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Blunting Effect
Boring
Carving
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
Light-Induced Color Change
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Odor
Painting
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Resistance to Splitting
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Pterocarpus angolensis

Trade Name
Muninga

Family Name
Leguminosae

Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Ambila, Bloodwood, Brown African padauk, Girassonde, Imbilo, Kajaat, Kajat, Kajatenhout, Kejaat, Kiaat, Kiatt, Maninga, Mavamaropa, Mbila, Mlombwa, Mninga, Moroto, Mtumbati, Mukurambira, Mukwa, Mulambi, Mulombe, Mulombwa, Munhaneca, Muninga, Mutete, Mututi, Muzwamaloa, N'dombe, Rhodesian walnut, Sealing wax tree, Thondo, Thondu, Thordo, Transvaal kajatenhout, Umbila, Umvagaz, Umvangazi

Regions of Distribution
Africa

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Beehives, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: decking, Boat building: framing, Boxes and crates, Broom handles, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Coffins, Concealed parts (Furniture), Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Living-room suites, Mathematical instruments, Medicinal use, Mine timbers, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: percussion, Office furniture, Paneling, Parquet flooring, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Stools, Sub-flooring, Tables , Tool handles, Toys, Turnery, Utility furniture, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wardrobes, Wheel spokes, Wheels

Environmental Profile
Rare
Generally widespread, secure, and abundant within most of its range
Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center


Distribution Overview
The species occurs widely throughout south-central Africa, and is commonly found in savannah woodland.

Heartwood Color
White
Brown
Ages to dark rich shade of reddish-brown upon exposure
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Dark brown
Red
Pale brown
Pale red to pink
Purple
Large color variation
Golden brown
Dark streaks irregularly spaced
Brown - purple
Brown - chocolate


Sapwood Color
White
White to yellow
Well defined
Paler than heartwood
Yellow
White/Gray
Pinkish
Different than heartwood


Grain
Interlocked
Figure
Straight
Distinct (figure)
Mottled (figure)
Even
Closed
Variable (figure)
Stripe (figure)
Rippled (figure)
Other (figure)
Wavy

Interlocked
Straight
Distinct figure
Mottled figure
Variable figure
Striped figure
Wavy
Straight to interlocked
Rippled figure
Other figure

Often an attractive and decorative wavy, mottled, or striped figure.

Texture
Medium
Coarse
Medium
Medium to coarse
Fine
Fine to medium


Luster
Low
Dull
Slightly lustrous
Lustrous


Natural Growth Defects
Whitish deposits in vessels
Gum/resin streaks
Gum and mineral deposits


Natural Durability
Perishable
Non-durable
Very durable
Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Durable
Resistant to wood staining fungal attack
Resistant to attack from marine borers
Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack
Moderately durable
Susceptible to marine borer attack
Sapwood susceptible to attack by powder post beetles
Naturally resistant
Moderate to high resistance to termite and marine borer attack


Odor
Fragrant odor


Light-Induced Color Change
Lighter


Toxicity
Respiratory effects
Dermatitic effects

May cause nasal irritation and bronchial asthma in some individuals.

Kiln Schedules
Dry at a slow speed
UK=J US=T10D5S/T8D4S Fr=4
Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is slow
UK=B US=T2d2/T2C1 Fr=2
Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is rather slow
Dry at a moderate speed
T8 - D4S (8/4) US
T10 - D55 (4/4) US
Shrinkage (Radial & Tangential) is often greater than 5%
Schedule J - United Kingdom
Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is fairly rapid


Drying Defects
Splitting
Distortion
No surface checking
No end splitting
Slight surface checking
Slight end splitting
No twisting or warping
No cupping, generally
No collapse/honeycomb
Generally free from spring and bow
Moderate surface checking
Little or no degrade


Ease of Drying
Rapidly
Reconditioning Treatement
Little degrade
Fairly Easy
Easy
Difficult
Moderate
Dries slowly with little degrade


Kiln Drying Rate
Slow (18-28 days for boards < 32 mm, to 52-84 days for boards >= 63 mm)
Very slow (>28 days for boards < 32 mm, to >84 days for boards >= 63 mm)
Fairly rapid (11-17 days for boards under 32 mm, to 31-51 days for boards greater than 63 mm)


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is straight


Tree Size
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

General finishing qualities are rated as satisfactory

Timber produced by species from Zimbabwe is generally lighter and softer than those from other African countries.

Blunting Effect
Blunting effect on machining is moderate
Blunting effect on sawing green wood is moderate
Slight to moderate buckles and splits
Blunting effect on sawing green wood is mild
Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is moderate
Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is mild
Blunting effect on machining is slight


Boring
Fairly easy to very easy
Easy


Carving
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Fairly easy with ordinary tools


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy
Satisfactory sawing characteristics
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is moderate


Gluing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Easy to glue
Good gluing properties


Mortising
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Easy to mortise
Finishes well


Moulding
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Good finishing results
Easy to mould
The end-grain, figure, or quartersawn material require special care


Movement in Service
Excellent Stability - Small Movement
Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement
Small
Stable
Retain shape after manufacture
Dimensionally stable after seasoning


Nailing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Easy to nail
Holds nails well
Possible if prebored
Holds satisfactorily
Thin-guage nails recommended


Planing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Planes well, to a good finish
Ease of planing is moderate
Easy to plane
Reduction of cutting angle recommended
Figured and quartersawn material are harder to work with


Resistance to Impregnation
Permeable heartwood
Permeable sapwood
Heartwood is resistant
Sapwood is moderately resistant
Sapwood is permeable
Sapwood is resistant
Sapwood is permeable
Heartwood is permeable
Heartwood is moderately resistant


Resistance to Splitting
Poor
Good


Response to Hand Tools
Responds Readily
Easy to machine
Moderate working qualities
Moderate blunting effect on cutting edges