top

Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position.

Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data.

Boring
Comments
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Family Name
Grain
Heartwood Color
Luster
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Staining
Strength Properties
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Size
Turning

Scientific Name
Melanorrhoea torquata

Trade Name
Rengas

Family Name
Anacardiaceae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Rengas

Regions of Distribution
Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines

Common Uses
Cabinetmaking, Furniture

Distribution Overview
Indo-Malaysian region

Heartwood Color
Brown
Yellow
Orange
Green/grey
Red


Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
Brown
Well defined
Paler than heartwood


Grain
Interlocked
Figure
Distinct (figure)

Interlocked
Distinct figure


Texture
Coarse
Fine


Luster
Low


Natural Durability
Perishable
Susceptible to insect attack
Non-durable
Non-resistant to powder post beetles
Non-resistant to termites
Non-resistant to marine borers
Moderately durable
Moderately durable
Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present


Toxicity
Unspecified toxicity


Drying Defects
Splitting
Checking


Ease of Drying
Fairly Easy
Moderately Difficult to Difficult
Easy


Tree Size
Tree height is 30-40 m
Tree height is 40-50 m


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as satisfactory

Boring
Moderately easy
Difficult


Cutting Resistance
Cutting Resistance with green wood is variable
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult


Planing
Planes to a satisfactory finish
Hardness and interlocked grain may affect planing


Resistance to Impregnation
Permeable heartwood
Permeable sapwood


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work
Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work
Easy to machine


Turning
Turns with moderate ease
Poor results
Difficult to turn


Polishing
Satisfactory results


Staining
Finish is generally satisfactory


Strength Properties
Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft.


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Density40lbs/ft3
Weight3931lbs/ft3
ItemGreenDryMetric
Density641kg/m3

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

Desch, H.E.,1954,Manual of Malayan Timbers (2 vols,Malayan Forest Records,no.15

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