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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 Carving Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Turning Scientific Name Melanorrhoea spp. Trade Name Rengas Family Name Anacardiaceae Common Names Black varnish tree, Borneo rosewood, Gluta, Hekakoro, Lingas, Rak, Rengas, Straights mahogany, Thayet thitsi, Thitsi Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam Common Uses Boat building, Building materials, Canoes, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Core Stock, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Living-room suites, Millwork, Moldings, Office furniture, Paneling , Plain veneer, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Shipbuilding, Stools, Tables , Trimming, Turnery, Veneer Environmental Profile Vulnerable in many parts of its natural habitat Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Distribution Overview Indo-Malaysian region, extending into Indonesia and the Philippines. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Orange Red - bright Occasionally yellow streaks Color fades upon exposure Alternating bands of light and dark tissue Sapwood Color White Whitish Well defined Occasionally yellow streaks Light pink brown Grain Even Figure Straight Irregular Straight to irregular Texture Medium Resinous and oily Fine Fine to medium Even textured Luster Low Slightly lustrous Natural Durability Very durable The standing tree is susceptible to Ambrosia Beetle attack Sapwood susceptible to attack by powder post beetles Heartwood moderate resistance to decay Heartwood is moderately susceptible to termites Odor No specific smell or taste Silica Content Siliceous Likely to have significant impact on machining Toxicity Sap persist after wood is dried; may seep through polished surfaces Sap in bark may be very irritating Drying Defects Checking Distortion Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking Drying degrade due to shrinkage is usually slight Ease of Drying Slowly Thick Stock Requires Care Moderately Difficult to Difficult Requires special attention Dries slowly with little degrade Product Sources Several species in the Melanorrhoea and Gluta genera are mixed and marketed together under the trade name Rengas. Blunting Effect Moderate High to severe Severe and rapid due to silica Boring Fair to good results Fairly difficult to very difficult Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Much easier to cut in green condition Seasoned wood is much more difficult to saw Gluing Carefully Controlled Conditions Fairly Easy to Very Easy Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Movement in Service Very stable after kiln drying Retains shape well after manufacture Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planes well, to a good finish High silica content dulls cutting edges Good planing properties Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is resistant Response to Hand Tools Yields a smooth, clean finish 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 Steam Bending Excessive resin exudation makes steam bending impossible Polishing Fair to Good Results Requires a filler Black sap may seep through polish Repolishing after sufficient interval (2 to 3 years suggested) takes care of the problem of sap seeping. Strength Properties Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = very low Resists denting and marring Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Heavy Hardness (side grain) = medium Density = high Bending strength (MOR) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 11582 15800 psi Crushing Strength 759 1092 psi Density 46 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1362 lbs Impact Strength 25 33 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 5898 8452 psi Shearing Strength 1882 psi Static Bending 7737 9186 psi Stiffness 1989 2126 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 9 14 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.58 0.75 Weight 49 40. lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 5 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 814 1110 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 53 76 kg/cm2 Density 737 kg/m3 Hardness 617 kg Impact Strength 63 83 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 414 594 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 132 kg/cm2 Static Bending 543 645 kg/cm2 Stiffness 139 149 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.63 0.98 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.58 0.75 Weight 785 641. kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % References 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. 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 Kloot, N. H. and E. Bolza. 1961. Properties of Timbers Imported into Australia. Technological Paper No. 12. Division of Forest Products, Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organization, Melbourne, Australia. Limaye, V.D. 1954. Grouping of Indian Timbers and their Properties, Uses and Suitability. Indian Forest Records, New Series. Timber Mechanics, Vol. 1, No. 2, Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun, India. Limaye, V.D. and B.R. Sen. 1953. Weights and Specific Gravities of Indian Woods. Indian Forest Records, New Series. Timber Mechanics, Vol. 1, No. 4, Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun, India. Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California. WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center-Plants Programme, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.