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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 Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing Product Sources 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 Scientific Name Afzelia spp. Trade Name Afzelia Family Name Leguminosae Common Names Afzelia, Aligna, Apa, Azza, Beyo, Chanfuta, Counterwood, Doussie, Kontah, Mbambakofi, Meli, Mkola, Mkora, Mussacossa, Waterside ekpagoise, Welu, Yoruba bilinga Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cameroon, Central African Republic, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda Common Uses Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Flooring, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Light construction, Marine construction, Millwork, Musical instruments, Paneling, Railroad ties, Tables, Turnery, Vats, Veneer: decorative Distribution Overview West, Central, and East Africa.  Occurs in the dense evergreen forests but also common in the savanna and coastal forests of East Africa. Heartwood Color Purple Red Brown Reddish brown Sapwood Color White Yellow White to yellow Well defined Grain Figure Interlocked Straight Distinct (figure) Other (figure) Even Weak (figure) Interlocked Straight Distinct figure Other figure Weak figure Other figure Distinct and very fine figure Texture Coarse Medium Coarse Medium Medium to coarse Luster Medium Lustrous Natural Durability Very durable Resistant to termites Resistant to marine borers Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to powder post beetles Moderately durable Very durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from marine borers Resistant to wood staining fungal attack Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Toxicity Some toxic effects Unspecified toxicity Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Checking Splitting Slight surface checking Slight end splitting No surface checking No end splitting Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Slowly Easy Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Bole length is 10-20 m Bole length is 0-10 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Product Sources Exported on a regular basis. Blunting Effect Moderate High to severe Blunting effect on machining is moderate Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Boring Fairly easy to very easy Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to glue Difficult to glue Mortising Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Finishes well Moulding Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Poor moulding results Good finishing results Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Small Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to nail Easy to nail Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Planes well, to a good finish Planes to a poor finish Difficult to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is extremely resistant Heartwood is resistant Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to Work Difficult to machine Moderate working qualities Easy to machine Sanding Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Good sanding finish Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Fair to Good Results Unsuitable Very poor Poor Moderate Polishing Fair to Good Results Satisfactory results Staining Fair to Good Results Poor to Very Poor Results Finish is generally satisfactory Poor results Strength Properties Hardness (side grain) = medium Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Max. crushing strength = high Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Volumetric = small Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 11442 17761 psi Density 47 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1658 lbs Impact Strength 28 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 6899 9945 psi Shearing Strength 2205 psi Stiffness 1512 1745 1000 psi Weight 46 38 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 4 % Volumetric Shrinkage 6 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 804 1248 kg/cm2 Density 753 kg/m3 Hardness 752 kg Impact Strength 71 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 485 699 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 155 kg/cm2 Stiffness 106 122 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 737 608 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 4 % References Arkwright, P.,1962,Know your Timber - Afzelia,Woodworking Industry,19(7, p415 Armstrong, F.H.,1951,Resistance to Wear of Afzelia as Flooring,Wood,16(9, pp338-9 Armstrong, F.H.,1960,The Strength Properties of Timber,Forest Products Research Laboratory, London Bulletin,No.45 Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1951,Afzelia,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Timber Leaflet,1(6)1-3 & Report 6/5/45 I.U.F.R.O.,1973,Veneer Species of the World,Assembled at F.P.L. Madison on behalf of I.U.F.R.O. Working Party on,Slicing and Veneer Cutting Kribs, D.A.,1950,Commercial and Foreign Woods on the American Market (a manual to their,structure, identification, uses and distribution,U.S.A. Penn. State College, Tropical Woods Laboratory Lavers, G.M.,1983,The Strength Properties of Timber (3rd ed. revised Moore G.L.,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Report (formerly Bulletin No.50) McCoy-Hill, M.,1962,The Protection of Timber from Marine Borer Damage in East African,Waters,8th Brit. Commw. Forestry Conf. East Africa Oliver, A.C.,1974,Timber for Marine and Freshwater Construction,TRADA, London Spalt, H.A., Stern, W.L.,1956,Survey of African woods 1,Tropical Woods,115(105,pp 13-38 Uganda Forest Department,1954,Flooring Timbers,Uganda Forest Department Timber Leaflet,No.17 Unwin, A.H.,1920,West African Forests and Forestry,T. Fisher Unwin Ltd. London