Informatics Publishing Limited

S. N. Sharma , C. N. Pandey , H. C. Kanojia , Mani Ram

Abstract

Trials with vapour phase ammonia plasticization of air-dried timber have indicated that species like Acrocarpus fraxinifolius, which are not amenable to steam bending, can be bent reasonably successfully and species like Mangifera indica, which respond to some extent to steam bending, can be bent to sharper curvatures by this technique. 13 mm strips of Grevillea robusta needed only 1 hr treatment at 5 kg/cm² pressure to bend to a radius of 37 mm (R/T = 3) while Acrocarpus fraxinifolitius and Mangifera indica needed 3 hr treatment to achieve the same result. A higher wood moisture content at the time of treatment appeared 10 improve the rate and degree of plasticization and the bending behaviour. Further trials are proposed to produce bent wood furniture items using this technique.

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C. N. Pandey , B. K. Gaur , H. C. Kanojia , Akash Chandra

Abstract

Eucalypts being a highly refractory timber develop severe collapse, aurface cracks, warping and twisting during the process of air or kiln seasoning in tangentially sawn planks, which is a conventional and most commonly used proces. The adoption of radial sawing of eucalypt logs have shown that defect free planks can be obtained and can he subsequently seasoned also without cracking, collapse or warping defects. New seasoning schedules for seasoning of Eucolyptul planka of 25 mm thick have also been evaluated.

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