Chabros Intl Group

: An exceptional strong timber with medium bending strength and stiffness. It has high crushing strength and low resistance to shock logs. And a poor steam bending classification. Working properties: Works moderatetly well with hand or machine tools. But there is a blunting effect on cutting edges due to the interlocked grain and coarse texture. Pre-boring is necessary for naling. Glues well and a high finish is obtainable once filled. Durability: The sapwood is liable to attack by powder post beetle. Moderately resistant to termites in West Africa. The heartwood is very durable, moderately resistant to preservative treatments but the sapwood is permeable. Opepe has high resistant to marine borers. Uses: Piling and decking in a wharves and docks, jetty and marine work. Boat building (except for bend parts), general construction work, exterior and interior joinery, domestic flooring, wagon buttons, furniture, cabinetwork, and decorative turnery, selected logs are sliced for very attractive veneers for panelling and decorative veneerin.

: This soft, light wood is weak and has poor steam bending classification and very low strength properties. Working properties: Basswood works extremely easily with both hand and power tools, with low resistance to cutting and only a slight blunting effect on tools. It nails ,screws and glues well and can be stained and polished without difficulty. Durability: The timber is non-durable. Logs are liable to attack by longhorn beetle, and the sapwood by common furniture beetle. The wood is permeable for preservation treatment. Uses: Hand Carving, turnery , pattern making, drawing boards ,piano keys, bee-hives, louvers mallet heads, picture framing , match splints, wood wool , cooperage , high-class joinery , toys , constructional veneer and plywood, core stock for panels, chip baskets , small laminated articles, boxes , crates, laundry and dairy appliances. As it is free from odour it is also used for food containers

Australia. Weight: Average 665kg/m3 Specific gravity: 0.66 Mechanical properties: Good wood bending properties, with medium stiffness and high crushing strength and resistance to impact. Working properties: It works satisfactorily with hand and power tools but a reduced cutting angle of 20o should be used for planning and moulding operations when interlocked or wavy grain is present. There is moderate blunting effect on cutting edges. Variable gluing properties holds nails and screws well, and stains and polishes to an excellent finish. Durability: The sapwood is liable to attack by powder post beetle and the heartwood by common furniture beetle and termites. A very durable wood and extremely resistant to preservative treatments. Uses: A highly decorative timber in great demand for high quality furniture, shop, bank and office, fitting, interior joinery and wall panelling, ornamental turnery, billiard tables, tool handles and gun stocks. Bentwork, cooperage, coach-building and boatbuilding, sliced for beautiful decorative veneers used for plywood faces, flush doors, and architectural paneling , marquetry, etc.

Strength properties vary between the species, the strongest is B. nigerica. It has medium bending and crushing strength, with low stiffness and resistance to shock loads, it has moderate steam bending classification. Working properties: Difficult to hardwood with hand tools and there is moderate blunting effect on cutting edges and machining, sawing and planning are difficult due to steeply interlocked grain. Pre-boring required for nailing. B. kennedy has satisfactory machining properties and can be brought to a very good finish after the grain is filled. B. nigerica is not suitable for finishing treatments owing to the difficulty in obtaining a smooth surface. Durability: Sapwood liable to attack by powder post beetle. The heartwood is moderately durable and extremely resistant to preservative treatment. The sapwood is permeable. Uses: B. nigerica : Vehicle building , general construction, parquet flooring, interior joinery. B. kennedyi and others: joinery, domestic flooring etc. straight grained selected logs are peeled for construction veneers and plywood. Selected logs sliced for decorative veneering

The wood has high bending and crushing strength and stiffness and has poor steam bending classification. Working properties: The wood has a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges, and for machining, a cutting angle of only 15o should be used for planning or moulding quartered material. Pre-boring necessary for nailing as the wood splits easily. Takes glue, stain and polish well for a good finish. Durability: Very durable and extremely resistant to preservative treatment. Uses: General construction, bridge decking, sleepers, flooring joists, posts and rails, measuring instruments, mallet heads etc. selected logs sliced for decorative veneers for cabinets or panelling.

