Thread: syrian batu???

Selangun Batu?


clicky

I used a lot of Malaysian Batu whilst in Darwin & PNG for wharfs and jetties. I thought it was Sangalu Batu, but obviously I've got the name wrong (searching google comes up with my own site ).

Anyway, hard as hell, so hard even the borers don't like it. The table below burnt out my old power saw:mad:

There are a number of "batu" type woods about it seems.

I did get one solid response for syrian batu but all it said was.... we sell it. nothing else not even a picture.

Anyway I got hold of some by devious means... not much just a little.

So I've broken down a few pieces of it and rough you could mistake it for being just hard heavy and bouring.

I was keen to see what it looked like finished so I whizzed up a pen out of it.(like half an hour ago)
It cuts very smoothly and freely for such a hard timber sort of waxy cutting feel and sands very easily and well.

Sanded to 1200 gritt and put a couple of coats of shellawax on it and:eek: :eek: :eek: "Great hairy slabs of kweela Batman"....I've never seen anything like it.
The irredesence and depth of lustre is amazing and the movement of the figure with light is just stunning, its got a real clear overlay of crushed velvet thing going on.
I just stopped typing to have anither look at it.....
I have never seen anything like it.
sorry stopped typing to look at it again.
I don't know how I'm going to get any of this accross in a photo.

marvelous.

cheers

Hard is probably the reason for the "batu" which means stone in the Malay language.

Yep batu, says hard.

I've been fiddling with some more.
some of the stuff i have is dark brownish black... sort of like cola.
Other bits are some what lighter & there is a bit there that I thaught was something different but it is probaly some sapwood.

Another interestin thing is the smell.... like plastacene.... i've been trying to place the smell for a couple of days.... yep plastacene.

cheers

Do you have some pictures Soundman?

no picture yet... I was out today.

Ahh the plot thickens....

Surian Batu...... get the spelling right helps.

thanks to dbar.

Surian Batu

Botanical name: Chukrasia tabularis & C. velutina Other common names: Chickrasia, Chittagong Wood, Burma Almondwood, Repoh, Suntang puteh, Yinma, Tawyinma, Voryong, Nhom
Family name: Meliaceae
Distribution: Grows throughout India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Colour: The heartwood is reddish-brown. The sapwood is lighter in colour and distinct .Growth rings can be pronounced.
The timber: The heartwood has interlocked grain and the texture is medium to coarse.
Mechanical properties: Surain Batu kiln dries to densities from 600-800kgs/m3 37-50lbs/ft). The heartwood is durable - the sapwood is attacked by Lyctid borer. It is rated from medium to high in all classifications.
Working properties: The timber works well with sharp cutters as grain tear can be a problem as can end chipping. Pre-bore for screws and nails. Surain Batu can be glued without difficulty and, with some grain filling on coarse material, can be bought to a good finish.
Uses: Flooring, joinery, minor structural work, turnery, furniture.
Availability: Limited imports through specialist wholesalers.

yep thats him..... but it looks better than that.

get the spelling right & BH theres miles of info..... google even found a 32 page pdf on the spicies.

cheers

Originally Posted by soundman

Another interestin thing is the smell.... like plastacene.... i've been trying to place the smell for a couple of days.... yep plastacene.

Great gobs of Gumby goo, Batman! What is this stuff?

I've been asking my self this:confused:
Aparantly it grows all over the place from india to vietnam.
Someone's been keeping a secret.

cheers

surian batu

the pen and the two lumps of wood are surian batu.

Those stripes arent real, the move.