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Blunting Effect
Boring
Certified Source
Comments
Common Names
Common Uses
Corrosive Properties
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
Light-Induced Color Change
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Afzelia quanzensis

Trade Name
Chanfuta

Family Name
Leguminosae

Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Afzelia, Aiyo, Aligna, Apa, Azza, Beyo, Bilinga, Chamfuta, Chamfuti, Chanfuta, Chanfuti, Chemnen, Doussie, East African afzelia, Hlafuta, Isbin, Kipapa, Lucky bean, Mahogany bean, Mapoortza, Mbambakofi, Mbarakun, Mbarikwa, Mbembakofe, Mbembakofi, Mfunguji, Mkehli, Mkola, Mkongo, Mkora, Mungongona, Mungoriondo, Mungwingwi, Mupapa, Musacassa, Mussalossa, Mwamba, N'shene, Ompow, Onvru, Oshoshi, Peulmahonia, Pod mahogany, Red-arilled afzelia, Rhodesian mahogany, Shenhe

Regions of Distribution
Africa

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania

Common Uses
Boat building (general), Boat building, Boxes and crates, Bridge construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Concrete formwork, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Living-room suites, Marine construction, Millwork, Moldings, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: percussion, Office furniture, Paneling, Parquet flooring, Particleboard, Piling, Plywood, Poles, Posts, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Shipbuilding, Stair rails, Stairworks, Stools, Stringers, Sub-flooring, Tables , Tables, Tool handles, Turnery, Utility furniture, Vats, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wardrobes, Wheel spokes, Wheels

Environmental Profile
Abundant/Secure
Generally secure within its natural habitat
Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center
Abundant


Distribution Overview
It's natural distribution is in eastern and southern Africa in low altitude woodland and dry forest, 0-1800 m altitude, with a mean annual rainfall around 1000 mm and a temperature range of 17-30°C. Prefers medium to light soil or sand and does not tolerate waterlogging. It is very drought resistant but frost sensitive and slow growing in colder areas. The species has been heavily logged for railway sleepers and is now protected in South Africa.

Heartwood Color
Brown
Red
Yellow
Orange
White
Pink
Purple
Reddish brown
Brown
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Pale brown
Pale red to pink
Dark brown
Yellowish brown
White to cream
Turn reddish brown upon exposure
Pinkish brown

It has been compared to a dense-grade of a beautiful mahogany (Swietenia spp.) in appearance

Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
White to yellow
Well defined
Whitish
Pale yellow
Pale straw
Clearly differentiated from the heartwood


Grain
Figure
Interlocked
Straight
Distinct (figure)
Other (figure)
Weak (figure)
Even
Irregular

Interlocked
Straight
Distinct figure
Other figure
Weak figure
Distinct and fine figure
Irregular


Texture
Coarse
Medium
Coarse
Medium to coarse


Luster
Low
Medium
Dull
Medium


Natural Growth Defects
Gum and mineral deposits


Natural Durability
Durable
Very durable
Resistant to termites
Resistant to marine borers
Non-resistant to powder post beetles
Susceptible to insect attack
Moderately durable
Very durable
Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Resistant to attack from marine borers
Durable
Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Suitable for marine applications
Sapwood susceptible to attack by powder post beetles
Resistant to teredo worms
Resistant to decay
Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack
Moderately resistant to attack by termites
Moderately durable


Odor
No specific smell or taste


Light-Induced Color Change
Darker


Corrosive Properties
Non-corrosive


Toxicity
Some toxic effects
Unspecified toxicity
Sawdust can cause irritation in some individuals


Kiln Schedules
Dry at a slow speed
Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is fairly rapid


Drying Defects
Splitting
Checking
Distortion
Extension of Existing Shakes
Ring Shakes
Slight surface checking
Slight end splitting
Slight checking and cracking
Shakes may become extended
Moderate end spitting
Distortion (twist/warp) is likely


Ease of Drying
Variable
Slowly
Fairly Easy
Reconditioning Treatement
Little degrade
Variable results.
Radial and tangential shrinkage from 1-2%
Easy
Dries slowly with little degrade


Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries slowly
Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast
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 fluted


Tree Size
Tree height is 20-30 m
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm
Tree height is 10-20 m
Sapwood width is 0-5 cm
Sapwood width is 5-10 cm
Bole length is 0-10 m
Tree height is 0-10 m
Sapwood width is 10-15 cm
Bole length is 10-20 m
Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm
Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm


Boles clear of branching from 12 to 20 feet (3.7 to 6 m.)Very large and spreading

Certified Source
Certified Source


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as satisfactory

Generally strong and durable

The wood makes attractive doors, window frames, floors and staircases, and is a popular wood locally for highly ornamental carved doors and chests. It's also a favorite for joinery. The wood contains a yellow dye-stuff (afzelin) which can stain textile materials under moist conditions

Blunting Effect
High to severe
Moderate
Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe
Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is moderate
Blunting effect on machining is moderate

Relatively hard wood

Boring
Fairly easy to very easy
Easy


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Moderate to saw
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is moderate
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult
Difficult to saw
Cutting edges are dulled rapidly


Gluing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fair to Good Results
Carefully Controlled Conditions
Difficult to glue
Easy to glue
Use special attention for best results
Moderate gluing properties


Mortising
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Finishes well
Easy to mortise


Moulding
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Very Good to Excellent Results
Good finishing results
Easy to mould
Difficult to mould (due to rapid dulling of cutters)


Movement in Service
Excellent Stability - Small Movement
Small
Stable
Extremely stable


Nailing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Pre-Boring Recommended
Fair to Good Results
Difficult to nail
Possible if prebored
Pre-boring recommended
Holds nails well


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

Requires appropriate tools and a reduced cutting angle of 15 degrees to prevent torn grain.

Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant heartwood
Resistant sapwood
Permeable sapwood
Heartwood is extremely resistant
Heartwood is resistant
Sapwood is moderately treatable


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work