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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 Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules 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 Steam Bending Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Eucalyptus rostrata Trade Name Red river gum Family Name Myrtaceae Synonyms Eucalyptus rostrata Common Names Murray red gum, Queensland blue gum, Red gum, Red river gum, River gum, River red gum, Rostrata gom, Rostrata gum, Rostrata-gom Regions of Distribution Africa, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Australia, Bangladesh, Congo, India, Israel, Morocco, South Africa, Thailand Common Uses Agricultural implements, Beams, Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Bridge construction, Building construction, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Charcoal, Concrete formwork, Construction, Decks, Domestic flooring, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Fuelwood, Furniture, Handles: general, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Joists, Ladders, Light construction, Mine timbers, Paneling, Parquet flooring, Pile-driver cushions, Piling, Plywood, Porch columns, Posts, Railroad ties, Rough construction, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Stair rails, Stairworks, Stringers, Sub-flooring, Tool handles, Toys, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Wharf construction, Wheels Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Grows mainly on river banks, reaching its best development along the Murray River in New South Wales and Victoria in Australia. It is also widely distributed throughout south Australia and Queensland. Heartwood Color Brown Red Green/grey Pink Red Dark brown Reddish brown Sapwood Color Brown Different than heartwood Clearly differentiated from the heartwood Grain Interlocked Figure Distinct (figure) Closed Even Growth rings (figure) Straight Interlocked Distinct figure Generally straight, but not always Clear growth rings (figure) The interlocked and often wavy grain produces a fiddleback and distinctly mottled figure on quartersawn surfaces. Texture Fine Uniform Even or uniform Fine Medium Even textured Close Luster Low Natural Growth Defects Gum/resin streaks Include phloem Natural Durability Durable Moderately durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Durable Moderately durable Non durable Heartwood is moderately resistant to attack by termites and marine borers Well suited for use under conditions where it will remain in water or damp soil for an extended period of time Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Splitting Checking Distortion Moderate twist/warp Slight surface checking Moderate end spitting Gum pockets cancause distortion and longitudinal shrinkage may be excessive without proper care Ease of Drying Slowly Thick Stock Requires Care Requires special attention Moderate Dries well under good controlled conditions Tree Identification Bole/stem form is misshapen Tree Size Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Blunting Effect Blunting effect on machining is moderate Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Use very sharp cutting edges to prevent grain from tearing Satisfactory results Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor results Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Presence of gum Material with interlocked grain can be difficult. Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Gluing Easy to glue May require surface treatment for best results Gum exudation is reported to interfere Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Stable Small amount of movement Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Poor to Very Poor Results Pre-boring recommended Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Ease of planing is moderate Very sharp cutting edges are required to produce a smooth surface Difficult to plane A reduced angle of 20 degrees is recommended The presence of gum and interlocked grain is reported to affect the machining properties Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is extremely resistant Sapwood is permeable Sapwood is moderately resistant Heartwood is resistant to impregnation Response to Hand Tools Responds Readily Easy to machine Difficult to machine Responds rather poorly to hand tools Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fair to Good Results Satisfactory Screwing Pre-boring recommended Good screw holding properties Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Difficult to turn Steam Bending Moderate Gum exudation is reported to prevent the use of the timber for steam bending Polishing Fair to Good Results Good results Satisfactory results Strength Properties Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Density (dry weight) = 53-60 Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Bending strength (MOR) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Max. crushing strength = high Bending strength (MOR) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 8432 13256 psi Crushing Strength 1049 1627 psi Density 53 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1812 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 4966 7858 psi Shearing Strength 1997 psi Static Bending 5272 8516 psi Stiffness 1332 1635 1000 psi Toughness 92 inch-lbs Specific Gravity 0.63 0.74 Weight 52 43 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 592 932 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 73 114 kg/cm2 Density 849 kg/m3 Hardness 821 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 349 552 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 140 kg/cm2 Static Bending 370 598 kg/cm2 Stiffness 93 114 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 105 cm-kg Specific Gravity 0.63 0.74 Weight 833 689 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % References Australia - N.S.W. Forestry Commission,1988,Furniture Timbers of New South Wales,Forest Commission, N.S.W., Aust. Tech. Publication No.1 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 Boas, I.H.,1947,The Commercial Timbers of Australia - Their Properties and Uses,Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Melbourne 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. Technological Paper No. 25. Division of Forest Products, Center for Scientific and Industrial Organization (CSIRO, Melbourne, Australia. Hillis, W.E. and A.G. Brown, Editors. 1984. Eucalyptus for Wood Production. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Academic Press, Australia. 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 Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California. Sattar, M.A. and Bhattacharjee, D.K.,1990,Physical and Mechanical Properties of Eucalyptus camaldulensis,Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Chitttagong, Bulletin 12 Timber,Physics Series 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 Scott, M.H.,1953,Utilisation Notes on South African Timbers,South African Forestry Department Bulletin No.36 Shukla, N.K. and Rajput, S.S.,1983,Physical and Mechanical Properties of Eucalypts grown in India,Indian Forester 109(112) 933-43 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 The Australian Timber Journal & Building Products, Merchandiser,1969,Timber Durability and Preservation,Supplement to Australian Timber Journal 35(4) Tech. Timb. Guide No.8 Wallis, N.K. 1956. Australian Timber Handbook. Sponsored by The Timber Development Association of Australia. Angus & Robertson, Ltd., 89 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, Australia. Yoji Kikata (ed.,1991,The promotion of Lesser-known Species and Plantation-grown species,Proceedings of the International Forest Products Workshop, 14 to 15,October, 1991, Nagoya University, Japan