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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 Comments Common Names Common Uses Corrosive Properties Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Light-Induced Color Change Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Staining Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Koompassia excelsa Trade Name Tualang Family Name Leguminosae Common Names Ginoo Kayu raja Kayu rajah Mangaris Manggis Mengaris Menggeris Raja kayu Tapang Tualang Yuan Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand Common Uses Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Chairs, Charcoal, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Crossties, Desks, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Heavy construction, Mine timbers, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: strings, Paneling, Poles, Posts, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Stools, Structural work, Tables , Tables, Turnery, Utility furniture, Utility poles, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative, Walking sticks, Wardrobes Environmental Profile Likely rare in many parts of its natural habitat Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Its status in the wild is listed as unknown because of inadequate information in Thailand, Sabah, and Sarawak Distribution Overview Southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, north-eastern Sumatra, Borneo and Palawan. Grows in primary tropical rainforest usually along rivers, in valleys and lower slopes of hills, locally abundant. A common but usually not very abundant species. Solitary trees standing alone in the open are encountered comparatively often because they are difficult to cut and because local people harvest honey from the tree crowns. Heartwood Color Red Purple Pink Brown Reddish brown Dark brown Red Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Dark brown The heartwood is initially dark red but, it matures into a deep chocolate color, often with conspicuous broad alternating bands of lighter and darker tissue. Sapwood Color White Yellow White to yellow Well defined Pinkish Yellow/Brown Very wide Pink tinge Grayish white Figure occurrence is very fine and distinct Width is about 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm). Grain Figure Interlocked Stripe (figure) Rippled (figure) Distinct (figure) Ribbon (figure) Interlocked Striped figure Rippled figure Ribbon figure Distinct figure Areas of abnormal tissue are reported to appear as prominent zig-zag markings on plain cut surfaces. Texture Fine Medium Coarse Medium coarse to coarse Even textured Luster Medium Slightly lustrous Dull Natural Growth Defects Yellowish deposits in vessels Whitish deposits in vessels Heart rot in older trees Brittleheart is often frequent and extensive Bark inclusion Natural Durability Durable Moderately durable Moderately durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Non durable Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) may be present in the felled log Susceptible to termite attack Susceptible to marine borer attack Susceptible to attack from the pinhole borer beetle Sapwood susceptible to attack by powder post beetles Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present Perishable Odor No specific smell or taste Silica Content Ilica Content Some sources report a silica content of 0.28% by weight (ovendry). Light-Induced Color Change Darker Corrosive Properties Reacts with metals Toxicity Dermatitic effects Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Moderate twist/warp Moderate end spitting Slight surface checking Slight end splitting Care is required during drying to prevent warping. Splitting may also occur during seasoning because of ingrown inner bark Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Some tendency to warp and split Dries slowly Kiln Drying Rate Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is cylindrical Bole/stem form is straight Tree Size Bark width is 5-10 mm Bole length is 10-20 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm The tree is described as very large, tall and straight. Trees in the Malay Peninsular attain a trunk diameter often exceeding 60 inches (150 cm) above very large buttresses. Philippine trees reach a trunk diameter of up to 40 inches (100 cm) or more. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Logs are sinkers, and are reported to shatter frequently on falling because of their size. The tree is seldom harvested for timber because it is very heavy and develops very high buttresses. The wood also lacks natural durability, is difficult to work, and liable to split, factors which make it less desirable than other local timbers than can be used for similar purposes. Reaction with Metals - Moist wood is reported to stain black when it comes in contact with iron and iron compounds. Blunting Effect Timber requires special tipped cutters to saw Blunting effect on machining is moderate Boring Difficult Moderately easy Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult The material is hard and tough, but it saws well if chromium-plated bits or band saws are used. Gluing Difficult to glue Difficult to glue, especially with urea formaldehyde adhesives. Mortising Mortising characteristics are generally good although the wood is hard and tough Moulding Good finishing results Nailing Holds nails well Easy to nail Difficult to nail Special nails are recommended since chemicals in the wood are reported to stain iron and iron compounds. Planing Easy to plane Planes to a satisfactory finish Planes well, to a good finish Difficult to plane Difficult to plane with hand or machine tools Smooth surfaces are difficult to achieve and a 20 degree cutting angle is recommended. Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is moderately resistant Heartwood is permeable Sapwood is permeable Sapwood responds readily to pressure treatment. Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Difficult to machine Moderate working qualities Hard and tough wood may be difficult to work with hand tools Screwing Requires special screws since damp wood is reported to stain black in the presence of iron and iron compounds Turning Easy to turn Finish is generally satisfactory Poor results Veneering Qualities Suitable for slicing Suitable for peeling Moderately easy to veneer Polishing Fair to Good Results Satisfactory results Good results Requires a filler High polish Staining Reacts with Iron to discolour wood Finish is generally satisfactory Staining properties are good after grain filling. Strength Properties Max. crushing strength = high Density (dry weight) = 53 - 60 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = medium Hardness (side grain) = hard Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = small Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Max. crushing strength = medium Hardness (side grain) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = low Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 12239 16287 psi Crushing Strength 1024 1146 psi Density 54 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1938 lbs Impact Strength 36 43 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 7209 9346 psi Shearing Strength 2340 psi Static Bending 8811 10169 psi Stiffness 2194 2446 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 11 15 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.65 0.75 Weight 53 51 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4.5 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Volumetric Shrinkage 12 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 860 1145 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 71 80 kg/cm2 Density 865 kg/m3 Hardness 879 kg Impact Strength 91 109 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 506 657 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 164 kg/cm2 Static Bending 619 714 kg/cm2 Stiffness 154 171 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.77 1.05 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.65 0.75 Weight 849 817 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4.5 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % References Acosta-Solis, M.,1960,Maderas Economicas del Ecuador y sus Usos,Editorial Casa de la Culhra Ecuatoriana Quito Australia C.S.I.R.O.,1969,Treatment of sawn of round timbers by the Boulton Process,C.S.I.R.O. Preservation Section Annual Report Project pp10-32 Balan Menon, P.K.,1967,The structure and identification of Malayan woods,Malyasia Forestry Department, Forestry Research Institute, Malayan Forest,Records,No.25 Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods - Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Browne, F.G.,1955,Forest Trees of Sarawak and Brunei and their Products.,Government Printing Office, Kuching, Sarawak Burgess, P.F.,1966,Timbers of Sabah,Sabah Forest Record, no.6 Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Desch, H. E. 1957. Manual of Malayan Timbers - Volume I. Malayan Forest Records, No. 15. Malaya Publishing House Ltd., Singapore. Desch, H. E. 1957. Manual of Malayan Timbers. Malayan Forest Records, 28(30):315-318 Desch, H.E.,1954,Manual of Malayan Timbers (2 vols,Malayan Forest Records,no.15 I. Soerianegara and R.H.M.J. Lemmens (Editors,1993,Plant Resources of South-East Asia 5,(PROSEA, 1,Timber trees: Major commercial timbers,Pudoc Scientific Publishers, Wageningen 1993 Jackson, W.F.,1957,The Durability of Malayan Timbers,Malayan Forester,20,pp38-48 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 Kraemer, J.H.,1951,Trees of the Western Pacific Region,West Lafayette, Indiana U.S.A. Kribbs, D.A. 1959. Commercial Foreign Woods on the American Market. Buckhout Lab., Dept. of Botany, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania. Lee, Y.H., Chu, Y.P.,1965,The Strength Properties of Malayan Timbers,Malayan Forester 28(4) pp307-19 Lee, Y.H., et al,1974,Commercial Timbers of Peninsular Malaysia,Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Department of Forestry Peninsular Malaysia and,Malaysian Timber Industry Board Lee, Y.H., Lopez, D.T.,1968,The Machining Properties of some Malayan Timbers,Malayan Forester,3,pp194-210 Maeglin, R.R., C.K. Baah, G. Troemner, J.D. Danielson, and S.P. Loehnertz. 1989. Sawing of Difficult Species: Pre-project Study. PPR 14/89 (I). Prepared for ITTO by United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Malaysian Timber Industry Board,1986,100 Malaysian Timbers,The Malaysian Timber Industry Board Mendoza, E.U.,1977,Bending Properties of Manggis (Koompassia excelsa,Forpride Digest 6(1) pp42-47 Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press Perkasa,1978,The Properties of Sarawak timber - Tapang (Koompassia exelsa,Perkasa 25 pp12-13 Reyes, L.J.,1938,Philippine Woods,Commonwealth of the Philippines Department of Agriculture and Commerce,Technical Bulletin,No.7 Sarawak - Borneo Lit.Bureau,1961,Common Sarawak timbers,Borneo Lit. Bureau for Sarawak Forestry Department Schneider, E.E. 1916. Commercial Woods of the Philippines: Their Preparation and Uses. Bulletin No. 14. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Forestry, Manila, Philippines. Tamolang, F.N., Et al,1978,Basic and Technological Information on Manggis (Koopassia excelsa [bece],Taub,Forpride Digest 7(4) pp19-33 The Malayan Forester,1964,Timber tests - Tualang (Koompassia excelsa,Malayan Forester 27(3) pp267-271 Tsumoto, T., Karasawa, H.,1975,The Properties of Tropical Woods 21,Government of Japan Forest Experimental Station Bulletin,No.227 Uganda Forest Department,1957,Akasinsa (Celtis africana,Uganda Forestry Department Timber Leaflet,No.32 WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center-Plants Programme, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom. Whitmore, T.C. (Ed.,1972,Tree Flora of Malaya A Manual for Foresters Volume 1,Forest Department Ministry of Agriculture and Lands Malaysia Wood, B., Calnan, D.,1976,Toxic Woods,British Journal of Dermat 94 Suppl. 13