Distribution: Tropical West Africa. Weight: Average 560kg/m3 Specific gravity: 0.56 Mechanical properties: The wood is of medium density low bending strength very low stiffness, medium crushing strength and low shock resistance. Bending classification very poor. Working properties: It works well with medium resistance to cutters but with moderate to severe bunting effect on tools. A sharp edge is maintained when carbide tipped tools are used. It stains easily and takes an excellent finish. Holds nails and screws tightly. Durability: Liable to attack by both powder post beetle and common furniture beetle. And is not resistant to termites. The heartwood is perishable and not resistant to decay. Moderately resistant to preservative treatment but the sapwood is permeable and often used for dyed black. Uses: Interior joinery, furniture and cabinetwork, mouldings and lippings. Flooring, turnery, pattern making , vehicle body work, utility plywood. Being acid resistant, it is used battery boxes, oil vats and laboratory fittings, selected logs sliced for veneering.

Distribution: The United Kingdom,southern Europe, Asia Minor and Western Asia.

Weight: Average 910kg/m3 Specifc Gravity: 0.91

Mechanical properties: This very heavy, dense wood has good steam bending properties, high stiffness and crushing strength and resistance to shock loads.

Working properties : Cutting resistance is high and it is rather hard to work with moderate blunting effect on cutting edges. Pre-boring is necessary for nailing. Gluing, staining and polishing give good results.

Durability : Heartwood may be attacked by common furniture beetle, but the timber is durable, the sapwood permeable for preservative treatment.

Mechanical Properties: The wood is moderately hard, compact and very durable. Strength in bending is medium, with low stiffness but high crushing strength and very low ability to withstand shock loads. Bending classification is moderate. Working properties: Works very well and easily with medium resistance to cutting and with moderate blunting effect. The irregular or interlocked grain can cause tearing in planning, pre-bore for nailing. Stained and finishes well. Sanding dust can cause irritation. Durability: Sapwood is liable to attack by powder post beetle. Heartwood is resistant to termite and very durable , it is extremely resistant to preservative treatment but the sapwood is permeable. Uses: Heavy albizia is used for heavy construction and piling. Light albizia is used for light construction , utility and general joinery , carpentry and vehicle bodywork.

Mechanical Properties: This is a soft weak wood of medium density, low bending strength and shock resistant, medium crushing strength and very low stiffness. Working properties: The wood works well with both hands and machine tools with only a slight tendency to pick up the grain in planning, overcome by a reduced cutting angle. There is a slight blunting effect on tools which be kept sharp. It has good nailing and gluing properties, and takes stain, paint or polish well. Durability: The wood is perishable, liable to attack by common furniture beetle, but is permeable for preservation treatment. Uses: Turnery and carving, plywood core stock, utility plywood, chip baskets and small laminated articles, woodenware and veneers. In Decorative veneer form, its natural defects are exploited, such as knots , burr (burl) clusters , minor stains and streaks, stump wood etc, and for plywood paneling in contemporary style.

Mechanical properties: A heavy, dense wood with high bending and crushing strength, medium stiffness and resistance and to shock loads. The wood bending classification is moderate as it distorts during steaming and is intolerant of pin knots. Working properties: It works well with medium resistance to tools slight tendency to pick up the grain in planning, and a 20o cutting angle is necessary. Moderate blunting of cutting edges requires tungsten carbide tipped saws. Pre-boring recommended for nailing or screwing, glues well and takes excellent finish. Durability: A very durable wood, highly resistant to termites and extremely resistant to preservative treatment. It is very resistant to decay but most knots be used in contact with ferrous metals in wet situations to avoid corrosion. Tannin in the wood can cause blue stains. Uses: Suited for a wide range for exterior and interior applications such as boat building, sills, stairs, and flooring, shop fitting, high class joinery, cabinetmaking, agricultural implements, and marine piling. Sliced veneers used for decorative veneering, flush doors and wall paneling.

Mechanical properties: Despite its medium bending strength and stiffness and high crushing strength, the bending classification is poor. Working properties: The wood works well with hand tools and requires care in planning and moulding to avoid picking up interlocked grain. Edges should be kept sharp to overcome moderate blunting effect. Pre-boring necessary when nailing and screwing, takes glue well stains and polishes to an excellent finish. Durability: The wood is perishable, the heartwood having no resistant to termites, but permeable and able to be penetrated completely with preservatives treatment under pressure. Uses: Light construction, flooring, furniture, interior utility joinery, carving and turnery, and selected wood for cabinet work. Veneers are used for core stock and utility plywood, and, when staining is avoided, decorative faced plywood.

