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Blunting Effect
Boring
Carving
Comments
Common Names
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Family Name
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Drying Rate
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Staining
Strength Properties
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing
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Common Names
Black varongy, Varongy, Varongy noir
Regions of Distribution
Africa
Countries of Distribution
[VIEW MAP]
Madagascar
Environmental Profile
| Abundant/Secure |
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| Status has not been officially assessed |
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Heartwood Color
| Yellow |
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| Orange |
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| Brown |
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| White |
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| Red |
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| Pale brown |
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| Golden brown with a reddish cast |
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Sapwood Color
The sapwood is not indistinguishable from the heartwood
Grain
| Even |
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| Closed |
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| Straight |
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| Figure |
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| Wavy |
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| Stripe (figure) |
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| Wavy |
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| Striped figure |
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| Straight |
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Radial surfaces usually exhibit a marked striped or ribbon figure
Texture
| Fine |
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| Medium |
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| Even or uniform |
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| Uniform |
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| Medium |
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| Fine |
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| Fine to medium |
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Luster
Natural Growth Defects
Natural Durability
| Durable |
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| Susceptible to insect attack |
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| Resistant to termites |
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| Moderately durable |
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| Very durable |
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| Perishable |
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| Resistant to powder post beetles |
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| Non-resistant to powder post beetles |
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| Non-durable |
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| Non-resistant to termites |
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| Non-resistant to marine borers |
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| Resistant to marine borers |
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| Moderately resistant to attack by termites |
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| Moderately resistant to attack by marine borers |
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Odor
| Unpleasent aroma associated with freshly cut material |
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Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
| Moderately Difficult to Difficult |
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| Slowly |
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| Seasons well with little degrade |
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| Radially sawn stock dries more rapidly |
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Kiln Drying Rate
Tree Size
| Bole length is 20-30 m |
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| Tree height is 40-50 m |
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| Sapwood width is 10-15 cm |
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| Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm |
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| Tree height is 30-40 m |
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| Sapwood width is 5-10 cm |
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| Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm |
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| Tree height is 20-30 m |
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| Bole length is 10-20 m |
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| Sapwood width is 15-20 cm |
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Comments
Timber properties vary considerably with density
Blunting Effect
| Little |
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| Moderate |
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| Slight dulling effect on cutting tools |
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Boring
| Fairly easy to very easy |
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| Fair to good results |
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Carving
| Fair to Good Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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The material is suitable for carving
Cutting Resistance
| Easy to saw |
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| Low cutting resistance |
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| Easy to saw |
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Gluing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Fair to Good Results |
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| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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| Good gluing properties |
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Mortising
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Fair to Good Results |
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Moulding
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Fair to Good Results |
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| Satisfactory moulding |
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Nailing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Fair to Good Results |
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| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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| Poor to Very Poor Results |
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| Holds nails well |
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| Good nailing characteristics |
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Planing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Fair to Good Results |
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| Very Good to Excellent Results |
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| Machining properties vary with density |
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Machining properties are reported to vary with density, but the soft and light timber generally planes readily with hand and machine tools. Striped material requires considerable sanding after planing to obtain a uniform, smooth finish
Resistance to Impregnation
| Resistant heartwood |
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| Resistant sapwood |
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| Poor response to preservative treatment |
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The timber is rather difficult to impregnate with preservatives.
Response to Hand Tools
| Easy to Work |
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| Responds Readily |
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Softer and lighter wood responds readily to hand tools
Routing & Recessing
| Fair to Good Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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Sanding
| Fair to Good Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Fairly good sanding characteristics |
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Screwing
| Fair to Good Results |
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| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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Turning
| Fair to Good Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Fairly easy turning, boring, mortising and other machining operations |
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Turning, boring, moulding, mortising, and other machining properties are reported to vary
Polishing
Staining
| Fair to Good Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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Varnishing
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
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| Fair to Good Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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Strength Properties
| Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high |
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The bending strength of air-dried wood of the species is similar to that of Teak, which is considered to be strong. Maximum crushing strength, or compression strength parallel to grain, is high. Some familiar species with high crushing strength parallel to grain include Hard maple, Teak, and White oak
Numerical Data
| Item | Green | Dry | English |
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| Bending Strength | 7350 | 11270 | psi |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 3675 | 6566 | psi |
| Shearing Strength | | 1666 | psi |
| Stiffness | 1294 | 1519 | 1000 psi |
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| Item | Green | Dry | Metric |
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| Bending Strength | 516 | 792 | kg/cm2 |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 258 | 461 | kg/cm2 |
| Shearing Strength | | 117 | kg/cm2 |
References
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
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