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Blunting Effect
Boring
Carving
Certified Source
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
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Odor
Painting
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Silica Content
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Size
Turning

Scientific Name
Pometia tomentosa

Trade Name
Kasai

Family Name
Sapindaceae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Kasai, Malugai, Sibu, Taun, Truong

Regions of Distribution
Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka

Common Uses
Bedroom suites, Boat building, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Core Stock, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Living-room suites, Mine timbers, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Plain veneer, Plywood, Shipbuilding, Turnery, Veneer

Environmental Profile
Abundant/Secure
Extinct
Endangered
Vulnerable within its natural growth range
Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center


Distribution Overview
Various species in the Pometia genus are widespread in Malaysia, Indochina, the Philippines, and other western Pacific islands. They are abundant in coastal areas and footils.

Heartwood Color
Brown
Reddish brown
Red
Purple tinge


Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
Pale pink/buff
Not always clearly defined


Grain
Even
Straight
Interlocked

Occasionally interlocked, but not always
Generally straight, but not always


Texture
Medium
Fine to coarse and uneven


Luster
Low
Dull


Natural Durability
Durable
Resistant to termites
Moderately durable
Vulnerable to pinhole borer and marine borer attack
Susceptible to blue stain


Odor
No specific smell or taste


Silica Content
High
Siliceous


Toxicity
Respiratory effects


Drying Defects
Harsh kiln-schedule may cause backsawn material to surface check and twist


Ease of Drying
Slowly
Moderately Difficult to Difficult
Requires considerable care to avoid degrade
Mild conditions recommended
Air dries slowly


Tree Size
Tree height is 20-30 m


Certified Source
Certified Source


Comments
Tree produces edible fruit, leaves and bark used for medicinal purposes

Blunting Effect
Medium effect


Boring
Fair to good results
Fairly difficult to very difficult


Carving
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Cutting Resistance
Fair to excellent surfaces


Gluing
Satisfactory gluing properties


Mortising
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Moulding
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Movement in Service
Small to medium
Moderate stability


Nailing
Good nailing properties


Planing
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fair to Good Results
Machining properties depend on growth site and tree form
Generally good response


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant sapwood
Resistant heartwood
Sapwood is moderately resistant
Heartwood is highly resistant


Response to Hand Tools
Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work
Good response


Routing & Recessing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Sanding
Fairly good sanding characteristics


Screwing
Holds screws well


Turning
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Steam Bending
Good


Painting
Good results


Polishing
Takes high polish


Staining
Staining is easy


Strength Properties
Resists denting and marring
Heavy
Hardness (side grain) = medium
Density = high
Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high
Bending strength (MOR) = high


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength884013622psi
Density40lbs/ft3
Hardness1240lbs
Maximum Crushing Strength40777546psi
Shearing Strength2141psi
Static Bending54598742psi
Stiffness166620481000 psi
Toughness125inch-lbs
Specific Gravity0.540.59
Weight3932.lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage5%
Tangential Shrinkage7%
Volumetric Shrinkage13%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength621957kg/cm2
Density641kg/m3
Hardness562kg
Maximum Crushing Strength286530kg/cm2
Shearing Strength150kg/cm2
Static Bending383614kg/cm2
Stiffness1171431000 kg/cm2
Toughness144cm-kg
Specific Gravity0.540.59
Weight624512.kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage5%
Tangential Shrinkage7%

References
Bolza, E., Kloot, N. H. 1966. The Mechanical Properties of 81 New Guinea Timbers. Technological Paper No. 41. Division of Forest Products, Center for Scientific and Industrial Organization (CSIRO, Melbourne, Australia

Eddowes, P.J. 1977. Commercial Timbers of Papua New Guinea - Their Properties and Uses. Forest Products Research Center, Office of Forests, Department of Primary Industry, Papua New Guinea.

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

WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center-Plants Programme, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.