Mechanical properties: wood bending classification is medium and the bending strength and compression is medium. Working properties: Moderate to severe blunting effect on tools due to silica content and adequate support is necessary to prevent chipping out. Good nailing, screwing , gluing , and staining properties. Takes a very good polish. Durability: Non resistant to termites. The heartwood is perishable but permeable for preservation treatment. Uses: Furniture and cabinetwork, high class joinery, light construction, general utility purposes and interiors. Used for plywood core stock, utility plywood and also slight for decorative veneering

Mechanical properties: Brittleheart is expensive in larger logs. Wood bending strength is low resistance to shock loads is also low with very low stiffness and medium crushing strength, bending classification is only moderate. Working Properties: Works well with hands And machine tools with moderate resistance to cutting and slight blunting effect. Gum may cause saws to stick. Nails, screws and glues satisfactorily stains well and when filled takes a good finish. Durability: This Durable wood is very resistant to decay but the sapwood is liable to attack by common furniture beetle. It is resistant to preservative treatment., but the sapwood is permeable. Uses: Interior and exterior joinery, boat building, shop fitting, flooring. Paneling, furniture, mouldings, coachwork, coffins, laminated frameworks, turnery. Resinous odour prevents use in contact with foodstuffs. Selected logs sliced for veneers.

Other Names: British columbia red cedar (UK), giant arborvitae (USA), red cedar (CANADA) Distribution : Canada, USA, and introduced into the UK and New Zealand.

Weight: Average 370kg/m3 Specific gravity: 0.37

Mechanical properties: The material has low bending and crushing strength, with very low stiffness and resitance to shock loads. Steam bending classification is very poor.

Working properties: The wood works easily with hand and machine tools, with little blunting effect on cutters. Nailing properties are good ( hot-dipped galvanised or copper nails should be used). It screws well and takes stain and polish satisfactorily. Its acidic properties cause corrosion of metals and black stain in the timber.

Weight: Average 390kg/m3 Specific gravity: 0.39

Mechanical properties: This is a light, soft and weak wood in all strength properties and not suitable for steam bending.

Working properties: The wood works very easily with hand or machine tools and has very little dulling effect on the cutters. It finishes cleanly in most operations, and has good nailing and screwing properties, glues well, and takes stain, paint, polish, etc., Very well.

Weight: Average 550kg/m3 Specific gravity: 0.55

Mechanical properties: This medium density wood has a very poor bending classification. It has medium bending strengh and crushing strengh, with low resistance to shock loads and very low stiffness.

Working properties: Works fairly easily with hand and machine tools but the interlocked grain tends to pick up in planing requiring the cutting angle to be reduced down to 15o . The French head is most suitable for moulding. Nailing should be pre-bored and the timber has good screwing and gluing properties. Quartered material tends to stain unevenly, but normally can be brought to a very good finish.

A hard heavy wood with a very poor steam bending classification. Working properties: The wood has a high resistance to the cutting edges of tools and a moderate blunting effect. The relatively softer patches of lighter colored tissue tend to crumble during planing or moulding unless tools are kept very sharp. The greasy nature produces variable gluing results. Nailing and screwing are satisfactory and it can be stained and polished to an excellent finish. Durability: sapwood is liable to powder post beetle attack, and the heartwood is moderately resistant to termite attacks in Australia. The heartwood is extremely resistant to preservative treatment but the sapwood is permeable. The Timber is durable. Uses: High-class furniture making ,cabinetmaking and joinery , turnery and carving and interior fittings. Heavy construction work, mallet heads, measuring instruments and electric appliances due to its insulating qualities. Sliced into highly decorative veneers for furniture and panellin.

A hard, tough wood, with medium density, high bending strength and crushing strength, and medium stiffness and resistance to shock loads. It has a very steam bending classification. Working properties: This material has only a moderate blunting effect on tool edges and works well with both hand and machine tools. There is a tendency for the wood to bind on saws, and tends to pick up the grain around knots when planning. Pre-bore when nailing near the edges, screw holding properties are good, the wood glues, stains and polishes very well. Durability: Perishable and liable to attack by the common furniture beetle. The heartwood may contain pith flecks caused by insect attack. The heartwood is moderately resistant to preservative treatment, but the sapwood is permeable. Uses: Suitable for furniture, interior joinery, upholstery frames, turnery, flooring for dance halls, gymnasia and light-duty factory flooring. It is rotary cut for plywood manufacture, and selected logs are sliced for decorative veneers for panelling and cabinet work. The birch twigs are used for brooms and descaling in steel rolling mills. Timber with incipient decay or dote is used for fancy articles, the black decay zone marks forming a decorative feature.

