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Blunting Effect
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Distribution Overview
Ease of Drying
Family Name
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Drying Rate
Kiln Schedules
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
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Common Names
Albizzia, Ayinre, Kokko, Lebbek, Mduruasi, Mtanga, Mugavu, Nongo, Okuro, Uwowe
Regions of Distribution
Africa, Oceania and S.E. Asia
Countries of Distribution
[VIEW MAP]
Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda
Common Uses
Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Millwork, Plywood, Veneer: decorative
Distribution Overview
Widely distributed throughout tropical Africa; mostly trees of the high forest are exploited, but also common in secondary forests.
Heartwood Color
| Brown |
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| Yellow |
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| Red |
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| Black |
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| Purple |
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| Orange |
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| Yellow to golden-yellow to orange |
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| Pale brown |
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| Dark brown |
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| Reddish brown |
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Sapwood Color
| White |
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| Yellow |
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| Pink |
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| White to yellow |
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| Pinkish |
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| Different than heartwood |
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| Clearly differentiated from the heartwood |
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Grain
| Interlocked |
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| Straight |
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| Figure |
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| Closed |
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| Even |
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| Wavy |
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| Other (figure) |
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| Interlocked |
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| Generally straight, but not always |
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| Wavy |
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| Other figure |
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Texture
| Coarse |
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| Fine |
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| Medium |
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| Coarse |
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| Medium |
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| Fine |
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Natural Durability
| Very durable |
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| Perishable |
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| Non-durable |
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| Resistant to termites |
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| Moderately durable |
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| Non-resistant to powder post beetles |
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| Susceptible to insect attack |
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| Non durable |
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| Very durable |
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| Susceptible to wood staining fungal attack |
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| Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles |
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| Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) |
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| Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack |
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| Moderately durable |
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Toxicity
| Some toxic effects |
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| Unspecified toxicity |
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Kiln Schedules
| UK=E US=T6D2/T3D Fr=5 |
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| Dry at a slow speed |
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| Uk=F US=T6D4/T3D3 Fr=6 |
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| Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is rather slow |
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Ease of Drying
Kiln Drying Rate
| Naturally dries slowly |
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| Slow |
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| Drying rate is slow |
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| 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 buttressed |
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Tree Size
| Tree height is 30-40 m |
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| Tree height is 20-30 m |
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| Tree height is 10-20 m |
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| Tree height is 40-50 m |
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| Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm |
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Blunting Effect
| Little |
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| Moderate |
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| Blunting effect on machining is slight |
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| Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is moderate |
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| Blunting effect on machining is moderate |
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Cutting Resistance
| Easy to saw |
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| Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy |
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Gluing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Easy to glue |
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Mortising
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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| Difficult to mortise |
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Moulding
| Poor to Very Poor Results |
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| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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| Poor moulding results |
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| Difficult to mould |
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Movement in Service
| Excellent Stability - Small Movement |
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| Small |
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Planing
| Poor to Very Poor Results |
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| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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| Planes to a poor finish |
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| Difficult to plane |
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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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Response to Hand Tools
| Easy to Work |
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| Easy to machine |
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Steam Bending
| Fair to Good Results |
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| Moderate |
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Polishing
| Fair to Good Results |
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| Satisfactory results |
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Staining
| Fair to Good Results |
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| Finish is generally satisfactory |
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Strength Properties
| Hardness (side grain) = medium |
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| Max. crushing strength = high |
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| Bending strength (MOR) = medium |
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| Max. crushing strength = medium |
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| Bending strength (MOR) = low |
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| Shrinkage, Tangential = very small |
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| Shrinkage, Radial = very small |
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| Modulus of Elasticity = moderate |
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| Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low |
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| Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low |
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| Hardness (side grain) = soft |
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| Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. |
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| Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. |
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| Bending strength (MOR) = high |
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Numerical Data
| Item | Green | Dry | English |
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| Bending Strength | 9005 | 14056 | psi |
| Density | | 36 | lbs/ft3 |
| Hardness | | 1547 | lbs |
| Impact Strength | | 23 | inches |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 5620 | 8424 | psi |
| Shearing Strength | | 1947 | psi |
| Stiffness | 1354 | 1566 | 1000 psi |
| Weight | 35 | 29 | lbs/ft3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 2 | | % |
| Tangential Shrinkage | 4 | | % |
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| Item | Green | Dry | Metric |
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| Bending Strength | 633 | 988 | kg/cm2 |
| Density | | 576 | kg/m3 |
| Hardness | | 701 | kg |
| Impact Strength | | 58 | cm |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 395 | 592 | kg/cm2 |
| Shearing Strength | | 136 | kg/cm2 |
| Stiffness | 95 | 110 | 1000 kg/cm2 |
| Weight | 560 | 464 | kg/m3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 2 | | % |
References
Armstrong, F.H.,1960,The Strength Properties of Timber,Forest Products Research Laboratory, London Bulletin,No.45
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, P.J.,1966,The Strength Properties of Tanzania Timbers,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi Tech. Note, No.35
Brown, W.H.,1969,Properties and uses of Tropical hardwoods in the United Kingdom. Part 1,Nonstructural properties and uses.,Conference on Tropical hardwoods SC-5/TN-5, Syracuse University
Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.
Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1951,Albizzia spp.,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Timber Leaflet
Lavers, G.M.,1983,The Strength Properties of Timber (3rd ed. revised Moore G.L.,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Report (formerly Bulletin No.50)
Spalt, H.A., Stern, W.L.,1956,Survey of African woods 1,Tropical Woods,115(105,pp 13-38
Tack, C.H.,1969,Uganda Timbers,Govt. Printer Uganda
Tanzania Forest Department,1960,The Natural Durability of Local Timbers,Tanzanian Forest Dept. Tech. Note,No.14
Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition
Uganda Forest Department,1954,Albizzia,Uganda Forestry Department Timber Leaflet,No.18
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