WOOD SPECIES:
Black Palm
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Borassus flabellifer
OTHER COMMON NAMES:
Black Palm, Palmyra Palm, Asian Palmyra Palm, Toddy Palm, Sugar Palm, Cambodian Palm
TYPICAL USES:
Black Palm wood is a favorite for turned objects, as well as for use in boat building, furniture, and flooring.
SOURCES:
South and Southeast Asia
SPECIFIC GRAVITY:
0.77
AVG WEIGHT:
60 lbs/cu.ft.
SAPWOOD COLOR:
Black Palm lumber sapwood tends to be significantly lighter than its surrounding heartwood.
HEARTWOOD COLOR:
Black Palm heartwood exhibits black fibers running through light tan or brown colorations.
GRAIN:
Extremely straight grain with little or no defects, knots or growth rings.
TEXTURE:
Black Palm exhibits a medium-fine texture that is considered to be non-uniform.
DURABILITY:
Black Palm is highly resistant to decay but remains susceptible to insect infestation.
BLUNTING EFFECT:
Black Palm is somewhat difficult to work, with its hard fibers showing significant blunting.
CUTTING RESISTANCE:
Again, the hard fibers of Black Palm cause some difficulty in cutting operations. The cleanest results come from very sharp tools and proper cutting angles.
PLANING:
In the absence of extremely sharp cutters, tearout can be a significant problem during planing operations.
TURNING:
While Black Palm is a favorite for turnery applications, sharp tools are required to minimize tearout and splintering.
BORING:
Black Palm tends to be brittle, so care must be taken when drilling.
