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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
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
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Silica Content
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Synonyms
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing
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Synonyms
Diospyros nsambensis
Common Names
Ankyeyi, Dubima, Enkyinwine, Esono-afe, Esono-akyenie, Esonoakyi, Esunseka, Flintbark, Kusibiri, Liberia ebony, Okusibiri, Sanza minika, Sanzamouki, Sanzamulike
Regions of Distribution
Africa
Countries of Distribution
[VIEW MAP]
Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone
Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Carvings, Flooring, Fuelwood, Handles: general, Heavy construction, Joinery, Ladders, Mine timbers, Poles, Posts, Sporting Goods, Tool handles, Toys, Turnery, Vehicle parts
Heartwood Color
| Brown |
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| Pink |
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| Yellow |
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| Black |
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| Highly variable |
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| Red |
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| Orange |
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| White to cream |
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| Brown |
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Sapwood Color
| Tan |
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| Green/Grey |
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| Same as heartwood |
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| Even |
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| Figure |
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| Straight |
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| Irregular |
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| Birds-eye (figure) |
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| Straight |
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| Interlocked |
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Texture
Luster
Natural Growth Defects
| Brittleheart is often frequent and extensive |
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Natural Durability
| Durable |
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| Moderately durable |
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| Non-resistant to powder post beetles |
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| Non-resistant to marine borers |
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| Non-resistant to termites |
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| Moderately durable |
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| Susceptible to marine borer attack |
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| Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles |
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| Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack |
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| Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles |
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| Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present |
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| Non durable |
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Susceptible to termite (Isoptera) attack
Odor
Silica Content
Light-Induced Color Change
Toxicity
| Some toxic effects |
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| Respiratory effects |
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| Dermatitic effects |
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Kiln Schedules
| Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is slow |
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Drying Defects
| Resin Exudation |
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| Checking |
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| Collapse |
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| Distortion |
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Ease of Drying
| Medium to High Shrinkage |
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| Moderately Difficult to Difficult |
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| Thick Stock Requires Care |
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Kiln Drying Rate
| Very slow (>28 days for boards < 32 mm, to >84 days for boards >= 63 mm) |
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Tree Identification
| Bole/stem form is not buttressed |
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| Bole/stem form is straight |
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| Bole/stem form is misshapen |
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| Bole/stem form is cylindrical |
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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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| Tree height is 50-60 m |
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| Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm |
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Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good
Blunting Effect
| High to severe |
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| Moderate |
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| Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe |
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Boring
Carving
Cutting Resistance
| Easy to saw |
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| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw |
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| Cutting Resistance with green wood is moderate |
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| Cutting Resistance with dry wood is moderate |
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Gluing
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
| Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement |
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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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| Possible if prebored |
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| Holds satisfactorily |
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Planing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Planes well, to a good finish |
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Resistance to Impregnation
| Resistant sapwood |
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| Resistant heartwood |
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| Heartwood is permeable |
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| Sapwood is permeable |
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Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Fair to Good Results |
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Screwing
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
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Turning
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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| Fair to Good Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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Steam Bending
| Exudation |
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| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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| Poor to Very Poor Results |
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Polishing
| Satisfactory results |
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| Good results |
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Staining
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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Varnishing
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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Strength Properties
| Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium |
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| Max. crushing strength = high |
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| Bending strength (MOR) = high |
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| Hardness (side grain) = very hard |
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| Bending strength (MOR) = medium |
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| Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium |
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| Max. crushing strength = medium |
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| Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft |
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| Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate |
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| Shrinkage, Tangential = large |
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| Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large |
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| Shrinkage, Radial = moderate |
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| Shrinkage, Radial = large |
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| Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large |
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| Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft |
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| Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. |
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| Bending strength (MOR) = very high |
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Numerical Data
| Item | Green | Dry | English |
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| Bending Strength | 12968 | 19750 | psi |
| Density | | 56 | lbs/ft3 |
| Hardness | | 2940 | lbs |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 6047 | 8931 | psi |
| Shearing Strength | | 2205 | psi |
| Stiffness | 1665 | 1923 | 1000 psi |
| Weight | 55 | 45 | lbs/ft3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 5 | | % |
| Tangential Shrinkage | 8 | | % |
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| Item | Green | Dry | Metric |
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| Bending Strength | 911 | 1388 | kg/cm2 |
| Density | | 897 | kg/m3 |
| Hardness | | 1333 | kg |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 425 | 627 | kg/cm2 |
| Shearing Strength | | 155 | kg/cm2 |
| Stiffness | 117 | 135 | 1000 kg/cm2 |
| Weight | 881 | 721 | kg/m3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 5 | | % |
References
Armstrong, F.H.,1960,The Strength Properties of Timber,Forest Products Research Laboratory, London Bulletin,No.45
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
Cooper, G.P., Record, S.J.,1931,The Evergreen Forests of Liberia,Yale School Forestry Bulletin,31,pp1-153
Dalziel, J.M.,1937,The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa,Crown Agents for the Colonies
Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood A. Wood Species from African Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department
Ghana - Timber Marketing Board,1969,Ghana Hardwoods,Timber Marketing Board
Irvine, F.R.,1961,Woody Plants of Ghana,O.U.P. London
Kinloch, D., Miller, W.A.,1949,Gold Coast Timbers,Govt. Printer Gold Coast
Kryn, J.M., Forbes, E.W.,1959,The Woods of Liberia,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture,Forest Products Laboratory, Madison,,Report No. 2159
Sallenave, P.,1955,Proprietes Phyiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux de l'Union Francaise,C.T.F.T
Savill, P.S., Fox, J.E.D.,1967,Trees of Sierra Leone
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
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