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Blunting Effect Boring Carving Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules 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 Varnishing		Scientific Name Diospyros spp. Trade Name African ebony Family Name Ebenaceae Common Names African ebony, Cameroon ebony, Gaboon ebony, Kanran, Kayu malam, Kribi ebony, Kukuo, Mgriti, Msuini, Nigerian ebony, Nyareti, Omenowa, Trayung Regions of Distribution Africa, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Malaysia Common Uses Billiard-cue butts, Brush backs & handles, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Furniture, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Musical instruments: strings, Sporting Goods, Tool handles, Turnery Environmental Profile Extinct Abundant/Secure Vulnerable Endangered Heartwood Color Brown Pink Yellow Black Red Highly variable Orange Black Dark brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange White to cream Greenish to greyish Sapwood Color Tan Green/Grey Same as heartwood Pinkish Paler than heartwood Grain Even Closed Interlocked Straight Wavy Straight Interlocked Wavy Texture Coarse Medium Fine Luster Low Natural Durability Durable Moderately durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to marine borers Non-resistant to termites Very durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Odor Has an odor Silica Content Siliceous Toxicity Some toxic effects Dermatitic effects Kiln Schedules UK=E US=T6D2/T3D1 Fr=5 Dry at a slow speed Dry at a moderate speed UK=H US=T10D4S/T8D3S Fr=7 Drying Defects Resin Exudation Checking Collapse Distortion Slight surface checking Slight twist/warp Slight end splitting Moderate end spitting Ease of Drying Medium to High Shrinkage Moderately Difficult to Difficult Little degrade Easy Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 40-50 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Blunting Effect High to severe Moderate Blunting effect on machining is severe Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Blunting effect on machining is moderate Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Gluing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to glue Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement Small Nailing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Possible if prebored Difficult to nail Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Planes to a poor finish Difficult to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Heartwood is extremely resistant Sapwood is moderately resistant Response to Hand Tools Difficult to machine Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turning Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good results Easy to turn Steam Bending Exudation Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good Painting Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Poor to Very Poor Results Polishing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Poor to Very Poor Results Good results Satisfactory results Staining Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Varnishing Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Max. crushing strength = very high Hardness (side grain) = very hard Bending strength (MOR) = very high Max. crushing strength = high Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu.ft Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 18463 26499 psi Density 52 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2940 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 8990 12374 psi Stiffness 2167 2494 1000 psi Weight 51 43 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 10 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 1298 1863 kg/cm2 Density 833 kg/m3 Hardness 1333 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 632 869 kg/cm2 Stiffness 152 175 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 817 689 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % References Brown, W.H.,1969,Properties and uses of Tropical hardwoods in the United Kingdom. Part 1,Nonstructural properties and uses.,Conference on Tropical hardwoods SC-5/TN-5, Syracuse University Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World No.1 Africa,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1955,Kiln-Drying Schedules,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Department of,Science and Industrial Research, Building Research Establishment Leaflet,No.42 Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed. Jay, B.A.,1968,Timbers of West Africa,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Malaysian Timber Industry Board,1986,100 Malaysian Timbers,The Malaysian Timber Industry Board Normand, D., Paquis, J.,1976,Manuel D'Identification des Bois Commerciaux. Tome 2. Afrique,Guineo-Congolaise,CTFT Normand, D.,1960,Les Ebenes dans le Monde,Bois et Forets des Tropiques,No.72,pp15-22 Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London Smith, J.,1948,Ebony in the Mamfe Division,Farm and Forest Nigerian Forester,9(1,pp28-32 Timber Development Association Ltd.,1955,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Timber Development Association Ltd.