Balsa is the softest and lightest hardwood used commercially.it possesses excellent buoyancy and efficient insulation against heat,sound and viberation. This low density timber cannot be bent without buckling,but is strong in relation to its weight. Working properties: Very easy to work with thin , sharp-edged hand or power tools.the blunting effect is slight. Nails and screws easily but will not hold, so gluing is best method of fixing. It can be stained and polished but absorbs much material in the process. Durability: The wood is perishable and liable to attack by beetle. It is permeable for preservation treatment. Uses: Extensively used for heat, sound, and vibration insulation and buoyancy in rafts, lifebelts, floats, nets , buoys and water sports equipment. Also for protective packaging, toys and model making, and as core material in light –weight sandwich constructions.

Chestnut has a low bending strength, medium crushing and very low stiffness and resistance to shock loads, and has a moderate steam bending classification. Working properties: It is liable to blue stain if in contact with ferrous metals, and, as it is rich in tannin, can corrode metals in contact with it under damp conditions. It is easy to work with hand or machine tools, nails and glues well, and stains and polishers to an excellent finish. Durability: The heartwood is durable; sapwood is liable to attack by powder post beetle and common furniture beetle. It is extremely resistant to preservative treatment. Uses: Used in sound form for furniture, office desks and equipment, coffins, tanks, posts and sleepers. Wormy chestnut is used for furniture and picture frame moulding and sliced for decorative veneers. At one time it was used as core stock for plywood manufacture.

Good wood bending properties, with medium stiffness and high crushing strength and resistance to impact. Working properties: It works satisfactorily with hand and power tools but a reduced cutting angle of 20o should be used for planning and moulding operations when interlocked or wavy grain is present. There is moderate blunting effect on cutting edges. Variable gluing properties holds nails and screws well, and stains and polishes to an excellent finish. Durability: The sapwood is liable to attack by powder post beetle and the heartwood by common furniture beetle and termites. A very durable wood and extremely resistant to preservative treatments. Uses: A highly decorative timber in great demand for high quality furniture, shop, bank and office, fitting, interior joinery and wall panelling, ornamental turnery, billiard tables, tool handles and gun stocks. Bentwork, cooperage, coach-building and boatbuilding, sliced for beautiful decorative veneers used for plywood faces, flush doors, and architectural paneling , marquetry, etc.

Hard and heavy and very dense with a very high bending and crushing strength, and resistance to shock loads and high stiffness. It has a moderate steam bending classification requiring strong support on the outer face. Working properties: The wood is moderately difficult to work with machines as the interlocked grain and toughness has a blunting effect on tools. Owing to the high density of the timer, the cutting angle should be reduced to 20o when planning. It is unsuitable for nailing or screwing, gluing, results are variable and it is rarely necessary to stain in the wood. It can be polished satisfactorily. Durability: Very durable and immune from insect or fungal attack. Extremely resistant to preservation treatmen

Has good steam bending properties but is not tolerant of pin knots. It has high bending and crushing strength with medium stiffness and resistance to shock loads. Working properties: Works without difficulty with hand and power tools, but inclined to be woolly. To prevent tearing when planning cross-grained material or around knots reduce the cutting angle to 15o. There is moderate blunting effect on cutters. Pre-bore for nailing near edges with irregular grain. Glues well and can be stained and polished to good finish. Durability: The wood is perishable and subject to attack by common furniture beetle. It is moderately resistant to preservative treatment, but the sapwood is permeable. Uses: high-class joinery, furniture drawer sides, legs and framing, cabinet interior fitments, upholstery framing, dowels, bobbins, brushes, brooms and general turnery, flooring. It is the principal wood used for plywood Finland and the U.S.S.R. Highly prized decorative veneers for panelling and marquetry. Impregnated for posts. Also used for ice cream spoons,etc

It has good strength properties in relation to its weight and moderate steam bending classification. Working properties: The material works well with both hand and machine tools, with only a moderate blunting effect on tools. Cutting edges must be kept sharp and a reduced angle of 20o should be used where irregular grain is present. Pre-boring is necessary is nailing or screwing as there is a tendency to split. Glued joints hold well, stains easily and when filled gives an excellent finish. Durability: The wood is durable and not subject to insect attack. It is extremely resistant to preservative treatment. Uses: It is used for carpentry, joinery, domestic flooring, and vehicle bodies and for boat building, sliced veneers for decorative veneering and architectural panelling, doors, etc.

