Scientific Name
Eucalyptus viminalis
Trade Name
Manna gum
Family Name
Myrtaceae
Common Names
Manna gum, Viminalis gum
Regions of Distribution
Oceania and S.E. Asia
Countries of Distribution [VIEW MAP]
Australia
Common Uses
Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Fuelwood, Furniture, Handles: general, Heavy construction, Joinery, Ladders, Light construction, Paneling, Piling, Plywood, Poles, Pulp/Paper products, Sporting Goods, Tool handles, Vehicle parts, Veneer
Environmental Profile
| Questionable | ||||||||||||
| Vulnerable | ||||||||||||
| Extinct | ||||||||||||
| Endangered |
Heartwood Color
| Brown | ||||||||||||
| Red | ||||||||||||
| Yellow | ||||||||||||
| Orange | ||||||||||||
| Purple | ||||||||||||
| Black | ||||||||||||
| Yellow to golden-yellow to orange | ||||||||||||
| Pale red to pink | ||||||||||||
| White to cream |
Sapwood Color
| Yellow | ||||||||||||
| White | ||||||||||||
| White to yellow | ||||||||||||
| Pinkish | ||||||||||||
| Color not distinct from heartwood |
Grain
| Even |
| Generally straight, but not always | ||||||||||||
| Interlocked |
Texture
| Fine | ||||||||||||
| Medium | ||||||||||||
| Even or uniform | ||||||||||||
| Uniform | ||||||||||||
| Coarse |
Luster
| Medium | ||||||||||||
| High | ||||||||||||
| Low |
Natural Durability
| Very durable | ||||||||||||
| Resistant to marine borers | ||||||||||||
| Resistant to termites | ||||||||||||
| Susceptible to insect attack | ||||||||||||
| Perishable | ||||||||||||
| Non-resistant to powder post beetles | ||||||||||||
| Resistant to powder post beetles | ||||||||||||
| Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) | ||||||||||||
| Susceptible to marine borer attack | ||||||||||||
| Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles | ||||||||||||
| Perishable |
Odor
| Has an odor |
Resin Content
buckles
Kiln Schedules
| Dry at a moderate speed |
Drying Defects
| Checking | ||||||||||||
| Distortion | ||||||||||||
| Splitting | ||||||||||||
| Severe collapse and honeycomb | ||||||||||||
| Severe twisting/warping | ||||||||||||
| Moderate twist/warp | ||||||||||||
| Moderate collapse and honeycombing |
Ease of Drying
| Fairly Easy | ||||||||||||
| Slowly | ||||||||||||
| Variable | ||||||||||||
| Reconditioning Treatement | ||||||||||||
| Difficult |
Kiln Drying Rate
| Naturally dries slowly | ||||||||||||
| Rapid | ||||||||||||
| Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast |
Tree Identification
| Bole/stem form is straight |
Tree Size
| Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm | ||||||||||||
| Tree height is 30-40 m | ||||||||||||
| Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm | ||||||||||||
| Tree height is 40-50 m | ||||||||||||
| Bole length is 0-10 m | ||||||||||||
| Bole length is 20-30 m |
Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as satisfactory
Blunting Effect
| High to severe | ||||||||||||
| Moderate |
Boring
| Fairly easy to very easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair to good results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly difficult to very difficult |
Carving
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Cutting Resistance
| Easy to saw | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw | ||||||||||||
| Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult |
Gluing
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult | ||||||||||||
| Poor to Very Poor Results |
Mortising
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Moulding
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Movement in Service
| Excellent Stability – Small Movement |
Nailing
| Pre-Boring Recommended | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Pre-boring recommended | ||||||||||||
| Difficult to nail |
Planing
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Planes to a poor finish | ||||||||||||
| Easy to plane | ||||||||||||
| Ease of planing is moderate |
Resistance to Impregnation
| Resistant heartwood | ||||||||||||
| Resistant sapwood | ||||||||||||
| Permeable sapwood | ||||||||||||
| Sapwood is permeable | ||||||||||||
| Heartwood is extremely resistant | ||||||||||||
| Sapwood is moderately resistant |
and splits
