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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 Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Painting Planing Plantation species? Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Steam Bending Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Eucalyptus robusta Trade Name Australian silky oak Family Name Myrtaceae Synonyms Eucalyptus multiflora Common Names Australian silky oak, Australian swamp mahogany, Beakpod eucalyptus, Brown gum, East African silky oak, Eucalipto, Grevillea, Lacewood, Robusta eucalyptus, Robusta gum, Swamp gum, Swamp mahogany, Swamp mesmate, Swamp messmate Plantation species? Yes Regions of Distribution Africa, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Hawaii [US], Madagascar, Puerto Rico [US], South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire Common Uses Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boat building: framing, Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Charcoal, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Food containers, Fuelwood, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Mine timbers, Musical instruments: percussion, Paneling, Particleboard, Piling, Plywood, Posts, Pulp/Paper products, Railroad ties, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, agricultural implements Distribution Overview Native to a narrow coastal area in southeastern Australia. The species is widely adaptable and has been introduced into many tropical, subtropical, and warm-temperate climates including Puerto Rico, southern Florida, coastal California, and Hawaii. It is naturalized only in southern Florida and Hawaii. Commonly called swamp-mahogany in Australia, it is usually called robusta eucalyptus in the United States, and beakpod eucalyptus in Puerto Rico. Robusta eucalyptus is native along the Australian coast of New South Wales and southeast Queensland. It is found mainly in swamps and on the edges of coastal lagoons and rivers where it is subject to periodic flooding Heartwood Color Brown Green/grey White Red Pink Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Reddish brown Red Pale red to pink Pale brown Sapwood Color Brown Different than heartwood Clearly differentiated from the heartwood White to yellow Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Interlocked Figure Growth rings (figure) Even Straight Rippled (figure) Stripe (figure) Interlocked Clear growth rings (figure) Striped figure Rippled figure Generally straight, but not always Texture Fine Uniform Even or uniform Coarse Medium coarse Luster Low Natural Growth Defects Brittleheart is often frequent and extensive Natural Durability Durable Moderately durable Durable Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Moderately durable Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Heartwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present Drying Defects Splitting Checking Distortion Moderate end spitting Slight end splitting Severe twisting/warping Severe end splitting Slight surface checking Severe surface checking Ease of Drying Slowly Thick Stock Requires Care Variable results. Tree Identification Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Blunting effect on machining is moderate Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Easy to glue Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Unstable in service Prone to movement Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Poor to Very Poor Results Pre-boring recommended Easy to nail Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Ease of planing is moderate Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Resistant Sapwood is permeable Sapwood is moderately resistant Heartwood is extremely resistant Resistance to Splitting Excellent Response to Hand Tools Responds Readily Easy to machine Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fair to Good Results Screwing Pre-boring recommended Easy to screw Screwing yields good results Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Good results Veneering Qualities Suitable for slicing Suitable for peeling Easy to cut There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits Moderately easy to veneer Steam Bending Poor Painting Satisfactory results Polishing Fair to Good Results Good results Strength Properties Bending strength (MOR) = medium Max. crushing strength = high Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Max. crushing strength = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Density (dry weight) = 53-60 Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Hardness (side grain) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 9863 15406 psi Density 51 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1160 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 5710 8560 psi Shearing Strength 1954 psi Stiffness 1750 2020 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 7 9 inch-lbs/in3 Weight 50 40 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 693 1083 kg/cm2 Density 817 kg/m3 Hardness 526 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 401 601 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 137 kg/cm2 Stiffness 123 142 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.49 0.63 cm-kg/cm3 Weight 801 641 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % References Banks, C.H., Schoeman, J.P., Otto, K.P.,1977,The Mechanical Properties of Timbers with particular reference to South,Africa,South African Forestry Research Institute Bulletin,(Ed.,Schoeman, J.P. 1973 & Otto K.P. 1976,No.48 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 Bolza, E., Kloot, N.H.,1963,The Mechanical Properties of 174 Australian Timbers,C.S.I.R.O. Division of Forest Products Technological Paper,No.25 Gerhards, C.C.,1963,Some Strength and Related Properties of Green Wood of Hawaiian Eucalyptus,saligna,Forest Products Laboratory, Forest Service, U.S. Department of,Agriculture, Research Note No. FPL-09 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 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 Longwood, F.R.,1961,Puerto Rican Woods - Their Machining Seasoning and Related Characteristics,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.205 Scott, M.H.,1935,Weights of South African Growth Timbers,South African Department of Agriculture and Forestry Bulletin,No.145,Forest Products Institute, Forestry Series No.1 Skolmen, R.G.,1963,Robusta Eucalyptus Wood: Its Properties and Uses,US. Forest Service Research Paper, No. PSW-9, Pacific Southwest Forest,Range Experimental Station Skolmen, R.G.,1974,Some woods of Hawaii, properties and uses of 16 commercial species,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Forest,and Range Experiment Station, General Technical Report PSW_8 Smith, H.H.,1960,Wood quality studies to guide Hawaiian forest industries,Pacific South-West Forest & Range Exp. Station, Berkeley, California.,Misc. Pap. 48 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