, Tool handles, Toys, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative

Heartwood Color
Black
Black
Brown
Greenish to greyish


Sapwood Color
Yellow
White
White to yellow
Well defined


Grain
Straight
Even
Interlocked
Figure
Stripe (figure)

Straight
Striped figure
Interlocked


Texture
Fine
Medium
Fine


Luster
Lustrous


Natural Growth Defects
Yellowish deposits in vessels


Natural Durability
Very durable
Durable
Resistant to termites
Durable
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Non durable
Moderately durable
Very durable
Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack
Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera)


Toxicity
Dermatitic effects


Kiln Schedules
Dry at a slow speed


Drying Defects
Checking
Moderate twist/warp
Severe surface checking
Moderate surface checking
Moderate cupping


Ease of Drying
Moderately Difficult to Difficult
Difficult


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is misshapen
Bole/stem form is fluted


Tree Size
Tree height is 10-20 m
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Blunting Effect
High to severe
Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is severe


Boring
Fairly difficult to very difficult


Carving
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult


Gluing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results


Mortising
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Moulding
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Nailing
Pre-Boring Recommended
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Difficult to nail


Planing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fair to Good Results
Planes well, to a good finish


Resistance to Impregnation
Heartwood is resistant


Response to Hand Tools
Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work
Difficult to machine


Routing & Recessing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Screwing
Pre-boring recommended
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


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


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


Strength Properties
Shrinkage, Tangential = large
Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large
Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large
Shrinkage, Radial = large
Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu.ft
Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft.
Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate
Shrinkage, Radial = small
Shrinkage, Radial = moderate
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low
Max. crushing strength = medium
Density (dry weight) = >75 lbs/cu. ft
Bending strength (MOR) = medium


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength931014566psi
Density50lbs/ft3
Maximum Crushing Strength39166397psi
Shearing Strength1560psi
Stiffness135815681000 psi
Weight4949lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage5%
Tangential Shrinkage9%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength6541024kg/cm2
Density801kg/m3
Maximum Crushing Strength275449kg/cm2
Shearing Strength109kg/cm2
Stiffness951101000 kg/cm2
Weight785785kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage5%

References
Bolza, E.,1975,Properties and Uses of 175 Timber Species from Papua New Guinea and West,Irian,C.S.I.R.O. Div. Building Research Report,no.34

Bourdillon, T.F.,1908,The Forest Trees of Travancore,Travancore Government Press

E.H. Walker,1954,Important Trees of the Ryukyu Islands,United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands Special Bulletin,No. 3

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

Gamble, J.S.,1902,A Manual of Indian Timbers,Sampson Low, Marston & Co. London

Grant, D.K.S.,1934,Some Local Timbers,Tanzania Forest Department

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

Kraemer, J.H.,1951,Trees of the Western Pacific Region,West Lafayette, Indiana U.S.A.

Ng, F.S.P.,1978,Tree Flora of Malaya A Manual for Foresters Volume 3,Forest Department Ministry of Primary Industries Malaysia

Pearson, R.S., Brown, H.P.,1932,Commercial Timbers of India,Govt. Printer Calcutta,2 vols

Purkayastha, S.K.,1982,Indian woods: Their identifications, properties and uses, Vol. IV,Myrlacene to Symploceae,Controller of Publications, New Delhi

Reyes, L.J.,1938,Philippine Woods,Commonwealth of the Philippines Department of Agriculture and Commerce,Technical Bulletin,No.7









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