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Castanea dentata |
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Family: Fagaceae |
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American Chestnut |
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Chestnut
(Castanea sp.) contains about 7 to 12 species distributed in: North America [4]
and Europe [1] and Asia [7]. European Chestnut (Castanea sativa)was introduced
into England by the Romans probably as food for domestic animals. North
American Chestnut trees were virtually wiped out by the fungus Endothia
parasitica. The different species of Chestnut hybridize with each other. All
species look alike microscopically.
Other
Common Names: Chestnut, Prickly O-heh-yah-bur, Sweet Chestnut, White Chestnut,
Wormy Chestnut
Distribution
American
Chestnut's pre-blight range extended from Maine west to Michigan and south to
Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. The major stands were in southern New England
and the Appalachian Mountains. The finest timber came out of the Appalachians.
The
Tree
American
Chestnut grew to heights of 120 feet, with a diameter of 7 feet. Its ability to
sprout from the cut or dead stump has kept this species in existence,
temporarily, although the blight eventually kills the sprouts.
The
Wood
General
The
narrow sapwood of Chestnut is near white, while the heartwood is grayish brown
to brown and darkens with age. The wood is coarse, intermediate in strength,
light in weight, low in shock resistance, of average hardness and moderate
shrinkage. It can be kiln dried or air seasoned with minimal problems.
Mechanical
Properties (2-inch standard)
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Compression |
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Specific gravity |
MOE 106 lbf/in2 |
MOR 103 lbf/in2 |
Parallel 103 lbf/in2 |
Perpendicular 103 lbf/in2 |
WML* in-lbf/in3 |
Hardness lbf |
Shear 103 lbf/in2 |
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Green |
0.40 |
0.93 |
5.60 |
2.47 |
0.31 |
7.0 |
420 |
0.80 |
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Dry |
0.43 |
1.23 |
8.60 |
5.32 |
0.62 |
6.5 |
540 |
1.08 |
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Reference (12). *WML = Work to maximum load. |
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Drying
and Shrinkage
Hornbeam
checks and warps badly in seasoning
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Shrinkage (% of green) |
Green, 0% MC |
Green, 6% MC |
Green, 20% MC |
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Tangential |
6.7(12) |
5.4(11) |
2.2(11) |
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Radial |
3.4(12) |
2.7(11) |
1.1(11) |
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Volumetric |
11.6(12) |
9.3(11) |
3.9(11) |
Kiln
Drying Schedule: (1 & 10)
Working
Properties
Chestnut
is easy to work with tools and is easily glued. Because it split readily, care
is required in nailing.
Durability
It
is as resistant to decay as the cedars, cypress and redwood.
Preservation
No
information available at this time.
Uses
Lumber,
tannin extract, furniture, caskets, boxes, crates, core stock for plywood,
poles, railroad ties, pulpwood, shingles, barrel staves, mine timbers,
fuelwood.
Toxicity
No
information available at this time.
Additional
Reading and References Cited (in parentheses)
1. Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois &
E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods - temperate and
tropical. USDA Forest Service, FPL General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57.
2. Elias, T.S. 1980. The complete trees of North America, field guide and
natural history. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York, 948 pp.
3. Hausen, B. M. 1981. Wood Injurious to Human Health: A Manual. Walter
deGruyter & Co., Berlin, Germany; New York, NY.
4. Little, Jr., E.L. 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native and
naturalized). USDA Forest Service, Ag. Handbook No. 541, USGPO, Washington, DC.
5. Markwardt, L.J. and T.R.C. Wilson. 1935. Strength and related properties of
woods grown in the United States. USDA Forest Service, Tech. Bull. No. 479. USGPO,
Washington, DC.
6. Mitchell, J.; Rook, A. 1979. Botanical Dermatology: Plants and Plant
Products Injurious to the Skin. Greenglass Ltd., 691 W. 28th Ave., Vancouver,
British Columbia, Canada V5H 2H4.
7. Panshin, A.J. and C. de Zeeuw. 1980. Textbook of Wood Technology, 4th Ed.,
McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 722 pp.
8. Record, S.J. and R.W. Hess. 1943. Timbers of the new world. Yale University
Press, New Haven, 640 pp.
9. Saucier, J.R. 1973. American chestnut, and American wood. USDA Forest
Service, FS- 230.
10. Simpson, W.T. 1991. Dry kiln operator's manual. USDA Forest Service, FPL
Ag. Handbook 188.
11. Summitt, R. and A. Sliker. 1980. CRC handbook of materials science. Volume
4, wood. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, FL. 459 pp.
12. USDA Forest Service, FPL. 1974. Wood handbook: wood as an engineering
material. Ag. Handbook 72.
13. Woods, B.; Calnan, C. D. 1976. Toxic Woods. British Journal of Dermatology;
95(13):1-97 Published by Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, England OX2
OEL.
Harry A. Alden, 1994