Oak has a very steamed bending classification, but is liable to blue stain if in contact with iron compounds. Working properties: There is a moderate to severe blunting effect on cutters, which should be kept sharp. Quartered stock requires a 20o planing or moulding angle. The wood takes waxing, liming, fuming and polishing treatments very well. Durability: The heartwood is durable, extremely resistant to preservative treatment, but the sapwood is permeable. The acidic nature of oak will affect metals in indirect contact and cause corrosion. Non-ferrous or galvanized metals should be used. Uses: The preponderance of tyloses in the pores of "white oaks" resists the passage of liquids and renders the wood ideal for tight cooperage for cognac, wine and beers. For furniture and cabinetmaking, slavonian, volhynian and spessart (German) oaks preferred. English oak is the best for boat building, dock and harbor work, sea defenses, railway wagons, ladder rungs, sills, thresholds, and for all purposes of exposure in contact with the ground. High-class joinery, coffins, ecclesiastical work such as pews , rood screens , pulpits and carving. Flooring, vehicle body bearers and floors in trucks.oak is rotary cut for plywood manufacture and sliced for every attractive "silver grain" and "raindrop" figured oak veneers for panels and cabinets.

The timber has a very good bending classification, with medium bending and crushing strength, also medium shock resistance but low stiffness ratings. its strength properties are similar to oak. Working properties: There is a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges and straight grained material finishes very well. However, a cutting angle of 20o should be used on cross-grained material which tends to tear. The wood nails glues and stains well and can be brought to an excellent finish. Durability: The sapwood is liable to attack from the common furniture beetle, but the wood is almost immune from attack by powder post beetle. The heartwood is moderately durable and resistant to preservative treatment. Uses: Generally used in small sections due to its tendency to wrap. Cabinet making and furniture, paneling and decorative joinery. It is excellent for turnery and is used for domestic ware, shuttle pins, toys and parts of musical instruments. When sliced, it is available as a highly decorative veneer for furniture, door and wall paneling.

The timber has medium bending and crushing strength, low stiffness, very low resistance to shock loads. Lacks toughness. It has a poor steam bending classification. Working properties: Works easily with hand and machine tools with very little blunting effect on cutters, planes and moulds to a clean smooth finish. It can be glued stained painted or polished to a good finish. Durability: Non- durable. Liable to insect attack. It is moderately resistant to preservative treatment but the sapwood is permeable. Uses: Only the higher grades are exported for use in internal joinery, including doors and stair cases but its lack of toughness renders it unsuitable for long ladders stringers or scaffold boards for example. It is used locally for joinery, furniture and turnery sleepers, general construction work and in the round for telegraph poles, piles (when treated). And pit props, logs are peeled for plywood manufacture and selected logs sliced for decorative veneers.

The wood bending classification is very good, with high bending strength, crushing strength and resistance to shock loads. Working properties: The wood works fairly easy with only a moderate dulling effect on cutters and finishes smoothly if straight grained. Curly grained material or disturbed grain around knots requires a reduced cutting angle of 15o. It glues well with care and takes stain and polish extremely well. Its uniform, dense surface, free from large groups of pores, makes it unequalled as a base for white enameling and guarantees a permanent smooth finish. Durability: Liable to attack by common furniture beetle. Moderately resistant to preservative treatment, but the sapwood is permeable. The wood is perishable

