Machining properties of Khaya Ivorensis and Khaya Senegalensis

Machining properties of wood is very important in the production of high-quality wood-based products such as premium furniture. Knowing the machining properties helps manufacturers to plan for factory’s operating and maintenance costs. Among the normal activities carried out in wood processing factory include planing, sanding, turning, boring, mortising and shaping. To obtain a smooth surface, wood needs to be planed and ripped before cross cutting it to the required dimensions. To produce the required shape or profile, certain wood might need to be moulded, shaped or turned. Others might need to be machined for jointing or for producing tenon and mortise for hardware fixtures. The knowledge regarding machining properties of any wood species would help in deciding the appropriate type of cutting tools, cutting or feeding speed and pressure needed during fabrication or finishing of products.