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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 Certified Source 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 Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Myristica hypargyraea Trade Name Kaudamu Family Name Juglandaceae Common Names Darah darah, Duguan, Kaudamu, Kumpang, Mutwinda, Penarahan, Tambolau Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Fiji Common Uses Balusters, Bedroom suites, Boxes and crates, Building construction, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Core Stock, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory flooring, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hardboards, Hatracks, Interior construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Moldings, Office furniture, Packing cases, Plywood, Turnery, Veneer Environmental Profile Vulnerable Rare Abundant/Secure Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Various species in the Myristica genus are distributed in the Indo-Malayan region, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Western Pacific Islands. Heartwood Color Red Brown Purple Pink Light brown Sapwood Color Pink Brown Red Darkens with exposure Cream/Pale brown Grain Even Straight Straight Plain and figureless in appearance Texture Fine Medium Even or uniform Uniform Resinous and oily Medium Even textured Luster Medium Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to termites Durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Moderately durable Very durable Resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to marine borers Highly susceptible to attack by subterr. and dry wood termites Highly susceptible to attack by pinhole borers Highly susceptible to attack by marine borers Logs should be removed quickly from the forest after felling to prevent degrade from blue- and yellow-stain. Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules T10 - D4S (4/4) U Drying Defects Splitting Distortion Internal Honeycombing Possible Collapse Case Hardening Checking Surface checking and slight collapse are common Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Moderately Difficult to Difficult Slowly Special care required to prevent defects Requires care to minimize degrade Mild kiln schedules recommended to minimize drying defects Might require reconditioning treatment The timber requires carefully controlled drying conditions to prevent degrade. Mild kiln schedules are recommended, and a short reconditioning treatment may be necessary to remove collapse Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Naturally dries at a moderate speed Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Bole length is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 40-50 m Bole length is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 10-15 cm Tree height is 50-60 m Sapwood width is 15-20 cm Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm They often develop well-formed and straight stems Product Sources Kaudamu is the trade name of timber produced by four Myristica species that grow in Fiji. The species are difficult to separate and are often mixed and marketed together under one name. Certified Source Certified Source Blunting Effect Moderate High to severe Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Easy Bored surfaces are generally clean, except around knots Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Responds well to carving if tools are kept very sharp Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Low cutting resistance Easy to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Mortising Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good mortising properties Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Yields clean surfaces Material responds well to moulding operations Material around knots may be fuzzy Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Pre-Boring Recommended Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Tends to split during nailing Poor nailing properties Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Yields smooth surfaces Responds well to ordinary tools in mortising There may be some pick-up around knots Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Moderately permeable to preservative treatment Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Responds Readily Good Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Routs easily with ordinary hand tools Sanding Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly good sanding characteristics Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Pre-boring recommended Very Good to Excellent Results Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Yields clean surfaces Easy to turn Both green and seasoned wood are reported to turn easily to yield relatively clean surfaces Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Veneers moderately easy No drying degrade Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Painting Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Fairly Easy to Very Easy Polishes to a high finish Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Varnishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high Bending strength in the air-dried condition (about 12% moisture content) is medium, but lower than Mahogany, and much lower than White oak. Some familiar species with high crushing strength parallel to grain include Hard maple, Teak, and White oak. It is moderately hard and resistant to wearing and marring. The density is average, or medium. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 5767 10403 psi Crushing Strength 485 617 psi Density 26 lbs/ft3 Hardness 727 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 2979 6625 psi Shearing Strength 1426 psi Static Bending 4116 6468 psi Stiffness 1313 1382 1000 psi Toughness 67 inch-lbs Specific Gravity 0.38 0.44 Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 405 731 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 34 43 kg/cm2 Density 416 kg/m3 Hardness 329 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 209 465 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 100 kg/cm2 Static Bending 289 454 kg/cm2 Stiffness 92 97 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 77 cm-kg References Bolza, E., Kloot, N.H.,1972,The Mechanical Properties of 56 Fijian Timbers,Australia C.S.I.R.O. Division of Forest Products Technological Paper,No.,62 Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. 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