The wood had medium bending and crushing strength with low stiffness which makes it an excellent steam bending material. Working properties: Vary according to rate of growth. Slow grown oak being much easier to work with hand and machine tools. The timber takes nails and screws well. Although pre-boring is advised, its gluing properties are variable, stains and polishes to a good finish. Durability: Logs are liable to severe insect attack. The heartwood is durable and extremely resistant to preservative treatment, and the sapwood is moderately resistant. Uses: Milder than European oak to work and suitable for furniture and cabinetmaking, joinery, heavy construction , parquet and strip flooring , pews and pulpits, boat-building, ladder rungs, agricultural implements, wagon bottoms, tight cooperage and coffins. Rotary cut for plywood and sliced for highly ornamental veneers for panelling and decorative veneering

This compact, medium density hardwood has medium strength in all categories and steam wood bending. Working properties: Works fairly well with both hand and machine tools, but a reduced cutting angle of 20o in planning or moulding will reduce the tendency for the grain to tear on quarter sawn surfaces. The material takes nails and screws well, glues, stains, and polishes satisfactorily. Durability: Non- durable. Heartwood fairly resistant to attack by powder post beetle. Moderatley resistant to preservative treatment. Uses: Used locally for domestic flooring, boat building, agricultural implements, joinery and rotary cut for plywood manufacture; selected logs are sliced for decorative veneers for panelling, cabinets and furniture

This dense wood has a moderate steam bending classification with medium bending and crushing strength, but with low stiffness and resistance to shock loads. Working properties: There is moderate blunting effect on cutters due to interlocked or irregular grain. Works without excess difficulty with tungsten tipped saws. A reduced cutting angle of 20o is necessary for planing , and a French head , which may blunt rapidly , is best for moulding. Pre-boring is necessary for nailing. The wood glues, stains, and finishes well. Durability: Liable to severe attack by pinhole borers and the sapwood to powder post beetles. It is moderately resistant to marine borers and termites in W. Africa. It is non- durable and resistant to preservative treatment. Uses: general cabinetmaking and furniture, interior joinery, vehicle bodies, and structural purposes similar to oak. It produces highly decorative veneers for panelling and marguetry

This exceptionally heavy and dense wood is not used for steam bending purposes, but is very tough and strong in all categories. Working properties: The wood is difficult to work offering extreme resistance to cutting edges and very severe blunting effect. Stellite or tungsten carbid tipped saw teeth essential. In machining it tends to rise on the cutters. Pre-boring for nailing and screwing. Finishes exceptionally well. Durability: Sapwood liable to attack by powder post beetle; the heartwood is very durable and extremely resistant to preservative treatment. Uses: Music instruments , especially woodwind; ornamental turnery , chessmen, carved figures, walking sticks, brush backs, knife handles, truncheons, bearings, and slides, pulley blocks, and inlay work. Its oiliness, resistance to climatic change, and ability to take an exceptional finish makes it preferable to ebony for these purposes.

This medium density timber has low bending strength and stiffness and medium crushing strength and a medium steam bending classification. Working properties: The wood offers very little resistance and is easy to work with hand or machine tools. Planed surfaces are smooth and can be nailed, screwed, glued, stained and polished with excellent results. Durability: The sapwood is liable to attack by the furniture beetle and the timber is non-durable. The heartwood is moderately resistant to preservative treatment but the sapwood is permeable it should not be used extremely without treatment. Uses: It is ideal for louvers, interior joinery, doors, boxes, crates, interior fittings, mouldings, foundry moulds, turnery and furniture. Selected logs are sliced for decorative veneers, especially those with variegated mineral stained steaks which are ideal for panelling. Also used for wood wool.

This soft, brittle timber has a low bending strength and stiffness, resistance to shock loads and crushing strength. It also has a very poor steam bending classification due to resin exudation. Working properties: Easy to work with hand or machine tools, with little blunting effect on cutters. Large knots and in-bark may cause difficulty, when machining. Nails and screws hold well and wood stains, varnishes, paints or polishes to a good finish. Durability: Durable, liable to attack by pinhole borer and longhorn beetle and sirex. The heartwood is resistant to preservative treatment and the sapwood moderately resistant. Uses: Suitable for joinery, doors and interior decoration from selected grades, and is used locally for building. Timber grown in the UK is usually park grown and very knotty and used mainly for garden furniture, gates, fences and exterior work. Selected logs are sliced for decorative veneers suitable for architectural wall panelling and plywood faces.

Mechanical properties: Due to the small sections obtainable, this is not a timber used for steam bending although it is hard, heavy and tough in all strength categories.

