SENTANG (Azadirachta excelsa)
Trade Name
Sentang
Scientific Name
Azadirachta excelsa (Jack) Jacobs
Family
MELIACEAE
Common Names
Bird`s-eye-kalantas (Philippines); Sentang; Maranggo (Philippines); Kayu bawang (Indonesia); Urian bawang (Indonesia); Limpaga (Sabah); Rang-gu (Sarawak)
Scientific Name Synonyms
Melia excelsa Jack; Azadirachta integrifolia Merr.
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a large deciduous tree up to 50 m tall. The bole is up to 125 cm in diameter, with no buttresses.
Natural Habitat
Sentang usually grows scattered in secondary forests. It is reported from the lowlands up to 350 m of altitude.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally wood semi-ring porous and/or ring porous. Vessels of two distinct diameter classes, wood not ring-porous. Colored deposits in heartwood vessels. Vessels per mm2 5 to 20. Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to int Prismatic crystals in non-chambered axial parenchyma cells. Over 9 cells per parenchyma strand. Axial parenchyma bands more than 3 cells wide. Body ray cells procumbent with mostly 2 to 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-II). Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
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Wood Macro Photo Radial Plane
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Wood Micro Photo Of Transversal Section
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The heartwood varies from pale reddish-brown to dark reddish-brown and distinctly demarcated from the yellowish-white, grayish-white or sometimes gray-pink sapwood.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
5
Grain
The grain is mostly interlocked.
Texture
The texture varies from medium to coarse.
Natural Durability
The heartwood is rated as non-durable to moderately durable. The sapwood is susceptible to dry-wood termites, powder-post beetles and fungal attack.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
6
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.53
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.58
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
7.5
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
4.5
Drying Defects
Drying Defects: Care is needed during seasoning, especially with the heavier timber, as backsawn boards tend to check. Kiln Schedules: Kiln drying of heavier grades of eucalyptus timber is only practicable in boards up to 25 mm in thickness. It is strongly recommended to air dry the wood to 30% moisture content prior to kiln drying.
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
UK-A; US-T2-D4
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.7
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
958
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
99556
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
540
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
163
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
409
Workability
Rotary Veneer Cutting
This species can be used for lamination.
Sliced Veneer
This species can be used for lamination.
Machining
Machining of this species is reported to be easy.
Planing
Planing operations are rather easy.
Moulding
It is easy to mold.
Turning
30
Boring
Boring operations are rather easy.
Finishing
It has a good finishing.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, flooring, panelling, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, TURNING, PACKING, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, cigar boxes, matches
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Flooring
- 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Paneling
- 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Panels, Veneers
- 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Turning
- 30 - Embassy of Honduras in Japan
Packing
- 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
Other & Musical Instruments
- 63 - Madeiras do Brazil II
Cigar Box
- 68 - Contribucion al conocimiento de la resistencia mecanica de la madera de peumo
Matches
- 71 - Proprietes physiques et mecaniques des bois tropicaux, premier supplement
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