Search for

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 Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Gluta elegans Trade Name Hekakora Family Name Anacardiaceae Common Names Hekakora, Rengas Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Thailand Common Uses Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Chemical derivatives, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Moldings, Plywood, Toys, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative Environmental Profile Vulnerable Extinct Endangered Heartwood Color White Yellow Orange Brown Pink Red Dark brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Sapwood Color Yellow White Different than heartwood White to yellow Well defined Pinkish Grain Interlocked Figure Even Distinct (figure) Straight Interlocked Distinct figure Straight Texture Fine Medium Fine Luster Low Medium Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to termites Perishable Non-durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to marine borers Moderately durable Durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Non durable Odor Has an odor Toxicity Some toxic effects Unspecified toxicity Respiratory effects Drying Defects Splitting Checking Distortion Collapse Internal Honeycombing Possible Moderate twist/warp Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Reconditioning Treatement Little degrade Easy Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Rapid Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Slow Drying rate is slow Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is fluted Tree Size Bole length is 10-20 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Bole length is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 0-10 m Tree height is 50-60 m Bole length is 30-40 m Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Moderate Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Difficult Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Movement in Service Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Pre-Boring Recommended Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Easy to nail Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planes to a satisfactory finish Difficult to plane Resistance to Impregnation Permeable heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is very resistant Heartwood is resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Moderate working qualities Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Screwing Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Difficult to turn Veneering Qualities Veneers easily Suitable for peeling Veneers moderately easy No drying degrade Suitable for slicing Suitable for peeling Easy to cut Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Unsuitable Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory results Staining Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Surface Preparation Very Good to Excellent Results Finish is generally satisfactory Varnishing Surface Preparation Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = small Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Density 46 lbs/ft3 Weight 45 36 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 4 % Item Green Dry Metric Density 737 kg/m3 Weight 721 576 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % References Bolza, E.,1975,Properties and Uses of 175 Timber Species from Papua New Guinea and West,Irian,C.S.I.R.O. Div. Building Research Report,no.34 Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 4 South East Asia,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Desch, H.E.,1954,Manual of Malayan Timbers (2 vols,Malayan Forest Records,no.15 Gamble, J.S.,1902,A Manual of Indian Timbers,Sampson Low, Marston & Co. London 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 Ng, F.S.P. (Ed,1989,Tree Flora of Malaya A Manual for Foresters Volume 4,Forest Research Institute Malaysia Ministry of Primary Industries