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ATOM (Dacryodes macrophylla)

Trade Name

Atom

Scientific Name

Dacryodes macrophylla H.J.Lam

Family

BURSERACEAE

Common Names

Atom (Gabon); Atom (Cameroon); Atom

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

The tree reaches a variable height, may reach 40 m. The bole is usually straight and cylindrical, often unbuttressed. The trunk diameter attains 70 to 170 cm.

Natural Habitat

Dacryodes macrophylla is found in rain forests.

Natural Distribution

West Africa.

Wood Identification

Anatomic Description Of Wood

Vessels per mm2 10 to 20 (abundant). Wood diffuse porous. Vessels solitary and in short radial multiples. Tyloses common. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 150 to 200 micras (medium). Vessel-ray pits larger than the intervessel pits. Vessel-ray pits coarse i Axial parenchyma absent or extremely rare, non visible with magnifying glass (8x). Occasionally siliceous bodies in the axial parenchyma. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays commonly 2 seriate. Silica bodies in the ray cells. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Septate fibers present. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.

Availability

Cites Status

Unrestricted

General Wood Description

Color

The heartwood is beige, it is not demarcated.

Grain

It has highly interlocked grain.

Texture

Fine texture is reported in this species.

Luster

Luster is usually low.

Natural Durability

Moderately durable to decay. Without preservative treatment, this species can be used when risks of occasional re-humidification, but it is not suited for uses with risks of permanent or long-lasting humidification.

Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)

3

Internal Growth Stresses

No residual growth stresses are found.

Silica Content

Silica Content: High contents of silica are found in timber of this species. Amounts over 0.05% may affect the wood processing. Silica Value: 2.64

Wood Physical Properties

Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)

0.57

Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)

0.63

Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)

7.3

Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)

5.3

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying: Mersawa air dries very slowly with slight seasoning defects. Boards of 25 mm thick take 7.5 months to air dry. Drying Defects: Cupping and bowing are recorded. Kiln Schedules: Kiln drying is slow but without degrade, although the core of logs of old trees tends to retain a high moisture content.

Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)

1.4

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)

897

Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

142606

Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

459

Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

55

Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

59

Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)

490

Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)

593

Workability

Sawing

It is easy to saw.

Rotary Veneer Cutting

Not suitable for veneering.

Sliced Veneer

Not suitable for veneering.

Blunting Effect

Severe blunting effect; stellited blades for sawing and carbide tools for machining are recommended.

Machining

Possible difficulties caused by interlocked grain are reported.

Planing

Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.

Moulding

Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.

Boring

Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.

Mortising

Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.

Nailing

No particular problem.

Gluing

Glues well if basic gluing technical rules are followed.

Sanding

Easy to perform; it gives good results.

Polishing

Can be polished without surface preparation.

Response To Hand Tools

No particular problems.

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

HOUSING GENERAL, beams, joists, boards, flooring, frames, panelling, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, common furniture, PACKING, light packing, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, moldings

General Housing
  • 10 - Silica in Timbers
Beams
  • 11 - Prospect: The wood database
Joists
  • 12 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part I-Tropical American Species
Boards
  • 13 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section III. Latin American (Mexico, Central, and South America) Woods–Conventional Temperatures
Flooring
  • 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Frames
  • 16 - Woods of the World
Paneling
  • 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
Furniture Cabinets
  • 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Furniture, Common
  • 23 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Packing
  • 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
Light Packing
  • 46 - ECUADOR, Inventario y Aprovechamiento de los Bosques del Sur Ecuatoriano
Molding
  • 79 - Padronização da Nomenclatura Comercial Brasileira das Madeiras Tropicais Amazônicas, Sugestão

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