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Blunting Effect
Comments
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Family Name
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Drying Rate
Kiln Schedules
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Planing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Resistance to Splitting
Response to Hand Tools
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size

Scientific Name
Albizia versicolor

Trade Name
Albizia

Family Name
Leguminosae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Albizia, Grootblaarvalsdoring, Masaka, Mchani-ndovu, Mduruasi, Mkindwanzagamba, Mkingu, Msazawi, Msenjele, Msungwi, Mtanga, Mtsani-ndovu, Mububa, Mulungu, Musase, Musasengoma, Nongo, Poison pod albizia, Tanga-tanga, Umvangazi, Umvanghaas

Regions of Distribution
Africa

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Common Uses
Boat building (general), Boat building: framing, Cabinetmaking, Flooring, Furniture, Joinery, Musical instruments: percussion, Particleboard, Piling, Plywood, Veneer, 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
Red
Black
Purple
Pink
Brown
Purple
Pale brown
Black
Pale red to pink


Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
White to yellow
Clearly differentiated from the heartwood


Grain
Figure
Wavy
Interlocked
Straight
Even
Closed
Other (figure)
Stripe (figure)

Wavy
Interlocked
Other figure
Generally straight, but not always
Striped figure


Texture
Coarse
Coarse


Natural Durability
Durable
Susceptible to insect attack
Non-resistant to powder post beetles
Resistant to termites
Moderately durable
Non-resistant to marine borers
Durable
Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Susceptible to wood staining fungal attack
Susceptible to marine borer attack
Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present
Moderately durable


Toxicity
Some toxic effects
Respiratory effects
Unspecified toxicity


Kiln Schedules
Uk=F US=T6D4/T3D3 Fr=6
Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is rather slow
Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is fairly rapid
Dry at a slow speed


Drying Defects
Distortion
Slight twist/warp
No twisting or warping


Ease of Drying
Fairly Easy
Slowly
Easy


Kiln Drying Rate
Slow
Naturally dries slowly
Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast
Drying rate is slow
Slow (18-28 days for boards < 32 mm, to 52-84 days for boards >= 63 mm)
Fairly rapid (11-17 days for boards under 32 mm, to 31-51 days for boards greater than 63 mm)


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is straight
Bole/stem form is not buttressed
Bole/stem form is misshapen


Tree Size
Tree height is 10-20 m
Tree height is 0-10 m
Tree height is 20-30 m
Bole length is 10-20 m


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Blunting Effect
Little
Blunting effect on sawing green wood is mild
Blunting effect on machining is slight


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy


Gluing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Easy to glue


Mortising
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Easy to mortise


Moulding
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Easy to mould


Movement in Service
Excellent Stability - Small Movement
Stable
Small


Nailing
Poor to Very Poor Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Nails hold poorly
Easy to nail


Planing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Easy to plane
Planes to a satisfactory finish
Moderately easy to plane


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant heartwood
Permeable sapwood
Resistant sapwood
Heartwood is resistant
Sapwood is permeable


Resistance to Splitting
Poor


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work
Easy to machine


Steam Bending
Poor to Very Poor Results
Poor


Strength Properties
Bending strength (MOR) = low
Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft.
Shrinkage, Tangential = very small
Shrinkage, Radial = very small
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low
Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft.
Hardness (side grain) = soft
Toughness (total work) = very low
Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft.
Bending strength (MOR) = medium


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength656810300psi
Density37lbs/ft3
Hardness995lbs
Maximum Crushing Strength47697411psi
Shearing Strength1989psi
Stiffness127614881000 psi
Toughness95inch-lbs
Work to Maximum Load57inch-lbs/in3
Weight3629lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage2%
Tangential Shrinkage4%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength461724kg/cm2
Density592kg/m3
Hardness451kg
Maximum Crushing Strength335521kg/cm2
Shearing Strength139kg/cm2
Stiffness891041000 kg/cm2
Toughness109cm-kg
Work to Maximum Load0.350.49cm-kg/cm3
Weight576464kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage2%

References
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

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

Dale, I.R., Greenway, P.J.,1961,Kenya Trees and Shrubs,Buchanans Kenya Estates Ltd. Nairobi Hatchards London

Eggeling, W.J.,1940,Indigenous Trees of Uganda,Govt. Printer Entebbe Uganda

Murira, K.,1984,Natural Durability Tests of Tanzanian Timbers 1955 - 1982,Tanzania Forestry Research Institute, Timber Utilisation Research Centre,,Moshi.

Palgrave, K.C.,1977,Trees of Southern Africa,Cape Town South Africa

Scott, M.H.,1935,Weights of South African Growth Timbers,South African Department of Agriculture and Forestry Bulletin,No.145,Forest Products Institute, Forestry Series No.1

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

Tanzania Forest Division,1966,Kiln Drying Schedules for Tanzania Timbers Technical Note no.38,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi

Tanzania Forestry Department,1966,Timbers of Tanganyika - Adina microcephala (mgwina, mdogowe,Tanzanian Forestry Department Utilisation Section, Moshi - Timbers of,Tanganyika

Tanzania Forestry Department,1966,Timbers of Tanganyika - Albizia versicolor (mtanga,Tanzania Forestry Department Utilisation Section Moshi

Zambia Forest Department,1979,Timbers of Zambia Albizia adianthifolia and Albizia versicolor,Zambia Forest Department, Division of Forest Products Research Timbers of,Zambia - Technical Note no.3/79









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