BINTANGOR
INTRODUCTION
The Standard Malaysian Name for the timber of Calophyllum spp. (Guttiferae). Vernacular names applied include bintangor (Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak) with various epithets, bakokol (Sarawak), entangor (Sarawak) and penaga laut (Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah). Major species include C. biflorum, C. calaba var. bracteatum, C. canum, C. coriaceum, C. depressinervosum, C. ferrugineum var. ferrugineum, C. inophyllum, C. macrocarpum, C. pulcherrimum, C. sclerophyllum, C. symingtonianum, C. tetrapterum, C. teysmannii var. inophylloide and C. wallichianum (var. wallichianum and var. incrassatum). The sapwood is yellow-brown with a pink tinge and is well defined from the heartwood, which is deep red, red-brown, pink-brown or orange-brown.
Also known as Calophyllum (Australia); Bintangor (Brunei); Kathing and Phaong (Cambodia); Damanu (Fiji); Poon (India); Bintangur (Indonesia); Mai song (Laos); Ponnyet, Poon, Tharapi and Thitpyauk (Myanmar); Tamanou (New Caledonia & New Hebrides); Calophyllum (Papua New Guinea); Bitanghol and Bitaog (Philippines); Fetau and Tamanu (Samoa Islands); Baula, Dalo and Kaila (Soloman Islands); Bintangoer, Domba-gass, Gunikina, Gurukina and Walukina (Sri Lanka); Ka Than Han, Ka Than Lan, Krathing and Tang Hon (Thailand); and Cong trang (Vietnam).
DENSITY
The timber is a Light Hardwood with a density of 465-865 kg/m3 and an average density of 640 kg/m3 air dry.
NATURAL DURABILITY
The natural durability of this timber ranges from moderately durable (C. ferrugineum var. ferrugineum) to non durable.
PRESERVATIVE TREATMENT
Bintangor can be categorised as moderately difficult to treat with preservatives.
TEXTURE
Texture is moderately coarse to coarse and uneven, with interlocked, spiral or wavy grain.
STRENGTH PROPERTIES
The timber falls into Strength Group C (Engku, 1988b) or SG 5 (MS 544:Part 2:2001).
| Strength Properties of Bintangor | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Test Condition | Modulus of Elasticity(MPa) | MModulus of Rupture(MPa) | Compression parallel to grain (MPa) | Compression perpendicular to grain (MPa) | Shear strength (MPa) |
| C. curtisii | Green | - | - | 32.8 | 3.19 | 7.2 |
| Air dry | - | - | - | - | - | |
| C. curtisii | Green | 12,100 | 52 | 26.5 | - | 7.9 |
| Air dry | 14,300 | 74 | 36.7 | - | 10.8 | |
| C. inophyllu | Green | - | - | 29.3 | - | 10.6 |
| Air dry | - | - | - | - | - | |
MACHINING PROPERTIES
It is easy to resaw and cross-cut. Planing is easy and the planed surface is smooth to moderately smooth.
| Machining Properties of Bintangor | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Test Condition | Sawing | Planing | Boring | Turning | ||||
| Re-sawing | Cross Cutting | Ease of planing | Quality of finish | Ease of boring | Quality of finish | Ease of turning | Quality of finish | ||
| C. curtisii | Green | easy | easy | easy | moderately smooth | easy | fairly smooth | - | - |
| Air dry | easy | easy | easy | moderately smooth | easy | fairly smooth | slightly rough | - | |
| C. inophyllum | Green | easy | easy | easy | smooth | easy | slightly rough | - | - |
| Air dry | easy | easy | easy | moderately smooth | easy | slightly rough | easy | slightly rough | |
| C. retusum | Green | easy | easy | easy | smooth to moderately smooth | easy | smooth | - | - |
| Air dry | easy | easy | easy | smooth | easy | smooth | easy | slightly rough | |
NAILING PROPERTY
The nailing property is poor.
AIR DRYING
The seasoning characteristics of some of the species tested are summarised below:
| Species | Time to air dry (months) | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 mm thick boards | 38 mm thick boards | ||
| C. calaba, var. bracteatum | 4 | 5 | Fairly slow drying; moderate end-checks, splitting. Slight cupping and spring. |
| C. ferrugineum, var. ferrugineum | 3 | 4.5 | Fairly slow drying; moderate end-checks. Slight cupping, bowing and insect attacks. |
| C. inophyllum | 3 | 5 | Fairly slow drying; slight surface-checking and insect attacks. |
| C. rigidum | 2 | - | Fairly rapid drying; moderate spring; slight bowing, splitting and surface-checking. |
KILN-DRYING
Kiln Schedule A is recommended. The timber dries moderately fast without much degrades, except for slight warping and end-checking. The timber kiln-dries from 50 to 10% moisture content in approximately 8 days.
| Kiln Schedule A | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moisture Content (%) | Temperature (Dry Bulb) | Temperature (Wet Bulb) | Relative Humidity (%) (approx.) | ||
| °F | °C | °F | °C | ||
| Green | 95 | 35.0 | 87 | 30.5 | 70 |
| 60 | 95 | 35.0 | 83 | 28.5 | 60 |
| 40 | 100 | 38.0 | 84 | 29.0 | 50 |
| 30 | 110 | 43.5/td> | 88 | 31.5 | 40 |
| 20 | 120 | 48.5 | 92 | 34.0 | 35 |
| 15 | 140 | 60.0 | 105 | 40.5 | 30 |
SHRINKAGE
The shrinkage of bintangor is summarised below:
| Species | Time to air dry (months) | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radial | Tangential | ||
| C. calaba, var. bracteatum | 2.1 | 3.3 | Fairly high shrinkage |
| C. ferrugineum, var. ferrugineum | 2 | 3.7 | Fairly high shrinkage |
| C. inophyllum | 1.4 | 2.0 | Moderate shrinkage |
| C. rigidum | 1.6 | 2.9 | Fairly high shrinkage |
MOVEMENT IN SERVICE
The movement of seasoned timber is classified under Type II.
DEFECTS
Bintangor is generally sound except for slight spongy heart in some logs. The logs are rarely attacked by borers.
USES
The timber is suitable for light construction, flooring, decking, panelling, mouldings, joinery, cabinet making, furniture, railway sleepers, ornamental items, posts, beams, joists, rafters, decorative solid door, ship and boat building (masts, spars, oars and helms), diving boards, plywood, wooden pallets (expendable type), door and window frames (internal use only) and staircase (angle blocks, rough bracket and apron lining). In several regions, the wood is much sought after for masts, spars, bridge work and scaffolding.
REFERENCES
- Abdul Rashid A. Malik. 1984. Malaysian Timbers - Bintangor. Malaysian Forest Service Trade Leaflet No. 89. The Malaysian Timber Industry Board and Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. 7 pp.
- 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.
- 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.