Working properties: Difficult to saw because of the irregular grain, and for a smooth finish the cutting edges must be kept really sharp and the cutting angle reduced to 15 degrees. There is a moderate blunting effect on tools and high resistance to working with hand tools. It can be nailed, screwed and glued satisfactorily, it stains readily and provides an excellent finish

Durability: The wood is perishable and liable to insect attack, but it is permeable to preservative treatment.

Mechanical properties: Ramin has high bending and crushing strengths, medium stiffness and low resistance to shock loads. It cannot be steam bent satisfactorily without bluncking and has a very poor classification.

Working properties: Works fairly well with hand and machine tools but with moderate blunting of cutting edges. There is a tendency to split in nailing. Gluing is good and staining and polishing is satisfactory if a small amount of filler is used.

Durability: Perishable. Sapwood is liable to attack by powder post beetle and subject to dry wood termites in Boreno. It is permeable to preservaive treatment.

Uses: Furniture making, interior joinery, shop fittings, carving, turnery, panelling, flooring, toys, picture frame mouldings, and plywood manufacture. Also sliced for decorative veneering

Mechanical properties: The bending and crushing strengths are low, stiffness and resistance to shock loads very low. Steam bending classification moderate to poor due to slight wrinkling at edge of bends, even with supporting strap.

Working properties: Very easy to work with hand or machine tools, with only a slight blunting effect on cutters. Nails easily but has poor holding qualities, gluing is good. Requires light filling to obtain a high grade finish.

Durability: The timber is non-durable. Sapwood liable to attack by powder post beetle. Non-resistant to termintes in West Africa. The heartwood is treatment but the sapwood is permeable. Liable to blue stain if exposed to iron compounds in moist conditions.

Mechanical properties: The heartwood may be brittle, but lighty wood is resistant to shock loads, with low stiffness and medium crushing strength, bending class is very poor.

Working properties : The timber is easy to work with hand and machine tools, with a slight blunting effect on tools on cutters. Takes an excellent finish is used. Pre-boring necessary in nailing and screwing.

Durability: It is non-durable and non-resistant to decay. Liable to attack by pinhole borers and graded in Nigeria accordingly. Sapwood liable to attack by powder post beetle. Moderate resistance to preservative treatment, liable to blue sap stain.

Uses: Interior joinery, shopfitting, furniture, desks, turnery, coffins and light construction. Greenish-grey plain wood used for corestock and utility plywood, black heartwood used for highly decorative veneers for furniture and panelling.

Mechanical properties: The species has low stiffness and resistance to shock loads, and medium crushing strength. UK timber has medium bending strength, European material has low bending strength. The UK material is 20% harder on the side grain and tougher, and from 15-30% more difficult to split. It has a very poor steam bending classification.

Working properties: The timber works easily and well with both hand or machine tools, can be stained, painted, varnished or polished satisfactorily. Gluing can be troublesome in very resisous material.

Durability: Non-durable, susceptible to insect attack. The heartwood is moderately resistant to preservative treatment, but the sapwood is permeable.

Mechanical properties: The wood is strong in relation to its weight, but lacks the characteristic toughness of European ash. It has very good steam bending properties, low stiffness, and medium crushing strength and resistance to shock loads.

Working properties: The wood works well with both hand and machine tools, but with a moderate dulling effect on cutting edges which much be kept sharp. It should be pre-bored for nailing, glues well and takes stain satisfactorily, can be brought to a good finish.

Durability: It is very susceptible to termite attack and is perishable. The heartwood is moderately resistant to preservative treatment but the sapwood is permeable.

Mechanical properties: This heavy density wood has high bending and crushing strength, with medium stiffnes and resistance to shock loads. It has a good steam bending classification and suitble for most types of blending, excellent shear strength and splitting resistance.

Working properties: There is high resistance in cutting and a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges, normal in relation to its density. It machines well and turns to smooth finish. When nailing, the wood may need pre-boring but glues satisfactorily, and stains and polishes to a high finish.

Durability: Perishable. Logs liable to attack by forest longhorn beetle, sapwood by the common furniture beetle. The sapwood by the common furniture beetle. The wood is permeable to preservative treatment.

