Gimlet is a small to medium-sized tree up to 20 m, with a distinctive fluted, copper-coloured stem with young bark. With summer, the smooth, shiny copper-coloured bark fades to grey-brown. The species has a wide distribution in the central and southern Goldfields, and in the northern Wheatbelt to Mullewa.
Heartwood is pale brown with an orange tinge, dense and strong. The grain is very attractive.
Green density is the density of wood in the living tree, defined as green mass divided by green volume, and useful for estimating transport costs. It varies with season and growing conditions.
Air-dry density is the average mass divided by volume at 12 per cent moisture content (this is the average environmental condition in the coastal capital cities around Australia).
Basic density is oven-dry mass divided by green volume. This measure has the advantage that moisture content variations in the tree during the year are avoided.
:Green density is about 1230 kg/m3, air-dry density about 1225 kg/m3, and basic density about 940 kg/m3.
Tangential and radial shrinkage are about 4.9 and 3.8 per cent respectively.
Goldfields craftsmen rate gimlet as average to good for machinability, good for good for boring, stability and gluing, good to excellent for turning, and excellent for screwholding, sanding and finishing.
Minimum values (MPa) for strength groups for green and seasoned timber come from Australian Standard AS2878-1986 'Timber - Classification of strength groups'. In grading structural timber, each species is allocated a ranking for green timber of S1 (strongest) to S7, and for seasoned timber SD1 (strongest) to SD8.
MOR is modulus of rupture or bending strength, MOE is modulus of elasticity or 'stiffness', and MCS is maximum crushing strength or compression strength. Hardness refers to the Janka hardness test and is a measure of resistance to indentation.
Minimum values (Mpa) for green timber
Strength Property | S1 | S2 | S3 | S4 | S5 | S6 | S7 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MOR | 103 | 86 | 73 | 62 | 52 | 43 | 36 |
MOE | 16300 | 14200 | 12400 | 10700 | 9100 | 7900 | 6900 |
MCS | 52 | 43 | 36 | 31 | 26 | 22 | 18 |
Minimum values (Mpa) for green timber
Strength Property | SD1 | SD2 | SD3 | SD4 | SD5 | SD6 | SD7 | SD8 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MOR | 150 | 130 | 110 | 94 | 78 | 65 | 55 | 45 |
MOE | 21500 | 18500 | 16000 | 14000 | 12500 | 10500 | 9100 | 7900 |
MCS | 80 | 70 | 61 | 54 | 47 | 41 | 36 | 30 |
Where test data were available, they are shown in bold print. Most values are from Bootle (1983), Wood in Australia. Types, properties and uses. (McGraw-Hill), or Julius (1906), 'Western Australian timber tests 1906: The physical characteristics of the woods of Western Australia'.
Where no strength data were available, air-dry density was used in accordance with the Australian Standard AS2878-1986 Timber - Classification of strength groups to predict the strength group. Consequently, the strength values quoted are from the above two tables.
:AS2878 gives (S2), (SD2). The provisional green and dry strength groups based on recent air-dry density data are (S1) and (SD1). The more important strength properties based on AS2878 strength groups are given in the table below. The hardness tests were organised by CALM in 1998.
Property | Units | Green | Dry |
---|---|---|---|
Modulus of Rupture | MPa | 86 | 130 |
Modulus of Elasticity | MPa | 14200 | 18500 |
Max Crushing Strength | MPa | 43 | 70 |
Hardness | KN | - | 18.2 |
Limited availability.
Uses have included poles, fencing posts and minor building construction, as well as mining timber and fuelwood. It has potential as specialty timber for craft and furniture..