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Heavy hardwoods - kekatong

The Standard Malaysian Name for the timber of Cynometra spp. (Leguminosae). Vernacular names applied include belangan (Peninsular Malaysia), belangkan (Peninsular Malaysia), katong-katong (Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah) and kekatonglaut (Peninsular Malaysia). Major species include C.elmeri, C.iripa, C.malaccensis, C.mirabilis and C.ramiflora. The sapwood is lighter in colour than the heartwood and not well defined from the heartwood, which is red-brown or claret-red with streaks of lighter colour.

Also known as Chomprinh (Cambodia); Moivi and Tongatu (Fiji); Ping (India); Kateng and Kepel (Indonesia); Mai li (Laos); Myinga (Myanmar); Balitbitan and Oringen (Philippines); and Katong and Mang Kha (Thailand).

DENSITY

The timber is a Heavy Hardwood with a density of 880-1,155 kg/m3 air dry.

NATURAL DURABILITY

Based on the standard graveyard test of untreated specimens of dimension 50 mm x 50 mm x 600 mm, the wood is classified as moderately durable under Malaysian climatic conditions. The average service life for 52 untreated specimens of C. malaccensis was about 4.2 years (Mohd. Dahlan& Tam, in press).

PRESERVATIVE TREATMENT

The timber of kekatong is not amenable to preservative impregnation and is classified as very difficult to treat.

TEXTURE

Texture is moderately fine and uneven, with straight to shallowly interlocked grain.

STRENGTH PROPERTIES

The timber falls into Strength Group A (Engku, 1988b) or SG 2 (MS 544:Part 2:2001).

Strength Properties of Kekatong (C.malaccensis)

Test Condition Modulus of Elasticity(MPa) Modulus of Rupture(MPa) Compression parallel to grain (MPa) Compression perpendicular to grain (MPa) Shear strength(MPa)
Green 17,000 105 56.0 11.03 13.2
Air dry 18,400 135 67.0 11.38 15.6

MACHINING PROPERTIES

It is easy to difficult to resaw and difficult to cross-cut. Planing is easy to slightly difficult and the surface produced is moderately smooth.

Machining Properties of Kekatong (C.Malaccensis)

Test Condition Sawing Planning Boring Turning
Rip Sawing Cross Cutting Moderately Easy Smooth Easy Smooth Ease of Turning
Green Easy Difficult Easy Moderately Smooth Easy Smooth to rough - -
Air dry Difficult Difficult Slightly difficult Moderately Smooth Slightly difficult Moderately Smooth Difficult Moderately Smooth

Nailing Property

Nailing property is rated as poor.

Air drying

The timber seasons moderately slowly without degrade except for some end-checking. 13 mm thick boards take 3 months to air dry, while 38 mm thick boards take 5 months.

Kiln-Drying

Kiln Schedule G is recommended.

Kiln Schedule B

Moisture Content(%) Temperature (Dry Bulb) Temperature (Wet Bulb) Relative Humidity (%)(approx.)
Green 105 40.5 101 38.0 85
40 105 40.5 99 37.0 80
30 110 43.5 102 39.0 75
25 115 46.0 105 40.5 70
20 130 54.5 115 46.0 60
15 140 60.0 118 47.5 50

SHRINKAGE

Shrinkage is 1.6% and 2.7% on the radial and tangential surfaces respectively.

DEFECTS

Desch (1941) recorded that pin holes, end splitting and end checks are common in C.malaccensis logs. Occasional spongy heart at the centre of the logs was also observed. The sapwood of C.malaccensis was reported to be very readily attacked by powder-post beetles (Burgess, 1966).

Uses

The timber is suitable for heavy construction under cover, telegraphic and power transmission posts and cross arms, beams, posts, joists, rafters, door and window frames and sills, flooring (heavy traffic), fender supports, railway sleepers when treated, cooling tower (structural members), staircase (apron linings, balustrades, newels and stringers), vehicle bodies (framework and floor boards), pallets (heavy duty and permanent tyrpes), tool handles (impact) and laboratory benches.

REFERENCES

Burgess, P. F. 1966. Timber of Sabah. Sabah For. Rec. No. 6.

Desch, H. E. 1941. Manual of Malaysian Timbers. Mal. For. Rec. No. 15 Vol. 1.

Engku Abdul Rahman Chik. 1998b. Basic and Grade Stresses for Strength Groups of Malaysian Timbers. Malayan Forest Service Trade Leaflet No. 38. The Malaysian Timber Industry Board and Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. 13 pp.

Menon, P. K. B. 1986. Uses of Some Malaysian Timbers. Revised by Lim, S. C. Timber Trade Leaflet No. 31. The Malaysian Timber Industry Board and Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. 48 pp.

Mohd. DahlanJantan and Tam, M.K. (in press). Natural Durability of Some Malaysian Timbers by Stake Test. Malay. For.

Mohd. ShukariMidon. 1983. Malaysian Timbers - Kekatong. Timber Trade Leaflet No. 79. The Malaysian Timber Industry Board and Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. 7 pp.

MS 544:Part 2:2001. Code of Practice for the Structural Use of Timber: Permissible Stress Design of Solid Timber.

Wong, T. M. 1982. A Dictionary of Malaysian Timbers. Revised by Lim, S. C. & Chung, R. C. K. Malayan Forest Records No. 30. Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. 201 pp.