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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 Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Fagraea gracilipes Trade Name Buabua Family Name Potaliaceae Common Names Buabua Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Fiji [Polynesia], Fiji Common Uses Agricultural implements, Beams, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: framing, Building materials, Canoes, Decks, Domestic flooring, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joists, Lifeboats, Light construction, Marine construction, Mathematical instruments, Millwork, Mine timbers, Moldings, Paneling, Parquet flooring, Piling, Poles, Porch columns, Posts, Precision instruments, Railroad ties, Rough construction, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Structural work, Studs, Sub-flooring, Trimming, Truck bodies, Vehicle parts, Wainscotting Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Widely scattered throughout the Indo-Malayan region and the Pacific Islands. Heartwood Color Brown Red Pink Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Brown Sapwood Color Green/Grey White Paler than heartwood Sapwood is considered narrow Grain Interlocked Straight Even Interlocked Generally straight, but not always Texture Medium Fine to medium Medium Fine Greasy feel Luster High Lustrous Natural Durability Perishable Non-durable Very durable Very durable Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) may be present in the felled log Good weathering properties Durable Durable Heartwood is resistant to termites but logs are vulnerable to attack by pinhole borers. The material has good weathering properties. Odor Has an odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Distortion Collapse Moderate surface checking Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Medium to High Shrinkage Radial and tangential shrinkage from 1-2% Moderate Tree Identification Bole/stem form is misshapen Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Blunting Effect Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Blunting effect on machining is moderate Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Easy Surfaces of straight-grained material are generally clean if cutters are kept very sharp. Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Arving qualities are generally good, especially in straight-grained material. Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Reported to be hard and dense Described as heavy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Gluing Fair to Good Results Moderate gluing properties Fairly difficult to glue Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Straight-Grain wood responds best Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Yields clean surfaces Timber is reported as hard and heavy Requires very sharp cutting edges Nailing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Holds nails well Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results The timber is hard and heavy, but it is reported to plane to yield relatively clean surfaces, except when interlocked grain is present. Resistance to Impregnation Heartwood is extremely resistant Resistance to Splitting Poor Response to Hand Tools Responds Readily Easy to Work Moderate working qualities Utting edges may dull rather rapidly since the wood is hard and heavy. Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Material with interlocked grain requires sharp cutting edges Hard and heavy wood Good in both routing and recessing. Sanding Fair to Good Results Contains alkaloids giving it good acid resistance Green wood sands rather well Turning Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Yields clean surfaces Requires sharp cutters Easy to turn Polishing Fair to Good Results The wood has good polishing properties. Strength Properties Max. crushing strength = high Bending strength (MOR) = high Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Density (dry weight) = 61< Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = small Density (dry weight) = 53-60 Bending strength (MOR) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 14328 19771 psi Crushing Strength 2122 2445 psi Density 61 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2032 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 7755 10244 psi Shearing Strength 2670 psi Static Bending 9477 10702 psi Stiffness 2120 2432 1000 psi Toughness 132 inch-lbs Weight 60 49 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 4 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 1007 1390 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 149 171 kg/cm2 Density 977 kg/m3 Hardness 921 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 545 720 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 187 kg/cm2 Static Bending 666 752 kg/cm2 Stiffness 149 170 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 152 cm-kg Weight 961 785 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % References Alston, A.S.,1966,Natural Heartwood Durability,Fiji Forestry Department, Suva. Fiji timbers and their uses No. 2 Alston, A.S.,1966,Powder Post Beetle Lyctus Species,Fiji Forestry Department, Suva. Fiji timbers and their uses No.6 Bolza, E., Kloot, N.H.,1972,The Mechanical Properties of 56 Fijian Timbers,Australia C.S.I.R.O. Division of Forest Products Technological Paper,No.,62 Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Fiji Department of Forestry,1969,A Summary of the Properties of 34 Indigenous Timbers,Fiji Forestry Department, Suva. Fiji timbers and their uses No.38 Fiji Department of Forestry,1972,Guide to the use of local timbers,Fiji Forestry Department, Suva. Fiji timbers and their uses No.55 Fiji Forestry Department,1967,The Properties and Potential Uses of Buabua (Fagraea gracilipes) A Summary,of C.S.I.R.O. Investigations,Fiji Timbers and their Uses No. 14, Department of Forestry, Suva, Fiji Fiji Forestry Department,1969,Timbers for Flooring A Note on Current & Potential Species,Fiji Timbers and their Uses No.36, Department of Forestry, Suva, Fiji Fiji Forestry Department,1981,The Properties and Uses of 43 Indigenous and Exotic Timbers,Fiji Forestry Department, Fiji Timbers and their Uses No.71 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