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Blunting Effect
Boring
Comments
Common Names
Common Uses
Corrosive Properties
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Family Name
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Polishing
Product Sources
References
Regions of Distribution
Resin Content
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Silica Content
Strength Properties
Substitutes
Synonyms
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
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Synonyms
Coulteria africana
Common Names
Abusurung, Akaka, Akiye, Akwiye, Buse-segne, Dwadata, Guele, Her, Ir, Ironwood, Kaki, Kiriya, Kirya, Kohi, Kokara, Kpanena, Kpaye, Kyembo, Langbina, Langbung, Langjina, Nanzili, Nazari, Pangi, Pato, Pau carvao, Prekese, Pung-un-nung, Sanchi lati, Sanga, Ubwa, Yan, Yoruba charcoal wood, Zamturi, Zingili
Regions of Distribution
Africa
Countries of Distribution
[VIEW MAP]
Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Zaire
Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Barge fenders, Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boat building: framing, Cabinetmaking, Charcoal, Cooperages, Crossties, Docks, Dockwork, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Food containers, Fuelwood, Furniture , Handles: woodworking tools, Harbor work, Heavy construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Marine construction, Mine timbers, Musical instruments, Naval architecture, Office furniture, Posts, Precision instruments, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Raft floats, Rafts, Railroad ties, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Tables, Tool handles, Turnery, Vats, Vehicle parts, Wharf construction, Wheel spokes, Wheels
Environmental Profile
| Status unknown in many of its growth areas |
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| Generally widespread, secure, and abundant within most of its range |
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| Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center |
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| Abundant in parts of its range |
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Its status in the wild in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Zaire is currently listed as unknown
Distribution Overview
The genus Prosopis consists of about 40 species with a growth range in the tropical regions of America and Asia. It is represented by only one species, P. africana in tropical Africa. reported to grow in the savannah regions from West to East Africa, and is found from Senegal to Sudan and Uganda.
Heartwood Color
| Red |
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| Brown |
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| Yellow to golden-yellow to orange |
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| Reddish brown |
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| Brown |
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| Reddish dark brown |
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| Dark wine-red after drying |
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| Dark brown |
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| Brown - yellowish |
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Sapwood Color
| Yellow |
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| Red |
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| White to yellow |
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| Well defined |
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| Different than heartwood |
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| Whitish brown |
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| Paler than heartwood |
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| Pale yellow |
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Grain
| Wavy |
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| Occasionally wavy |
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| Occasionally interlocked, but not always |
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| Interlocked |
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Texture
| Coarse |
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| Fine to medium |
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| Medium |
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| Fine |
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Natural Growth Defects
| Gum/resin exudation |
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| Gum and mineral deposits |
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Natural Durability
| Durable |
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| Moderately durable |
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| Very durable |
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| Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) |
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| Durable |
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| Very good weathering properties |
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| Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles |
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| Immune to almost all insects |
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Odor
Silica Content
Resin Content
Corrosive Properties
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
| Fairly Easy |
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| Fiber saturation point is very high |
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| Difficult |
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Tree Identification
| Bole/stem form is buttressed |
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| Bole/stem form is misshapen |
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Tree Size
| Bole length is 10-20 m |
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| Tree height is 30-40 m |
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| Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm |
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Product Sources
Substitutes
| Substitute for Birch (Betula) |
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Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good
Blunting Effect
| Blunting effect on machining is moderate |
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| Medium effect |
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Boring
Cutting Resistance
| Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult |
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| Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult |
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| Difficult to saw |
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Gluing
| Easy to glue |
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| Good gluing properties |
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Mortising
Moulding
| Fair to Good Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| There is a moderate blunting effect |
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| Moulds easily with ordinary tools |
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Movement in Service
| Stable |
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| Retain shape after manufacture |
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| Dimensionally stable after seasoning |
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Nailing
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Possible if prebored |
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| Difficult to nail |
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Planing
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
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| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
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| Difficult to plane |
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| Areas of interlocked grain may cause tearing |
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Resistance to Impregnation
| Highly resistant |
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| Heartwood is highly resistant |
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Response to Hand Tools
| Difficult to machine |
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| Easy to machine |
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Routing & Recessing
| Medium blunting effect on cuttin tools |
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| Generally good |
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Screwing
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
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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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| Easy to turn |
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Polishing
| Good results |
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| Satisfactory results |
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Strength Properties
| Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. |
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| Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft. |
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| Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft. |
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| Shrinkage, Tangential = large |
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| Shrinkage, Radial = large |
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| Max. crushing strength = high |
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| Bending strength (MOR) = high |
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| Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large |
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| Shrinkage, Tangential = very small |
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| Shrinkage, Radial = very small |
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| Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large |
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| Hardness (side grain) = very hard |
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| Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high |
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| Bending strength (MOR) = very high |
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Numerical Data
| Item | Green | Dry | English |
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| Bending Strength | 12226 | 18942 | psi |
| Density | | 53 | lbs/ft3 |
| Hardness | | 2940 | lbs |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 6170 | 9574 | psi |
| Shearing Strength | | 2136 | psi |
| Stiffness | 1764 | 2019 | 1000 psi |
| Weight | 52 | 49 | lbs/ft3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 5 | | % |
| Tangential Shrinkage | 8 | | % |
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| Item | Green | Dry | Metric |
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| Bending Strength | 859 | 1331 | kg/cm2 |
| Density | | 849 | kg/m3 |
| Hardness | | 1333 | kg |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 433 | 673 | kg/cm2 |
| Shearing Strength | | 150 | kg/cm2 |
| Stiffness | 124 | 141 | 1000 kg/cm2 |
| Weight | 833 | 785 | kg/m3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 5 | | % |
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
Eggeling, W.J.,1940,Indigenous Trees of Uganda,Govt. Printer Entebbe Uganda
Gottwald, H., Noack, D.,1966,Anatomische und Physik-Technol. Untersuchungen an Holzarten de Sudan,Mitt. Bundforschanst.Forst-u Holzw,Vol.64
Gotz, E.,1983,Timber trees of the Gambia,Stiftung Walderhaltung in Afrika and Bundesforschungsanstalt fur Forst-,und Holzwirtschaft
Irvine, F.R.,1961,Woody Plants of Ghana,O.U.P. London
Keay, R.W.J. 1989. Trees of Nigeria. Revised Version of Nigerian Trees. Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Keay, R.W.J.,1964,Nigerian Trees Vol.2,Nigeria Federal Department of Forest Research, Ibadan
Kennedy, J.D.,1936,Forest Flora of Southern Nigeria,Government Printer Lagos
Sallenave, P.,1955,Proprietes Phyiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux de l'Union Francaise,C.T.F.T
Savill, P.S., Fox, J.E.D.,1967,Trees of Sierra Leone
Takahashi, A.,1978,Compilation of Data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part,III) Africa,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No. 7
Unwin, A.H.,1920,West African Forests and Forestry,T. Fisher Unwin Ltd. London
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