Sanding and Shaping Characteristics of Gmelina arborea Grown in two Ecological Zones in Ghana
Sanding and Shaping Characteristics of Gmelina arborea Grown in two Ecological Zones in Ghana
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Date
2014
Authors
Mitchual, J Stephen
Owusu, Francis W
Minkah, Maxidite A
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Publisher
Environmental Engineering
Abstract
Poor machining of wood generates more residues which leads to low recovery in wood
processing. Therefore, the availability of appropriate wood machining techniques would promote
efficient utilization of logs. This study looked at the shaping and sanding properties of Gmelina
arborea - a lesser-known species in Ghana - in order to promote its efficient utilization. Six trees
from plantations at the Wet Evergreen and Dry Semi-Deciduous Forest Zones were extracted and
processed into lumber using LT 15 horizontal wood-mizer. The average moisture content of
samples just before the test was 14.57%. Specimens were prepared in accordance with ASTM D
143-83 and ASTM D 1666-87 (2004) for the sanding and shaping tests. The effects of tree
location, grit size and spindle speed on sanding and shaping properties of Gmelina arborea wood
were assessed using the visual approach. For the sanding test, grit size P80 was the best
sandpaper to remove chipped and torn grain defects from the surfaces of Gmelina arborea
lumber after planing. Spindle speed 10,000 rpm gave the best shaping output so it was
recommended for shaping Gmelina arborea timber grown in Ghana. For the shaping operation,
wood samples obtained from the Dry Semi-Deciduous Forest Zone had better surface quality
than those obtained from the Wet Evergreen Forest Zone. A similar trend was obtained for the
sanding test. The most common defects observed during grading of the shaped specimens were
raised, chipped and fuzzy grains and those observed for the sanded specimen were fuzzy and
scratchy defects. At 5% level of significance, tree location and spindle speed had significant
effect on the surface quality of the shaped specimen.
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Citation
Mitchual, S. J., Owusu, F. W., & Minkah, M. A. (2019). Sanding and Shaping Characteristics of Gmelina arborea Grown in Two Ecological Zones in Ghana. Journal of Engineering Research and Reports, 4(3), 1-12.