Common Names:   Australian blackwoood Black wattle Purchase Blackwood Australian

Mechanical Values

Environmental Profile
The environmental status of the species is reported to be either Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare within its range in most of the areas it occurs as an introduced species including Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Lesotho, Swaziland, and South Africa (Source - World Conservation Monitoring Center - 1992 ). 

Distribution
The genus Acacia is reported to consist of over 750 species of mostly trees and shrubs, with a few climbers and twiners that are widely distributed in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. The highest concentration of species in the genus is reported to be in Australia. Australian blackwood (A. melanoxylon ) is reported to be indigenous to and grows in the mountain regions of southern New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania. It is also reported to be an introduced species in East and South Africa, India, Ceylon, Chile, and Argentina.

Product Sources
It is currently unknown whether lumber from this species is available from sustainably managed or other environmentally friendly sources.

Supplies of the timber are reported to be adequate in Australia, but are limited in other parts of the world. Prices are reported to be in the high range when the material is available. 

Tree Data
The tree is reported to grow to a height of about 80 feet (24 m) and a trunk diameter of about 60 inches (150 cm).

Sapwood Color
The sapwood is straw colored or grayish-white and is clearly differentiated from the heartwood.

Heartwood Color
The heartwood is golden to dark brown, occasionally with a reddish tinge, or golden-brown to dark reddish brown with regular chocolate brown zones.

Grain
The grain is typically straight, but may be interlocked or wavy. Wavy or interlocked grain usually produces a beautiful fiddleback figure.

Texture
The texture is fine to medium, and even.

Luster
Wood surface is described as lustrous.

Odor
There is no characteristic odor or taste.

Ease of Drying
The wood is reported to dry easily without degrade.

Drying Defects
Wide, flat-sawn boards have a tendency to cup but this can be avoided by weighting down stack.

Kiln Schedules
T6 - D2 (4/4) US; T3 - D1 (8/4) US
Schedule E (4/4) United Kingdom

Movement in Service
The timber is reported to be dimensionally stable after manufacture, and retains its shape well.

T/R Ratio
2.20
This ratio is more meaningful if it is used together with actual shrinkage data in the tangential and radial directions. (Refer to the Numerical Values window).

Natural Durability
The wood is reported to have little or no natural resistance to attack by fungi and other wood destroying organisms. Untreated wood in contact with the ground could decay in less than 5 years.

Resistance to Impregnation
The heartwood is reported to be extremely resistant to preservative treatment. The sapwood is moderately treatable.

Cutting Resistance
Material containing interlocked grain is reported to saw with some difficulty.

Blunting Effect
There is moderate blunting effect on cutting edges.

Planing
A reduced cutting angle of 20 degrees is suggested for best results in planing. The timber is reported to respond well to both hand and machine tools in almost all operations, but material containing curly grain usually requires extra attention.

Turning
The wood is reported to turn well.

Moulding
A reduced cutting angle of 20 degrees should be used for moulding, especially if interlocked grain is present.

Gluing
Gluing properties are reported to vary, but are generally satisfactory.

Nailing
The wood is reported to have satisfactory nailing characteristics.

Screwing
This species is reported to have good screwing characteristics.

Polishing
The material is reported to polish to an excellent finish.

Staining
The wood is reported to take stains well.

Steam Bending
Steam bending properties are reported to be good. 

Response to Hand Tools
The material is reported to respond rather satisfactorily to hand tools.

Strength Properties
The species has high bending strength in the air-dry condition (about 12 percent moisture content). It compares favorably with Teak, which also has high bending strength. Impact strength is reported to be similar to that of Ash (Fraxinus ). Compression strength parallel to grain in the air-dry condition is high. Teak, White oak, and Hard maple have high crushing strength. It is moderately hard and resistant to wearing and marring. It is heavy and very dense.