Uses: Suitable for piano actions, and for clavichords and harpsichords, violin bridges, cogs pulley, dead-eyes, mallets and pegs. Drum sticks, billiard cues, skittles, Indian clubs, brushbacks and general turnery. Makes an excellent alternative to maple for light industrial flooring due to its high resistance to wear. Sliced for veneers.

Mechanical properties: Very poor steam bending classification, medium crushing strength, low bending strength and very low stiffness and resistance to shock loads.

Working properties: The slightly interlocked grain tends to pick up in planing and reduced cutting angle of 20 degress is advised, but generally works well. Material containing brittleheart or compression failures are liable to crumble when cut on end grain. There is a slight blunitng effect on tools. Nails, screws and glues well and a good finish is obtainable when filled. When moist, its acidic properties tend to corrode metals.

Mechanical properties : The material has a good steam bending classification, low stiffness and with medium crushing strength and resistance to shock loads.

Working properties: The wood works easily with both hand and machine tools, with a slight blunting effect on cutting edges. The use of sharp, thin edged cutters is advised, with a reduced cutting angle for a very good finish. The materail nails, screws, glues, and stains well and provides an excellent finish.

Durability: The heartwood is liable to attack by common furniture beetle and is perishable but permeable to preservative treatment.

Uses: It excellent for turnery and wood carving. Dairy and kitchen utensils, food containers and fruit storage trays. Selected logs containing mottled figure and incipient decaying yellow patches of discoloured wood enclosed by zone marking are highly prized fo decorative work for cabinets and furniture.sliced logs are used for decorative veneering, panelling etc.

Working properties : It is easily worked with both hand and power tools. There is little resistance to cutting edges which must be kept very sharp because of the softness of the wood. The wood nails, screws and glues well, and can be stained and brought to an excellent finish.

Durability : The timber is non-durable and liable to attack by the common furniture beetle. It is only moderately resistant to preservative treatment, the sapwood being permeable Uses: High-class and utility joinery, interior trim for boats, superstructures, cabinet fitments furniture, and for boxes and crates. It is sliced as decorative veneer and used as a substitute for black. American walnut for furniture and wall panelling.

The material offers medium resistance in cutting with a moderate blunting effect on cutters and a tendency to burn during drilling. A reduced cutting angle of 20o – 30o in planning or moulding produces a smooth , clean finish. It has very good turning properties. May be necessary to pre-bore for nailing; it holds screws well and glues satisfactorily. Stains and polishes to a good finish. Durability: Perishable and liable to attack by the common furniture beetle. It is permeable for preservation treatment. Uses: Cabinetmaking, high-class joinery, furniture, flooring, turnery, tool handles, solid and laminated furniture. Domestic wood ware, chair making, shoe heels, sports ware, toys, bobbins, constructional work. It is pressure treated for exterior joinery, railway sleepers, marine piling. It is rotary cut for plywood manufacture and also used as core stock. Selected logs

This timber has medium bending strength and stiffness with high crushing strength and is classified as a very good steam bending wood. Working properties: Varies according to the density of the wood and growth conditions. There is a moderate blunting effect on cutters which should be kept sharp. Nailing may require pre-boring and gluing properties are variable. Can be stained and polished to a good finish. Durability: The heartwood is non-durable and liable to insect attack but is moderately resistant to preservative treatment, the sapwood is permeable. Uses: Flooring, furniture, vehicle construction, interior joinery. Plywood manufacture and sliced for decorative veneers. It is unsuitable for exterior work.

The ease of working varies with growth conditions and seasoning. Tough material or badly dried timber will bind on saws , burn when crosscut, and be difficult to plane. Beech offers medium resistance to hand and power tools, and has a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges. Pre-boring is necessary for nailing, it glues easily , stains well, and takes an excellent finish. Durability: The wood is perishable, liable to attack by common furniture beetle and by death watch beetle in old buildings; sapwood is affected by longhorn beetle. The timber is permeable for preservation treatment. Uses: Cabinetmaking , high-class joinery , solid and laminated furniture , desks and work benches, chair making , shoe heels, sports ware , toys , bobbins , wood ware, tool handles, turnery , musical instruments, domestic flooring, heavy construction, marine piling, core stock and utility plywood. Sliced veneers have an excellent flecked figure on quartered surfaces, and broad rays on longitudinal surfaces, and are used for decorative veneering. More European beech is consumed in the UK than any other hardwood