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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 Comments Common Names Common Uses 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 Luster Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Mimusops heckelii Trade Name Makore Family Name Sapotaceae Common Names Aganokwe, Baku, Makore Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Benin, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Togo Common Uses Bedroom suites, Boat building, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Living-room suites, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Shipbuilding, Stools, Sub-flooring, Tables , Turnery, Utility furniture, Veneer, Wardrobes Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview The species occurs in Africa, from Sierra Leone to Cameroon, Gabon, and south to Cabinda. It is widely distributed in the high rain forests. Heartwood Color White Yellow Red Purple Pink Orange Reddish brown Pale red to pink Greyish tinge Sapwood Color Yellow White Well defined Pale pink Grain Even Interlocked Figure Mottle Occasionally interlocked, but not always Mottled or streaked figure sometimes Generally interlocked Wood with interlocked grain displays an attractive mottled figure, with occasional dark streaks. Texture Fine Medium Very fine Fine Luster Lustrous Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Moderately durable Perishable Non-durable Resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to termites Resistant to termites Susceptible to pin hole borer and longhorn beetle Sapwood susceptible to attack by powder post beetles Resistant to Anobium borers and termites May devolop stains in contact with iron Heartwood resistant to decay Odor No specific smell or taste Silica Content Contains high levels of silica Toxicity Respiratory effects Dermatitic effects Kiln Schedules T8 - D3 (8/4) US T10 - D4 (4/4) US Kiln Schedule H; United Kingdom Drying Defects Expect slight degrade due to knots, splits, and loosening Distortion (twist/warp) is likely Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Air dries easily and uniformly Air dries at a moderate rate Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Tree Size Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Sapwood width is 10-15 cm Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Tree height is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Comments Logs may shatter upon felling Blunting Effect Severe and rapid due to silica Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Tungsten carbibe cutters are recommended Difficult due to hardness, density, and high silica Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Glues well Movement in Service Stable Retains shape well after manufacture Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Possible if prebored Planing Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy 20 degree cutting angle is necessary to avoid tearing of quartersawn stock. High amounts of silica tend to blunt cutting edges rapidly Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Sapwood is moderately resistant Heartwood is extremely resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Sanding Good sanding properties Screwing Possible if prebored High tendency to split Turning Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Tungsten-Tipped cutters recommended Good results Cutting edges tend to dull rapidly due to high gum and mineral content Veneering Qualities Veneers easily Veneers moderately easy Suitable for peeling Steam Bending Sapwood is unsuitable for steam bending Heartwood bends well Polishing Fair to Good Results Good results Strength Properties Weight = high Resists denting and marring Hardness (side grain) = hard Density = high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 10148 12466 psi Crushing Strength 1352 psi Density 42 lbs/ft3 Hardness 960 lbs Impact Strength 29 26 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 4986 7213 psi Shearing Strength 1578 psi Static Bending 8761 psi Stiffness 1248 1378 1000 psi Toughness 118 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 10 13 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.39 0.55 Weight 51 35 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 713 876 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 95 kg/cm2 Density 673 kg/m3 Hardness 435 kg Impact Strength 73 65 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 350 507 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 110 kg/cm2 Static Bending 615 kg/cm2 Stiffness 87 96 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 135 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 0.70 0.91 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.39 0.55 Weight 817 560 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % References Banks, C.H. and J.P. Schoeman. 1963. Railway Sleeper and Crossing Timbers. Bulletin No. 41, Republic of South Africa. The Government Printer, Pretoria, South Africa. 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 HMSO. 1972. Handbook of Hardwoods. 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. ITTO. 1986. Tropical Timber Atlas, Volume 1 - Africa. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT, 45bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne Cedex, France. Lavers, G. M. 1966. The Strength Properties of Timbers. Forest Products Research Bulletin, No. 50. Ministry of Technology, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London. Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California.