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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 Drying Rate
Kiln Schedules
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Painting
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Resistance to Splitting
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Strength Properties
Synonyms
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing
Veneering Qualities
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Synonyms
Macrolobium dewevrei
Common Names
Abeum a grandes feuilles, Abeum grdes feuilles, Bemba, Bembe, Ditshipi, Ekobem, Ekpagoi, Ekpagoi eze, Ekpagoieze, Epal, Eze, Ligudu, Ligundu, Limbali, Limbalu, Mbombi, Molapa, Sehmeh, Vaa, Wete, Zabrano, Zebra wood
Regions of Distribution
Africa
Countries of Distribution
[VIEW MAP]
Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zaire
Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boat building: decking, Boat building: framing, Bridge construction, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Light construction, Marine construction, Mine timbers, Paneling, Piling, Railroad ties, Tables, Toys, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Wheels
Heartwood Color
| Brown |
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| Red |
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| Green/grey |
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| Reddish brown |
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| Brown |
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| Pale brown |
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| Dark brown |
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| Yellow to golden-yellow to orange |
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| Greenish to greyish |
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Sapwood Color
| Red |
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| Brown |
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| Paler than heartwood |
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| White to yellow |
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| Well defined |
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| Pinkish |
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Grain
| Interlocked |
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| Straight |
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| Even |
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| Crossed |
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| Spiral |
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| Figure |
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| Rippled (figure) |
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| Interlocked |
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| Straight |
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| Spiral |
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| Rippled figure |
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Texture
| Medium |
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| Medium coarse to coarse |
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| Coarse |
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| Fine |
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| Medium |
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| Fine to medium |
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Natural Growth Defects
Natural Durability
| Resistant to termites |
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| Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles |
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| Moderately durable |
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| Durable |
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| Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack |
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| Very durable |
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| Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) |
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| Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles |
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| Resistant to attack from marine borers |
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Kiln Schedules
| Dry at a slow speed |
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| Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is rather slow |
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Drying Defects
| Checking |
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| Distortion |
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| Moderate surface checking |
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| Moderate end spitting |
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| Severe surface checking |
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| Moderate twist/warp |
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Ease of Drying
| Slowly |
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| Reconditioning Treatement |
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| Moderate |
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Kiln Drying Rate
| Slow (18-28 days for boards < 32 mm, to 52-84 days for boards >= 63 mm) |
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Tree Identification
| Bole/stem form is not buttressed |
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| Bole/stem form is cylindrical |
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| Bole/stem form is straight |
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Tree Size
| Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm |
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| Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm |
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| Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm |
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Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good
Blunting Effect
| Blunting effect on machining is moderate |
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Boring
| Very good to excellent results |
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| Fairly easy to very easy |
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| Easy |
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Carving
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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Cutting Resistance
| Easy to saw |
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| Cutting Resistance with green wood is moderate |
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Gluing
| Fair to Good Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Easy to glue |
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Mortising
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Easy to mortise |
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Moulding
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Easy to mould |
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Movement in Service
| Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement |
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| Excellent Stability - Small Movement |
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| Stable |
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Nailing
| Easy to nail |
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| Holds nails well |
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| Possible if prebored |
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Planing
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Easy to plane |
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| Planes well, to a good finish |
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Resistance to Impregnation
| Resistant heartwood |
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| Resistant sapwood |
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| Heartwood is resistant |
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| Sapwood is permeable |
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| Heartwood is very resistant |
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Resistance to Splitting
Response to Hand Tools
| Responds Readily |
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| Moderate working qualities |
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| Easy to machine |
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Routing & Recessing
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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Sanding
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Easy to sand |
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Screwing
| Easy to screw |
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| Screwing yields good results |
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| Possible if prebored |
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Turning
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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Veneering Qualities
| Good gluing qualities |
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| Diifficult to veneer |
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Painting
| Good results |
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| Satisfactory results |
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Polishing
| Fair to Good Results |
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| Good results |
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Varnishing
| Good results |
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| Satisfactory |
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Strength Properties
| Bending strength (MOR) = high |
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| Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. |
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| Shrinkage, Tangential = large |
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| Max. crushing strength = high |
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| Bending strength (MOR) = medium |
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| Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low |
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| Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium |
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| Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high |
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| Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft |
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| Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large |
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| Max. crushing strength = medium |
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| Bending strength (MOR) = very high |
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| Shrinkage, Radial = large |
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| Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium |
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| Hardness (side grain) = medium |
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| Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large |
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| Shrinkage, Radial = moderate |
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| Max. crushing strength = low |
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| Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft |
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Numerical Data
| Item | Green | Dry | English |
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| Bending Strength | 13620 | 20489 | psi |
| Density | | 51 | lbs/ft3 |
| Hardness | | 1658 | lbs |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 5375 | 8092 | psi |
| Shearing Strength | | 1775 | psi |
| Stiffness | 1916 | 2209 | 1000 psi |
| Weight | 50 | 40 | lbs/ft3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 5 | | % |
| Tangential Shrinkage | 10 | | % |
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| Item | Green | Dry | Metric |
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| Bending Strength | 957 | 1440 | kg/cm2 |
| Density | | 817 | kg/m3 |
| Hardness | | 752 | kg |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 377 | 568 | kg/cm2 |
| Shearing Strength | | 124 | kg/cm2 |
| Stiffness | 134 | 155 | 1000 kg/cm2 |
| Weight | 801 | 641 | kg/m3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 5 | | % |
References
Altamirano, S.V.,1992,Maderas de Bolivia (Caracteristicas y usos de 55 maderas tropicals,Camara Nacional Forestal
Banks, C.H. and J.P. Schoeman. 1963. Railway Sleeper and Crossing Timbers. Bulletin No. 41, Republic of South Africa. The Government Printer, Pretoria, South Africa.
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
Bois et Forets des Tropiques,1992,Limbali - Gilbertiodendron dewevrei J.Leonard.,Bois et Forets des Tropiques Vol. 234
Bois et Forets des Tropiques,1992,Nouvelles essences Commercialisables d'Afrique - Limbali (Gilbertiodendron,dewevrei,Bois et Forests Des Tropiques No.234 (4) 69
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
Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood A. Wood Species from African Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department
Fortin, Y., Poliquin, J.,1976,Natural Durability and Preservation of 100 Tropical African Woods,International Development Research Centre, Canada
France - C.T.F.T.,1977,Promotion of African Timbers - New Species,CTFT,35 Leaflets
Jay, B.A.,1968,Timbers of West Africa,TRADA, Red Booklet Series
Sallenave, P.,1955,Proprietes Phyiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux de l'Union Francaise,C.T.F.T
Scott, M.H.,1950,Notes on the more Important African Timbers Imported into the Union with,Special Ref. to Port. E.A. Species,Journal of the South African Forestry Association,No.19,pp18-62,[South,African Forestry Journal]
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
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