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Blunting Effect
Boring
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Family Name
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Drying Rate
Kiln Schedules
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Nailing
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Strength Properties
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing

Scientific Name
Swintonia schwenkii

Trade Name
Boilam

Family Name
Anacardiaceae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Boilam, Boilsur, Merpauh, Merpauh periang, Pitoh, Sambung, Samginphroo, Selan, Shibika, Thayetkin, Thayetsan

Regions of Distribution
Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand

Common Uses
Heavy construction, Light construction, Matches

Heartwood Color
Green/grey
Red
Pink
Red
Greenish to greyish
Brown


Sapwood Color
Paler than heartwood


Grain
Figure
Interlocked
Distinct (figure)
Rays (figure)
Stripe (figure)

Interlocked
Distinct figure
Striped figure
Rays figure


Texture
Fine
Medium
Medium to coarse
Coarse
Medium


Luster
Pronounced
Lustrous


Natural Durability
Durable
Resistant to termites
Non-resistant to powder post beetles
Susceptible to insect attack
Non durable
Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack
Susceptible to marine borer attack
Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) often present in the standing tree
Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) may be present in the felled log
Durable


Kiln Schedules
Drying (speed) is fast


Drying Defects
Splitting
Checking
Slight twist/warp
Slight surface checking
Expect severe spring and bow degrade


Ease of Drying
Variable
Slowly


Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries slowly


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is buttressed
Bole/stem form is straight
Bole/stem form is cylindrical


Tree Size
Tree height is 10-20 m
Tree height is 0-10 m
Tree height is 20-30 m
Bole length is 20-30 m
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm


Blunting Effect
Blunting effect on machining is severe


Boring
Difficult


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult


Gluing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Easy to glue


Mortising
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Moulding
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results


Nailing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Pre-Boring Recommended
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Easy to nail
Difficult to nail


Planing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results
Planes well, to a good finish
Easy to plane


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant heartwood
Resistant sapwood
Heartwood is permeable


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work
Moderate working qualities


Sanding
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Turning
Poor results
Difficult to turn


Polishing
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results


Varnishing
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Strength Properties
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium
Max. crushing strength = medium
Hardness (side grain) = medium
Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft.
Bending strength (MOR) = low
Shrinkage, Tangential = very small
Shrinkage, Radial = very small
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high
Bending strength (MOR) = medium

Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very high

Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength717811247psi
Density47lbs/ft3
Hardness1658lbs
Impact Strength28inches
Maximum Crushing Strength39166397psi
Shearing Strength1763psi
Stiffness166519231000 psi
Weight4637lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage2%
Tangential Shrinkage4%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength504790kg/cm2
Density753kg/m3
Hardness752kg
Impact Strength71cm
Maximum Crushing Strength275449kg/cm2
Shearing Strength123kg/cm2
Stiffness1171351000 kg/cm2
Weight737592kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage2%

References
Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 4 South East Asia,TRADA, Red Booklet Series

Burgess, P.F.,1966,Timbers of Sabah,Sabah Forest Record, no.6

Gamble, J.S.,1902,A Manual of Indian Timbers,Sampson Low, Marston & Co. London

Lee, Y.H., et al,1974,Commercial Timbers of Peninsular Malaysia,Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Department of Forestry Peninsular Malaysia and,Malaysian Timber Industry Board

Lee, Y.H., Lopez, D.T.,1968,The Machining Properties of some Malayan Timbers,Malayan Forester,3,pp194-210

Lee, Y.H.,1965,Timber tests - merpauh (Swintonia spp.,Malayan Forester 28(1) pp56-62

Menon, P.K.B.,1959,The wood anatomy of Malayan timbers: commercial timbers, 3. Light,hardwoods,Malaysian Forest Research Institute Kepong, Research Pamplet, No. 27.

Ng, F.S.P. (Ed,1989,Tree Flora of Malaya A Manual for Foresters Volume 4,Forest Research Institute Malaysia Ministry of Primary Industries

Wyatt-Smith, J.,1979,Pocket Checklist of Timber Trees,Malayan Forest Records No.17