
Champaca (Michelia excelsa)
Family: Magnoliaceae
Common names: Champ, Champaca, Champak, Chempaka, Hangilo, Saga, Sagawa, Sandit, Sanga
Distributed in: India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines (Oceania and S.E. Asia)
Distribution overview: The genus Michelia consists of shrubs and trees, with a growth range that is confined to the Indo-Malayan region and Japan. The genus is represented by about eleven indistinguishable species in India. M. excelsa occurs in the Himalayas, from Nepal eastwards at alevations of 4500 to 8000 feet (1500 to 2400 m) in the Khasi hills.
Common uses: Balusters, Bedroom suites, Building construction, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Decorative plywood, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Interior construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Moldings, Office furniture, Ornamental work , Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Stairworks, Stools, Stringers, Structural plywood, Tables , Turnery, Utility furniture
Environment profile: Status has not been officially assessed
Tree size: Tree height is 30-40 m
Colors: the heart isLight yellow brown or pale orange brown, eventually aging into deep golden-brown , Purpleand the sapwoodWhitish to greyish white , Yellow.The grain isStraight to irregular, the textureMediumand the lusterMedium
Natural durability: Moderately durable, Very durable
Odor: No specific smell or taste
Drying Defects: Discoloration, Slight twist/warp
Ease of Drying: Variable
Blunting Effect: Small effect
Boring: Fairly difficult to very difficult
Carving: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Cutting Resistance: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Mortising: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Moulding: Very Good to Excellent
Movement in Service: Very Good to Excellent
Planing: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Machining properties are good, and the timber responds readily to ordinary tools in planing and other woodworking operations to yield clean, glossy surfaces
Resistance to Impregnation: Extremely resistant
Response to hand tools: Good response
Routing recessing: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Sanding: Excellent sanding properties
Veneering qualities: Suitable for peeling
Turning: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Polishing: Very Good to Excellent; Staining: Good staining properties
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- Numerical data Metric
- Numerical data English
- Strength properties
- References
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Item |
Green |
Dry |
Metric |
Specific Gravity |
0,4 |
0,42 |
|
Density |
|
480 |
kg/m3 |
Bending Strength |
528 |
789 |
kg/cm2 |
Crushing Strength |
263 |
410 |
kg/cm2 |
Hardness |
|
322 |
kg |
Impact Strength |
|
|
cm |
Shearing Strength |
|
|
kg/cm2 |
Stiffness |
99 |
113 |
1000 kg/cm2 |
Tangential Shrinkage |
5 |
|
% |
Radial Shrinkage |
3 |
|
% |
Weight |
849 |
496 |
kg/m3 |
Maximum Load |
|
|
cm-kg/cm3 |
Toughness |
|
|
cm-kg |
Static Bending |
|
|
kg/cm2 |
|
 |  |  |  | Item | Green | Dry | English | Bending Strength | 7512 | 11236 | psi | Density | | 30 | lbs/ft3 | Hardness | | 711 | lbs | Maximum Crushing Strength | 3749 | 5841 | psi | Stiffness | 1411 | 1617 | 1000 psi | Specific Gravity | 0.4 | 0.42 | | Weight | 53 | 31 | lbs/ft3 | Radial Shrinkage | 3 | | % | Tangential Shrinkage | 5 | | % | Volumetric Shrinkage | 8 | | % | |
Resists denting and marring Heavy Hardness (side grain) = medium Density = high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high
Andy Poynter. 1993. Personal CommunicationChowdhury, K.A. and S.S. Ghosh. 1958. Indian Woods - Their Identification, Properties and Uses, Volume I - Dilleniaceae to Elaeocarpaceae. Published by the Manager of Publications, Delhi, India.Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.Limaye, V.D. 1954. Grouping of Indian Timbers and Their Properties, Uses, and Suitability. Indian Forest Records (New Series). Timber Mechanics. Volume 1 No. 2. Manager of Publications (Publisher, Delhi
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