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EBONY (Diospyros crassiflora)

Trade Name

Ebony

Scientific Name

Diospyros crassiflora Hiern

Family

EBENACEAE

Common Names

Ebene (Benin); Ebène (France); Ebène (Belgium)

Scientific Name Synonyms

Diospyros evila Pierre ex A. Chev.; Diospyros ampullacea Gurke

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

The tree may reach a height of 15 m. The bole is short, up to 10 m, straight and fluted. The trunk diameter may attain 100 cm.

Natural Habitat

Diospyros crassiflora grows in semi-deciduous forests. It is a gregarious species found in almost pure stands near riverbanks.

Natural Distribution

From Nigeria to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Wood Identification

Anatomic Description Of Wood

Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100 to 150 micras (small). Non-vestured pits. Vessels per mm2 6 to 10 (medium). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pit Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Occasionally axial parenchyma in discontinuous tangential lines. Prismatic crystals in short chains in chambered axial parenchyma cells. 3 to 4 cells per parenchyma strand. Rays more than 10 per mm (abundant). Rays non-storied. Rays exclusively uniseriate. Occasionally prismatic crystals in the ray cells. Heterogeneous rays and/or multiseriate heterogeneous rays.

  • Wood Macro Photo Tangential Plane
  • Wood Micro Photo Of Transversal Section

Availability

Cites Status

CITES III

General Wood Description

Color

The sapwood is pale brown to reddish, eventually with black spots, it has a thickness of up to 15 cm. The heartwood is uniform jet-black or black brown or dark brown with black streaks, it is clearly demarcated.

COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)

1

Grain

Straight; grain has no particular influence on drying, machining and finishing qualities.

Texture

The wood is typically fine in texture.

Natural Durability

Very durable to decay; without preservative treatment. This species is especially suited for all the uses with risks of permanent or long-lasting humidification. Resistant to termites attack. Heartwood is resistant to Lyctus attacks.

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

1

Resistance To Impregnation

Nearly impossible to treat with a too much low penetration of the preservative substances.

Wood Physical Properties

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

0.90

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

1.05

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

12.5

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

10.0

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying: Initial moisture contents may be very high. 25mmboard can be kiln dries from the greeen with a mild schedule. but 50mm stock should undergo preliminary air drying. Drying Defects: Collapse, insiginificiant, in fully air dried material, may occur in kiln drying but is largely over come by reconditioning. Presteaming should not be undertaker as it accentuates collapse and has no significiant effect on drying rates. Kiln Schedules: 25mm backsawn board kiln dry in 5days, quarter sawn stack takes 8-9 days from green. to 12% moisture content. If collapse present, at 4-6 hours reconditioning treatment is advised after kiln-drying.

Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule

FR-13

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

1.3

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

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

1467

Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

126356

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

540

Workability

Sawing

Sawing of this species requires powerful equipment.

Rotary Veneer Cutting

Suitable for slicing.

Sliced Veneer

Suitable for slicing.

Blunting Effect

Moderate blunting effect; stellited blades for sawing and carbide tools for machining are advised.

Machining

It needs powerful tools for processing. Possible difficulties caused by interlocked grain are reported.

Planing

Rather difficult; special tools are needed.

Moulding

Easy; no particular problems.

Turning

30

Boring

Easy; no particular problems.

Mortising

Easy; no particular problems.

Nailing

Pre-boring is necessary.

Gluing

Difficult to glue because of high density.

Sanding

Easy to perform; it gives good results.

Polishing

Can be polished without surface preparation.

Steam Bending

Steam bending is difficult.

Response To Hand Tools

Working with hand tools is difficult.

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

HOUSING GENERAL, fittings, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, luxury furniture, cabinets, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, Decorative veneer, TURNING, ornaments, turned furniture, cutlery, lasts, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts

General Housing
  • 10 - Silica in Timbers
Fittings
  • 19 - Silica in Timbers
Furniture Cabinets
  • 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Furniture, Luxury
  • 22 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section IV-Asian and Oceanian Woods
Cabinet
  • 24 - Empire Timbers
Panels, Veneers
  • 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Decorative veneer
  • 28 - Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forest of Fiji
Turning
  • 30 - Embassy of Honduras in Japan
Ornaments
  • 31 - Embassy of Colombia in Japan
Turned Articles
  • 32 - Embassy of Cote d`Ivoire in Japan
Knife Handles
  • 33 - Embassy of Gabon in Japan
Lasts
  • 34 - Embassy of Indonesia in Japan
Other & Musical Instruments
  • 63 - Madeiras do Brazil II
Handcraft
  • 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)

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