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Blunting Effect
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
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Painting
Planing
Polishing
Product Sources
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Staining
Strength Properties
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Size
Turning
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Millettia pendula

Trade Name
Khacho

Family Name
Papilionaceae

Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Khacho, Sortom, Thinwin

Regions of Distribution
Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Burma, India, Myanmar

Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Bridge beams, Bridge construction, Bridge joists, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Construction, Crossties, Factory construction, Farm vehicles, Furniture, Handles, Heavy construction, Light construction, Mine timbers, Moldings, Ornamental work , Paneling, Pile-driver cushions, Piling, Plywood, Posts, Railroad ties, Shafts/Handles, Tool handles, Turnery, Veneer: decorative, Walking sticks, Wheel spokes, Wheels

Environmental Profile
Status has not been officially assessed


Distribution Overview
The genus Millettia is composed of a large number of shrubs, woody climbers, and trees that are widely distributed in the warmer regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia. M. pendula occurs in the drier forests of Burma.

Heartwood Color
Red
Brown
Pink
White
Dark brown
Brown
Purplish brown - dark
Purple
Black
Attractive mottled figure on tangential surfaces
Alternating bands of light and dark tissue


Sapwood Color
Well defined
White to yellow
White to pale brown


Grain
Figure
Distinct (figure)
Mottle
Interlocked
Straight
Even
Very fine

Distinct figure
Mottled or streaked figure sometimes
Straight
Interlocked
Straight to moderately interlocked
Figure occurrence is very fine and distinct


Texture
Fine
Medium
Medium coarse to coarse
Medium


Luster
Low
Dull
Lustrous


Natural Growth Defects
Gum and mineral deposits


Natural Durability
Perishable
Susceptible to insect attack
Non-durable
Non-resistant to termites
Non-resistant to powder post beetles
Moderately durable
Durable
Highly resistant to decay and wood destroying insects


Drying Defects
Splitting
Distortion
Checking
Slight surface checking
Severe surface checking
Moderate surface checking


Ease of Drying
Fairly Easy
Rapidly
Slowly
Variable results.
Moderate


Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries slowly
Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast
Naturally dries quickly
Rapid


Tree Size
Bole length is 20-30 m
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm
Sapwood width is 5-10 cm
Tree height is 30-40 m
Tree height is 10-20 m
Sapwood width is 10-15 cm


Product Sources
Although flat-sawn lumber exhibits an attractive figure, the heartwood is generally too small for furniture work.

Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Blunting Effect
Little
Blunting effect on machining is severe


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

The timber is extremely heavy, tough, very strong, and exceptionally hard, and is very difficult to saw.

Gluing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Mortising
Easy to mortise


Moulding
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Good finishing results
Good moulding properties
Easy to mould


Movement in Service
Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement
Excellent Stability - Small Movement


Nailing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results


Planing
Very Good to Excellent Results


Laning and other machining operations are very difficult.

Resistance to Impregnation
Permeable sapwood
Permeable heartwood
Resistant heartwood
Resistant sapwood


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work
Difficult to machine


Turning
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Veneering Qualities
Veneers easily
Veneers moderately easy
Suitable for peeling


Painting
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results


Polishing
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Good results
Material takes a high polish


Staining
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results


Strength Properties
Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft.
Hardness (side grain) = very hard
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium
Max. crushing strength = medium
Max. crushing strength = high
Bending strength (MOR) = medium
Bending strength (MOR) = high
Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = very high
Toughness-Hammer drop (impact strength) = high
Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate
Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very high
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high
Weight = very high
Shrinkage, Tangential = small
Shrinkage, Radial = small
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high
Resists denting and marring
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low
Density = very high
Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high
Bending strength (MOR) = very high

Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low
Difficult to process with ordinary tools

Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength1287819841psi
Crushing Strength20192901psi
Density64lbs/ft3
Hardness2876lbs
Impact Strength5367inches
Maximum Crushing Strength61049269psi
Shearing Strength2535psi
Static Bending688010515psi
Stiffness181522011000 psi
Work to Maximum Load1824inch-lbs/in3
Specific Gravity0.790.87
Weight6363lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage4%
Tangential Shrinkage7%
Volumetric Shrinkage13%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength9051394kg/cm2
Crushing Strength141203kg/cm2
Density1025kg/m3
Hardness1304kg
Impact Strength134170cm
Maximum Crushing Strength429651kg/cm2
Shearing Strength178kg/cm2
Static Bending483739kg/cm2
Stiffness1271541000 kg/cm2
Work to Maximum Load1.261.68cm-kg/cm3
Specific Gravity0.790.87
Weight10091009kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage4%
Tangential Shrinkage7%

References
Carrapiett, J.B.,1960,Notes on ornamental timbers of Burma,Burmese Forester,10(1,pp37-53

Chowdhury, K.A. and S.S. Ghosh. 1963. Indian Woods - Their Identification, Properties and Uses, Volume II - Linaceae to Moringaceae. Published by the Manager of Publications, Delhi, India.

Clifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. London

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

Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed.

Limaye, V.D. 1954. Grouping of Indian Timbers and their Properties, Uses and Suitability. Indian Forest Records, New Series. Timber Mechanics, Vol. 1, No. 2, Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun, India.

Limaye, V.D. and B.R. Sen. 1953. Weights and Specific Gravities of Indian Woods. Indian Forest Records, New Series. Timber Mechanics, Vol. 1, No. 4, Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun, India.

Pearson, R.S., Brown, H.P.,1932,Commercial Timbers of India,Govt. Printer Calcutta,2 vols

Ramesh, Rao K., Purkayastha, S.K.,1972,Indian Woods - Their Identification Properties and Uses,Dehra Dun India,Vol. 3

Sekhar, A.C. and D.N. Bhatia. 1957. Physical and Mechanical Properties of Woods Tested at Forest Research Institute, Report VIII. Indian Forest Records, New Series, Timber Mechanics, Volume 1, Number 9. The Manager of Publications, Delhi.

Sekhar, A.C., Bhatia, D.N.,1957,Physical and Mechanical Properties of Woods Tested at Forest Research,Institute. Report VIII,Indian Forest Records (n.s) Timber Mechanics 1(9) pp155-62

Sono, P.,1974,Merchantable Timbers of Thailand.,Forest Products Research Division, Royal Forest Department, Bangkok,,Thailand.