Obeche
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DESCRIPTION | Obeche is creamy-white to pale yellow with a moderately fine and even texture. Brittleheart is present in large logs. Grain is usually interlocked which provides a faint stripe on quarter sawn wood. Weight is about 24lbs per cu. ft. |
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN |
West Africa |
BOTANICAL NAME | Triplochiton Scleroxylon |
OTHER NAMES | Wawa, Arere, Ayous, Samba |
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES | Low bending and crushing strength. Very low stiffness and resistance to shock. Moderate to poor steam bending characteristics. |
WORKING PROPERTIES | Very easy to work with hand and power tools. Only slight blunting effect on cutters. Nails easily, but has poor holding characteristics. Takes glue well. Require slight filling to obtain a high grade finish. |
DURABILITY | Non-durable. Sapwood susceptible to attack by powder post beetle. Non-resistant to West African termites. Heartwood is resistant to preservative treatment. Sapwood is permeable. |
SEASONING | Dries rapidly, but tends to twist or split around knots, otherwise little degradation. Small movement. |
USES | Extensively used where durability and strength are unimportant, such as drawer slides, interior rails, cabinet framing, model making, etc. Rotary cut into constructional veneer for plywood core stock purposes and as a backing veneer. Some logs sliced for decorative veneer. |
COMMENTS | Liable to blue stain if in contact with iron compounds in moist conditions. |