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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 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 Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 6568 10300 psi Density 37 lbs/ft3 Hardness 995 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 4769 7411 psi Shearing Strength 1989 psi Stiffness 1276 1488 1000 psi Toughness 95 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 5 7 inch-lbs/in3 Weight 36 29 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 4 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 461 724 kg/cm2 Density 592 kg/m3 Hardness 451 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 335 521 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 139 kg/cm2 Stiffness 89 104 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 109 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 0.35 0.49 cm-kg/cm3 Weight 576 464 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % 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