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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 Kiln Schedules 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 Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Isoberlinia tomentosa Trade Name Baborochi borun Family Name Caesalpiniaceae Synonyms Berlinia niembaensis, Isoberlinia angolensis, Isoberlinia dalzielii Common Names Baborochi borun, Berlinia, Fara doka, Fara-doka, Gyagya buhi, Kangkalaga, Kankpalaga, Kapane, Kpalso-pailga, Msanganza, Mutobo, Mutondo, Palisaka, Palsonyao Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe Common Uses Cabinetmaking, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Fuelwood, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Mine timbers, Posts, Railroad ties, Vehicle parts Environmental Profile Vulnerable Abundant/Secure Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow Purple Pink Orange Pale red to pink Brown Red Greenish to greyish Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown White to yellow Paler than heartwood Grain Interlocked Closed Wavy Interlocked Wavy Texture Fine Coarse Natural Growth Defects Gum/resin exudation Natural Durability Durable Very durable Resistant to termites Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to powder post beetles Non durable Moderately durable Susceptible to marine borer attack Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Odor Has a taste Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Checking Splitting Distortion Moderate surface checking Ease of Drying Slowly Rapidly Moderately Difficult to Difficult Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries at a moderate speed Naturally dries slowly Rapid Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 40-50 m Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Bole length is 20-30 m Tree height is 50-60 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 0-10 m Comments General finishing qualities are rated as satisfactory Blunting Effect Little Blunting effect on machining is moderate Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Easy Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Easy to glue Mortising Poor to Very Poor Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Poor to Very Poor Results Difficult to nail Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Planes well, to a good finish Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Heartwood is moderately resistant Heartwood is highly resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Screwing Pre-boring recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = medium Max. crushing strength = high Hardness (side grain) = hard Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shrinkage, Radial = small Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Max. crushing strength = medium Hardness (side grain) = medium Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = medium Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Density (dry weight) = 53 - 60 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 8777 13736 psi Density 48 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2054 lbs Impact Strength 34 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 5905 8762 psi Shearing Strength 1775 psi Stiffness 1506 1747 1000 psi Weight 47 38 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 617 965 kg/cm2 Density 769 kg/m3 Hardness 931 kg Impact Strength 86 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 415 616 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 124 kg/cm2 Stiffness 105 122 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 753 608 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % References 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 Banks, C.H.,1954,The Mechanical Properties of Timbers with Particular Reference to those,grown in the Union of South Africa,Journal of the South African Forestry Association,No. 24 pp.44-65,[South,African Forestry Journal] 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 Brenan, J.P.M., Greenway, P.J.,1949,Check-lists of the Forest Trees and Shrubs of the British Empire,Imperial Forestry Institute, Oxford No.5 Tanganyika Territories Part 2 Eggeling, W.J.,1940,Indigenous Trees of Uganda,Govt. Printer Entebbe Uganda Fanshawe, D.B.,1962,Fifty Common Trees of Northern Rhodesia,Natural Resources Board and Forestry Department, Ndola Irvine, F.R.,1961,Woody Plants of Ghana,O.U.P. London Keay, R.W.J.,1964,Nigerian Trees Vol.2,Nigeria Federal Department of Forest Research, Ibadan Nigeria Department of Forest Research,1967,The Properties of Some Savanna Timber Trees,Nigeria Federal Department of Forest Research, Ibadan Report, No.11 Storrs, A.E.G.,1979,Know your Trees - Some of the Common Trees found in Zambia,Zambia Forestry Department, Ndola 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 White, F.,1962,Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia,O.U.P. London