Resistance to Splitting
| Poor |
Response to Hand Tools
| Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work | ||||||||||||
| Easy to Work | ||||||||||||
| Responds Readily | ||||||||||||
| Moderate working qualities | ||||||||||||
| Easy to machine | ||||||||||||
| Difficult to machine |
Routing & Recessing
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Satisfactory routing results |
Sanding
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Screwing
| Pre-boring recommended | ||||||||||||
| Possible if prebored |
Turning
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult |
Veneering Qualities
| Veneers easily | ||||||||||||
| Veneers moderately easy | ||||||||||||
| Suitable for peeling | ||||||||||||
| Suitable for slicing | ||||||||||||
| There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits |
Drying degrade is moderate to severe due to collapse
Steam Bending
| Good |
Painting
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Polishing
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Surface Preparation | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Staining
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Strength Properties
| Bending strength (MOR) = medium | ||||||||||||
| Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. | ||||||||||||
| Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large | ||||||||||||
| Max. crushing strength = high | ||||||||||||
| Bending strength (MOR) = high | ||||||||||||
| Shrinkage, Tangential = large | ||||||||||||
| Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large | ||||||||||||
| Density (dry weight) = 53-60 | ||||||||||||
| Bending strength (MOR) = low | ||||||||||||
| Hardness (side grain) = medium |
Numerical Data
| Item | Green | Dry | English |
| Bending Strength | 9843 | 15333 | psi |
| Density | 48 | lbs/ft3 | |
| Hardness | 1658 | lbs | |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 5001 | 7687 | psi |
| Shearing Strength | 1713 | psi | |
| Stiffness | 1774 | 2046 | 1000 psi |
| Weight | 47 | 38 | lbs/ft3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 6 | % | |
| Tangential Shrinkage | 9 | % | |
| Item | Green | Dry | Metric |
| Bending Strength | 692 | 1078 | kg/cm2 |
| Density | 769 | kg/m3 | |
| Hardness | 752 | kg | |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 351 | 540 | kg/cm2 |
| Shearing Strength | 120 | kg/cm2 | |
| Stiffness | 124 | 143 | 1000 kg/cm2 |
| Weight | 753 | 608 | kg/m3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 6 | % |
References
Australia – N.S.W. Forestry Commission,1968,Working Properties of some Native and Imported Timbers,Forestry Commission of New South Wales, Technical Publication No.8
Australia – N.S.W. Forestry Commission,1988,Furniture Timbers of New South Wales,Forest Commission, N.S.W., Aust. Tech. Publication No.1
Banks, C.H., Schoeman, J.P., Otto, K.P.,1977,The Mechanical Properties of Timbers with particular reference to South,Africa,South African Forestry Research Institute Bulletin,(Ed.,Schoeman, J.P. 1973 & Otto K.P. 1976,No.48
Berni, C.A., Bolza, E., Christensen, F.J.,1979,South American Timbers – The Characteristics, Properties and Uses of 190,Species,C.S.I.R.O Div. Building Research
Boas, I.H.,1947,The Commercial Timbers of Australia – Their Properties and Uses,Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Melbourne
Bolza, E., Keating, W.G.,1972,African Timbers – the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 700 Species,C.S.I.R.O. Div. of Building Research
Bolza, E., Kloot, N.H.,1963,The Mechanical Properties of 174 Australian Timbers,C.S.I.R.O. Division of Forest Products Technological Paper,No.25
Gay, F.J., Et al,1955,Standard laboratory colonies of termites for evaluating the resistance of,timber, timber preservatives and other materials to termite attack.,C.S.I.R.O., Australia Bulletin,No.277
Scott, M.H.,1935,Weights of South African Growth Timbers,South African Department of Agriculture and Forestry Bulletin,No.145,Forest Products Institute, Forestry Series No.1
Takahashi, A.,1978,Compilation of Data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part,III) Africa,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No. 7