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Blunting Effect
Boring
Carving
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Schedules
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Polishing
Product Sources
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Silica Content
Strength Properties
Substitutes
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Size
Turning

Scientific Name
Pterygota bequaertii

Trade Name
African Pterygota

Family Name

Wood Image 1

Common Names
African pterygota, Ake, Anatolia, Awari, Efok, Ikame, Impa, Kakende, Kefe, Koto, Kyere, Poroposo, Pterygota

Regions of Distribution
Africa

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Zaire

Common Uses
Bent Parts, Broom handles, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Millwork, Moldings, Office furniture, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Stools, Trimming, Utility furniture, Veneer, Wainscotting, Wardrobes

Environmental Profile
Status unknown in many of its growth areas
Secure in many areas of its range
Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare within parts of its range
Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center


Distribution Overview
Common in the tropical evergreen and mixed deciduous forests of West Africa. Its range extends from the Ivory Coast to Zaire.

Heartwood Color
Brown
Purple
Pink
Red
Yellowish tinge
White to cream
Grayish tinge


Sapwood Color
Yellow
Brown
Grey
Pale yellow
Not clearly defined from sapwood


Grain
Even
Straight
Interlocked

Shallowly interlocked
Quartersawn surfaces show distinct flecked figure
Grain shows small knot clusters
Generally straight, but not always

The wood has high rays which produces a distinct flecked figure on quartersawn surfaces.

Texture
Medium
Coarse
Generally coarse


Luster
Medium
High
Lustrous


Natural Growth Defects
Brittleheart sometimes present.

Particularly in older logs

Natural Durability
Wood in contact with gound may last only 5 years
Sapwood is susceptible to wood broing insects
Sapwood is susceptible to powder-post beetle
Heartwood has very little resistance to decay


Odor
Seasoned wood has no odor or taste
Green wood has disagreeable smell


Silica Content
Siliceous
High


Kiln Schedules
T8 - D3s (8/4) US
T10 - D4s (4/4) US
Schedule H - United Kingdom


Drying Defects
Distortion
Checking
Slight surface checking
Shakes may become extended
Moderate cupping
Distortion (twist/warp) is likely
Discoloration from sticker marks may develop


Ease of Drying
Rapidly
Moderately Difficult to Difficult
Easy
Air dries rapidly under cover


Tree Size
Tree height is 50-60 m
Tree height is 60-70 m


Product Sources
The ITTO reports that the species is a regular source of timber for export.

Substitutes
Ako (Antiaris africana , A. welwitschii)

Blunting Effect
High to severe
Slight


Boring
Fairly difficult to very difficult
Moderately easy


Carving
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Satisfactory results


Cutting Resistance
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Easy to saw


Gluing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Good gluing properties


Mortising
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Response to ordinary tools is fairly good


Moulding
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Moulds easily with machine tools


Movement in Service
Moderate stability
Medium


Nailing
Good nailing properties


Planing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Torn grain common in quartersawn material
Reduction of cutting angle recommended
Easy to plane


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant sapwood
Resistant heartwood
Permeable sapwood
Permeable heartwood
Sapwood is permeable
Heartwood is moderately permeable


Response to Hand Tools
Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work
Responds Poorly
Moderate working qualities


Routing & Recessing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Routes fairly well with machine tools


Sanding
Fairly good sanding characteristics


Turning
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Satisfactory turning qualities


Polishing
Generally good


Strength Properties
Resists denting and marring
Heavy
Density = high
Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high
Bending strength (MOR) = high


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength986914989psi
Density37lbs/ft3
Hardness1931lbs
Impact Strength3137inches
Maximum Crushing Strength48277903psi
Shearing Strength1448psi
Stiffness133217511000 psi
Work to Maximum Load1315inch-lbs/in3
Specific Gravity0.50.53
Weight5341lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage6%
Tangential Shrinkage11%
Volumetric Shrinkage15%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength6931053kg/cm2
Density592kg/m3
Hardness875kg
Impact Strength7893cm
Maximum Crushing Strength339555kg/cm2
Shearing Strength101kg/cm2
Stiffness931231000 kg/cm2
Work to Maximum Load0.911.05cm-kg/cm3
Specific Gravity0.50.53
Weight849657kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage6%
Tangential Shrinkage11%

References
Bolza, E., Keating, W.G.,1972,African Timbers - the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 700 Species,C.S.I.R.O. Div. of Building Research

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

HMSO. 1972. Handbook of Hardwoods. 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

ITTO. 1986. Tropical Timber Atlas, Volume 1 - Africa. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT, 45bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne Cedex, France.

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

Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California.