Machining Properties of Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) Wood and Its Utilization Potential for Furniture Manufacturing

There is no comfortable and environmentally friendly way to avoid using wood for manufacturing different kinds of furniture as well as other uses. Thus, it is highly needed to identify machining properties in any wood working of its selection for particular utilization. The study was conducted to ascertain planing, boring, shaping, mortising, turning, etc. machining properties of Eucalyptus camaldulensis wood species grown in the south-eastern region of Bangladesh. Some related handtool properties of this wood were also tested. In both machining and handtool property tests, the evaluation was based on the frequency of defects of the property samples. All of the property sample defects were assessed by both visual and tactile inspection, and the percentage of property tests was determined. Each property sample was classified five quality grades based on sample defects. Shellac and carpa polishing materials were also applied to determine finishing quality. Five furniture were manufactured with this wood and put under service test as well. The results introduced overall good working qualities, and the Eucalyptus camaldulensis wood could be suitable for the materials of furniture. Among different operations, only mortising property resulted in 100% qualified grade in machining and handtool tests when shaping and boring rated the same in machining tests. This wood exhibited 100 % and 90 % excellent shaping and mortising quality in machining tests respectively. Planing property yielded no excellent or good result in handtool tests. The property value of different tests should just be considered as indicatory.