Keruing - indonesian hardwood

[Halgeir Wold]

In an old shop that used to make staircases and doors, I found a decent supply of keruing, roughly 2-3 by 4s, in various lengths.
On the net it is referenced as an east asian hardwood, -and the boards are actually marked, so the specie as such is certain.
I brought home a sample piece and shoved it trough the planer at work - looks interesting - but not very much figure. I'm thinking about using it for electric guitar necks... just wondering..
Anybody know anthig about this wood ?

[john brenton]

I don't know anything about it, but I'd check the toxicity before working it.

Go to thewoodexplorer dot com. and look up Dipterocarpus warburgii.

This age of information is amazing...wow...seriously. never before in history could people find out everything they wanted to know with a click of a button.

[Tom Vanzant]

A quick check shows this wood to be very resinous, high in silicon (silica?) content, thus dulls tool quickly. Also can cause skin infections, nausea and splinter puncture infections.
Assume it to be pretty toxic.

[Johnny Kleso]

Wood Technology Transfer Fact Sheet
Dipterocarpus spp.
Keruing or Apitong
Family: Dipterocarpaceae
Other Common Names: Eng, In (Burma), Yang, Heng (Thailand), Lagan, Keroeing
(Indonesia), Dau (Vietnam, Cambodia), Gurjun (India).
Distribution: Widely scattered throughout the indo-Malayan region. More than 70
species make up this group, and they are marketed collectively. Timbers from
Malaysia contain a large number of species and are most variable in properties.
The Tree: Varies with species but commonly reach heights of 100 to 200 ft with clear,
cylindrical boles 70 ft long; trunk diameters 3 to 6 ft, commonly with a small
buttressed base.
The Wood:
General Characteristics: Heartwood varies from light to dark red brown or brown to
dark brown, sometimes with a purple tint; usually well defined from the gray or buff
sapwood. Texture moderately coarse; grain straight or shallowly interlocked; luster
low; strong resinous odor when freshly cut, without taste. Resin exudation may be
troublesome. Silica content variable, generally less than 0.5%.
Weight: Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) mostly 0.57 to 0.65;
air-dry density 45 to 50 pcf.







Mechanical Properties: (2-in. standard)
Moisture content Bending strength Modulus of elasticity Maximum crushing strength
Psi 1,000 psi Psi
Green (3) 8,500 1,750 4,050
12% 16,700 2,510 8,600
Green (1) 11,900 1,710 5,690
12% 19,900 2,080 10,500
Janka side hardness about 1,520 lb for dry material. Forest Products Laboratory
toughness 240 in.-lb for green material (2-cm specimen).
Drying and Shrinkage: Dries slowly often with considerable degrade due to checking
and warp and sometimes collapse. Resin exudation is common, particularly at high
temperatures. Kiln schedule T3-D2 is suggested for 4/4 stock and T3-D1 for 8/4.
Shrinkage green to air dry: radial 2.5 to 5.5%; tangential 7.5 to 11.5%. Movement in
service medium to large.
Working Properties: Generally saws and machines well, particularly when green.
Blunting of cutters moderate to severe due to silica content. Sometimes difficult to
glue. Resin adhering to machinery and tools may be troublesome. Resin may also
interfere with finishes.
Durability: Durability varies with species, generally classified as moderately
durable, but heartwood is susceptible to termite attack. Though silica content may
be high, resistance to marine borers is erratic.
Preservation: Sapwood and heartwood are both rated as moderately resistant to
preservative treatments using either open tank or pressure systems.
Uses: General construction work, framework for boats, flooring, pallets, chemical
processing equipment, veneer and plywood, suggested for railroad crossties if
treated.
Additional Reading:
1. Burgess, P. F. 1966. Timbers of Sabah. Sabah For. Rec. No. 6.

2. Farmer, R. H. 1972. Handbook of hardwoods. HMSO. London.
3. Lauricio, F. M. and S. B. Bellosillo. 1966. The mechanical and related properties of Philippine hardwoods. The Lumberman 12(5):66+A-H.
4. Pearson, R. S. and H. P. Brown. 1932. Commercial timbers of India. Gov. of India Central Publ. Br. Calcutta.
From: Chudnoff, Martin.1984. Tropical Timbers of the World. USDA Forest Service. Ag. Handbook No. 607.

[Halgeir Wold]

I've actually found most of this info before I posted. These boards are at least 30 yrs old, possibly more.
There was no particular smell during planing, and my 4' sample shows no sign of resin at all...
I was merely wondering if someone had any experience using it........
The old man who once owned the shop wasn't really sure hat they'd used it for....... ;-)
possibly the step board in door frames...................