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Blunting Effect
Boring
Comments
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Family Name
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Drying Rate
Kiln Schedules
Light-Induced Color Change
Luster
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Resistance to Splitting
Response to Hand Tools
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Pseudosindora palustris

Trade Name
Sepetir

Family Name
Leguminosae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Gu, Gu go, Kayu galu, Makata, Petir, Sapa, Sepetir, Sepetir Paya, Sindur, Supa, Swamp sepetir, Tampar hantu

Regions of Distribution
Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand

Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Brush backs & handles, Cabinetmaking, Excelsior, Flooring, Furniture, General carpentry, Joinery, Light construction, Paneling, Plywood, Sporting Goods, Veneer: decorative

Environmental Profile
Status has not been officially assessed


Distribution Overview
Distributed in Malaysia, Indochina, and the Philippines, and is usually found in lowland forests. It is often common in localized areas within its range.

Heartwood Color
Purple
Brown
Black
Pale red to pink
Brown
Reddish brown
Pale brown
Dark brown
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Reddish brown with dark streaks after aging
Brown - golden with brown streaks


Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
White to yellow
Pinkish
White/Straw
Well defined
Matures to pink with age
Different than heartwood


Grain
Straight
Interlocked
Figure
Even
Growth rings (figure)
Variable (figure)
Distinct (figure)

Straight
Interlocked
Variable figure
Clear growth rings (figure)
Straight to shallowly interlocked
Distinct figure


Texture
Coarse
Medium
Fine and uniform
Fine
Moderately fine & uniform
Medium
Medium to coarse
May have slight greasy feel


Luster
Medium
Dull


Natural Growth Defects
Yellowish deposits in vessels
Whitish deposits in vessels


Natural Durability
Susceptible to insect attack
Non-durable
Non-resistant to termites
Non-resistant to powder post beetles
Perishable
Non-resistant to marine borers
Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Non durable
Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Durable
Susceptible to marine borer attack
Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack
Very little natural resistance
Susceptible to termite and dry wood insect attack
Sapwood is susceptible to powder-post beetle
Resistant to attack from pinworms (ambrosia beetles)
Moderately durable


Odor
Spicy scent


Light-Induced Color Change
Darker


Kiln Schedules
Dry at a slow speed
UK=G US=T8B3/T5B1
T8 - B3 (4/4) US
T5 - B1 (8/4) US
Schedule G - United Kingdom
Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is rather slow
Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is rapid


Drying Defects
Expect resin/gum exudation
Moderate end spitting
Slight end splitting
Slight twist/warp
Distortion (twist/warp) is likely


Ease of Drying
Easy
Air-dries rather well
Air dries slowly


Kiln Drying Rate
Very slow (>28 days for boards < 32 mm, to >84 days for boards >= 63 mm)
Rapid (<10 days for boards < 32 mm, to <30 days for boards >= 63 mm)


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is not buttressed
Bole/stem form is cylindrical
Bole/stem form is straight


Tree Size
Tree height is 20-30 m
Tree height is 10-20 m
Bole length is 10-20 m
Tree height is 0-10 m
Tree height is 30-40 m


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Resinous

Blunting Effect
Blunting effect on machining is moderate
Medium effect
Heartwood dulls cutters very severely
Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe


Boring
Moderately easy
Difficult


Cutting Resistance
Difficult due to resin and gum accumulation
Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy


Movement in Service
Stable
Small


Nailing
Easy to nail
Some tendency for splitting
Holds nails well


Planing
Easy to plane
Planes well, to a good finish
Sharp cutting edges recommended
Heartwood has a considerable dulling effect
Difficult to plane


Resistance to Impregnation
Heartwood is highly resistant
Sapwood is moderately resistant
Sapwood is modertely permeable
Heartwood is resistant


