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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 Grain Heartwood Color Luster Mortising Moulding Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Staining Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Michelia excelsa Trade Name Champaca Family Name Magnoliaceae Common Names Champ, Champaca, Champak, Chempaka, Hangilo, Saga, Sagawa, Sandit, Sanga Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines Common Uses Balusters, Bedroom suites, Building construction, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Decorative plywood, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Interior construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Moldings, Office furniture, Ornamental work , Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Stairworks, Stools, Stringers, Structural plywood, Tables , Turnery, Utility furniture Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview The genus Michelia consists of shrubs and trees, with a growth range that is confined to the Indo-Malayan region and Japan. The genus is represented by about eleven indistinguishable species in India. M. excelsa occurs in the Himalayas, from Nepal eastwards at alevations of 4500 to 8000 feet (1500 to 2400 m) in the Khasi hills. Heartwood Color Brown Black Purple Light yellow brown or pale orange brown, eventually aging into deep golden-brown Brown - olive Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Whitish to greyish white Moderately defined Grain Even Straight Irregular Straight to irregular Texture Medium Coarse Fine to medium Luster Low Medium Lustrous Natural Durability Durable Very durable Moderately durable Heartwood is fairly resistant to termites and other insects Odor No specific smell or taste Drying Defects Checking Slight twist/warp Discoloration Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Variable Moderately Difficult to Difficult Requires some control Easy Best if dried in green condition and stacked in well ventilated shed Tree Size Tree height is 0-10 m Bole length is 0-10 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Blunting Effect High to severe Small effect Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Carving Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Easy to saw Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Machining properties are good, and the timber responds readily to ordinary tools in planing and other woodworking operations to yield clean, glossy surfaces Resistance to Impregnation Extremely resistant End and side grain are resistant Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Good response Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Sanding Excellent sanding properties Turning Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Material takes a high polish Staining Good staining properties Strength Properties Resists denting and marring Heavy Hardness (side grain) = medium Density = high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 7512 11236 psi Density 30 lbs/ft3 Hardness 711 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 3749 5841 psi Stiffness 1411 1617 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.4 0.42 Weight 53 31 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 5 % Volumetric Shrinkage 8 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 528 789 kg/cm2 Density 480 kg/m3 Hardness 322 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 263 410 kg/cm2 Stiffness 99 113 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.4 0.42 Weight 849 496 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 5 % References Andy Poynter. 1993. Personal Communication Chowdhury, K.A. and S.S. Ghosh. 1958. Indian Woods - Their Identification, Properties and Uses, Volume I - Dilleniaceae to Elaeocarpaceae. Published by the Manager of Publications, Delhi, India. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Limaye, V.D. 1954. Grouping of Indian Timbers and Their Properties, Uses, and Suitability. Indian Forest Records (New Series). Timber Mechanics. Volume 1 No. 2. Manager of Publications (Publisher, Delhi