Lebbek (Albizia lebbeck)
Family: Leguminosae
Common names: Acacia, Acacia amarilla, Algarrobo de olor, Amor platonico, Aroma, Barba de Caballero, Bengha, Beymada, Black ebony, Cabello de venus, Chichola, Chinchula, Darshana, Dirasana, Dormilon, East Indian walnut, Frywood, Gachoda, Garso, Gokiru, Harreri, Hirih, Indian albizzia, Kal baghi, Kat vage, Kat vaghe, Kinhi, Kokko, Langil, Lebbeck, Lebbek, Lega, Mai-kokko, Mara, Pedda duchirram, Pruek, Samkesar, Sirai, Sirin, Siris, Siris tree, Sirisha, Sirsul, Tama-kai, Tibet, Tinia, Vaga, Vagei, Vaghe, Weru, West Indies ebony, Woman's tongue, Womans tongue tree, Womens tongue, Ye-ho-shu
Distributed in: Australia, Belize, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Fiji [Polynesia], Fiji, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Laos, Liberia, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Caledonia Island [France], New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Puerto Rico [US], Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand, Vanuatu, Vietnam (Africa, Central America, North America, Oceania and S.E. Asia)
Distribution overview: Indigenous to South-East Asia and Australia (including several regions in India, Bangladesh, the lower hill forests in Burma, and dry regions in Sri Lanka). It has been widely cultivated and is now pantropical. It grows well in areas with 600-2500 mm rain/year but tolerates as little as 300 mm. The altitudinal range is 0-1800 m and mean annual temperature 20-35C. Grows well on fertile, well-drained loamy soils but poorly on heavy clays. It tolerates acidity, alkalinity, heavy and eroded soils, and waterlogged soils. It is nitrogen-fixing, tolerant to drought and older trees can survive grass fires and intense night frost. While fire and frost will kill off aboveground growth of young trees, new growth will normally follow. A. lebbeck is also an introduced species elsewhere in the tropics, and can be found growing wild in Nigeria.
Common uses: Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Cooperages, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Living-room suites, Matches, Mathematical instruments, Millwork, Mine timbers, Moldings, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: percussion, Office furniture, Paneling, Parquet flooring, Plywood, Poles, Posts, Pulp/Paper products, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Stairrails, Stairworks, Stools, Stringers, Sub-flooring, Tables , Tool handles, Toys, Turnery, Utility furniture, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wardrobes, Wheel spokes, Wheels
Environment profile: Generally secure within its natural habitat
Tree size: Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm
Colors: the heart isPale brown, Redand the sapwoodWhite to yellow, Yellow.The grain isWavy, the textureMedium to coarseand the lusterPronounced
Natural durability: Very durable, Very durable
Odor: No specific smell or taste
Kiln Schedules: Uk=F US=T6D4/T3D3 Fr=6
Kiln Drying Rate: Slow (18-28 days for boards < 32 mm, to 52-84 days for boards >= 63 mm)
Drying Defects: Slight twist/warp, Splitting
Ease of Drying: Variable results.
Tree Identification: Bole/stem form is straight
Comments: General finishing qualities are rated as good General finishing qualities are rated as satisfactory
Blunting Effect: There is some significant blunting effect on cutting tools
Boring: Fairly difficult to very difficult
Cutting Resistance: Material with interlocked grain can be difficult.
Gluing: Satisfactory gluing properties
Mortising: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Moulding: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Movement in Service: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Nailing: Variable, from difficult to satisfactory, Very Good to Excellent
Planing: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Resistance to Impregnation: Sapwood is permeable
Response to hand tools: Moderate working qualities
Routing recessing: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Sanding: Very Good to Excellent Results
Veneering qualities: Veneers easily, Veneers moderately easy
Steam bending: Good
Screwing: Screwing yields good results, Very Good to Excellent Results; Turning: Poor to Very Poor Results
Painting: Satisfactory; Polishing: Very Good to Excellent; Staining: Very Good to Excellent; Varnishing: Satisfactory;
- Numerical data Metric
- Numerical data English
- Strength properties
- References
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 |
 |
 |
| Item |
Green |
Dry |
Metric |
| Specific Gravity |
0,48 |
0,52 |
|
| Density |
|
641 |
kg/m3 |
| Bending Strength |
654 |
994 |
kg/cm2 |
| Crushing Strength |
386 |
620 |
kg/cm2 |
| Hardness |
|
599 |
kg |
| Impact Strength |
73 |
71 |
cm |
| Shearing Strength |
|
134 |
kg/cm2 |
| Stiffness |
108 |
129 |
1000 kg/cm2 |
| Tangential Shrinkage |
5 |
|
% |
| Radial Shrinkage |
2 |
|
% |
| Weight |
721 |
624 |
kg/m3 |
| Maximum Load |
0,56 |
0,56 |
cm-kg/cm3 |
| Toughness |
|
|
cm-kg |
| Static Bending |
|
|
kg/cm2 |
|
 |  |  |  | | Item | Green | Dry | English | | Bending Strength | 9308 | 14150 | psi | | Density | | 40 | lbs/ft3 | | Hardness | | 1322 | lbs | | Impact Strength | 29 | 28 | inches | | Maximum Crushing Strength | 5499 | 8824 | psi | | Shearing Strength | | 1918 | psi | | Stiffness | 1538 | 1836 | 1000 psi | | Work to Maximum Load | 8 | 8 | inch-lbs/in3 | | Specific Gravity | 0.48 | 0.52 | | | Weight | 45 | 39 | lbs/ft3 | | Radial Shrinkage | 2 | | % | | Tangential Shrinkage | 5 | | % | | Volumetric Shrinkage | 8 | | % | |
Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. 0 Bending strength (MOR) = medium 0 Max. crushing strength = high 1 Modulus of Elasticity = moderate 0 Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Max. crushing strength = medium Shrinkage, Volumetric = small Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Hardness (side grain) = soft Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Hardness (side grain) = medium Shrinkage, Radial = small Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = low Shrinkage, Volumetric = moderate Density (dry Weight) = >50 lbs/cu. ft Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft.
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