Resistance to Splitting
Poor


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


Sanding
Fairly good sanding characteristics


Turning
Easy to turn
Turns with moderate ease
Good results


Veneering Qualities
There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits
Moderately easy to veneer
No drying degrade. Dries flat without splitting


Steam Bending
Moderate
Poor because of resin exudation


Polishing
Satisfactory results
Good results
Polishes well after filler despite resin content


Staining
Generally good after filling
Finish is generally satisfactory


Strength Properties
Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft.
Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft.
Max. crushing strength = medium
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low
Max. crushing strength = high
Bending strength (MOR) = low
Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = medium
Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = low
Shrinkage, Tangential = very small
Shrinkage, Radial = very small
Bending strength (MOR) = high
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very high
Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft.
Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate
Shrinkage, Radial = small
Resists denting and marring
Heavy
Hardness (side grain) = medium
Density = high
Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high
Bending strength (MOR) = very high
Bending strength (MOR) = medium


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength1036216063psi
Density41lbs/ft3
Hardness1382lbs
Impact Strength2534inches
Maximum Crushing Strength54218526psi
Shearing Strength2054psi
Stiffness155818751000 psi
Work to Maximum Load1313inch-lbs/in3
Specific Gravity0.54
Weight4140lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage3%
Tangential Shrinkage5%
Volumetric Shrinkage10%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength7281129kg/cm2
Density657kg/m3
Hardness626kg
Impact Strength6386cm
Maximum Crushing Strength381599kg/cm2
Shearing Strength144kg/cm2
Stiffness1091311000 kg/cm2
Work to Maximum Load0.910.91cm-kg/cm3
Specific Gravity0.54
Weight657641kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage3%
Tangential Shrinkage5%

References
Australia - Forest Products Newsletter,1963,Properties of Australian Timbers - Blackwood,C.S.I.R.O. Forest Products Newsletter No.294 pp3-4

Brazier, J.D.,1959,Pseudosindora palustris sym - An account of its timber and anatomical,evidence for its taxonomic status,Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London 170(2) pp178-83

Browne, F.G.,1955,Forest Trees of Sarawak and Brunei and their Products.,Government Printing Office, Kuching, Sarawak

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

Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.

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

Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO

Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1954,Hardwoods for Industrial Flooring,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Leaflet, No.48

Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1954,Trials of Timbers for Plywood manufacture sepetir pseudosindora palustris,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough Progress Report 24,Consignment 781

Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1967,The Steam Bending Properties of various timbers,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Leaflet,No.45

Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1969,The Movement of Timbers,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough Technical Note,No.38

Forests Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1956,A Handbook of Hardwoods,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Department of,Science and Industrial Research, Building Research Establishment

HMSO. 1972. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.

I.U.F.R.O.,1973,Veneer Species of the World,Assembled at F.P.L. Madison on behalf of I.U.F.R.O. Working Party on,Slicing and Veneer Cutting

Lavers, G. M. 1966. The Strength Properties of Timbers. Forest Products Research Bulletin, No. 50. Ministry of Technology, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.

Lavers, G.M.,1983,The Strength Properties of Timber (3rd ed. revised Moore G.L.,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Report (formerly Bulletin No.50)

Malaysian Timber Industry Board,1986,100 Malaysian Timbers,The Malaysian Timber Industry Board

Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London

Sarawak - Borneo Lit.Bureau,1961,Common Sarawak timbers,Borneo Lit. Bureau for Sarawak Forestry Department

Smythies, B.E.,1965,Common Sarawak Trees,Borneo Literature Bureau

Symington, C.F.,1943,Pseudosindora palystris (Leguminosae, Amherstieae) a new genus and species,in Borneo,Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London 155(3) pp285-8

Timber Review,1976,Sepetir (Sindora Spp. and Pseudosindora palustris,Timber Review,27 p15-6

Tsumoto, T., Karasawa, H.,1975,The Properties of Tropical Woods 21,Government of Japan Forest Experimental Station Bulletin,No.227