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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 Light-Induced Color Change Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service 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 Silica Content Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Erythrophleum ivorense Trade Name Aba Family Name Leguminosae Synonyms Erythrophleum micranthum Common Names Aba, Aloe, Alui, Amerere, Apotoro-dom, Atsa, Duo tsho, Elondo, Elone, Eloun, Eringi, Erue-alui, Erun, Etsa, Gogbei, Gogwi, Ihi, Kassa, Kokudabo, Mancone, Missanda, Muave, Mwavi, Nkassa, Odang bole, Odom, Ordeal tree, Potrodom, Sasswood, Sasswood tree, Sepehi, Tali, Tsa Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zaire, Zambia Common Uses Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Bridge construction, Charcoal, Chemical derivatives, Decks, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Fuelwood, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Light construction, Marine construction, Millwork, Mine timbers, Musical instruments, Piling, Plywood, Poles, Posts, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods, Tables, Tool handles, Turnery, Vats, Vehicle parts Heartwood Color Brown Red Purple Green/grey Reddish brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Brown Dark brown Sapwood Color Yellow White White to yellow Well defined Paler than heartwood Grain Interlocked Closed Wavy Interlocked Wavy Texture Fine Even or uniform Coarse Luster Low Lustrous Natural Durability Very durable Durable Resistant to termites Resistant to marine borers Very durable Resistant to attack from marine borers Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Durable Susceptible to marine borer attack Silica Content High Light-Induced Color Change None Toxicity Unspecified toxicity Respiratory effects Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Checking Distortion Slight twist/warp Slight end splitting Moderate twist/warp Moderate end spitting Drying degrade due to spring and bow tends to be moderate Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is misshapen Tree Size Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect High to severe Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Blunting effect on machining is severe Blunting effect on machining is moderate Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Easy Carving Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Cutting resistance with dry wood is variable Gluing Easy to glue Difficult to glue Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Movement in Service Small Nailing Difficult to nail Possible if prebored Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Difficult to plane Planes well, to a good finish Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Heartwood is highly resistant Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Responds Poorly Difficult to machine Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Sanding Easy to sand Good sanding finish Screwing Possible if prebored Difficult to screw Turning Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good results Easy to turn Turns with moderate ease Veneering Qualities Suitable for slicing Diifficult to veneer Bolt preparation requires steaming Painting Satisfactory results Polishing Satisfactory results Good results Varnishing Good results Strength Properties Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Hardness (side grain) = hard Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Max. crushing strength = high Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large Bending strength (MOR) = very high Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Volumetric = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = large Bending strength (MOR) = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = small Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Max. crushing strength = very high Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu.ft Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 15280 22556 psi Density 55 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2801 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 7526 10673 psi Shearing Strength 1418 psi Stiffness 2002 2306 1000 psi Weight 54 43 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 12 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 1074 1585 kg/cm2 Density 881 kg/m3 Hardness 1270 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 529 750 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 99 kg/cm2 Stiffness 140 162 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 865 689 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % References Bentum, A.L.K.,1971,Properties of Ghanaian Timbers - Potrodom,Technical Newsletter Ghana,5(3/4, pp38-9 Bois et Forets des Tropiques,1949,Olon (Fagara heitzii and Fagara brieyi,Bois et Forets des Tropiques,No.10,pp175-8 Bois et Forets des Tropiques,1949,Tali (Erythropleum ivorense and E. guineense,Bois et Forets des Tropiques,No.9,pp67-70 Bois et Forets des Tropiques,1977,Tali (Erythrophleum ivorense and Erythrophleum guineese,Bois et Forets des Tropiques,No.176,pp17-31 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 Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. 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 Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1969,The Movement of Timbers,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough Technical Note,No.38 France - C.T.F.T.,1960,Resultats des Observations et des Essais Effectues au C.T.F.T. sur,Erythrophleum sp.,C.T.F.T.,Information Technique, No.120 France - C.T.F.T.,1977,Promotion of African Timbers - New Species,CTFT,35 Leaflets Ghana - Timber Marketing Board,1969,Ghana Hardwoods,Timber Marketing Board Hughes, J.F.,1971,The Principal Timber Trees of Cameroon,Unpublished data Irvine, F.R.,1961,Woody Plants of Ghana,O.U.P. London Jay, B.A.,1968,Timbers of West Africa,TRADA, Red Booklet Series 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 Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London Sallenave, P.,1964,Proprietes Physiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux (Premier Supplement,C.T.F.T. Publ.,no.23 Sallenave, P.,1971,Proprietes Physiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux (Deuxieme,Supplement,C.T.F.T. 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 Timber Development Association,1948,Some New Timbers and Their Uses No. 34,Timber Development Association Limited, London [TRADA] Unwin, A.H.,1920,West African Forests and Forestry,T. Fisher Unwin Ltd. London Wood, B., Calnan, D.,1976,Toxic Woods,British Journal of Dermat 94 Suppl. 13