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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Swartzia leiocalycina Trade Name Awartu Family Name Caesalpiniaceae Common Names Awartu, Brown ebony, Clubwood, Ironwood, Montouchi, Shiraip, Wamara Regions of Distribution Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] French Guiana, Guyana Common Uses Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Cabinetmaking, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture, Handles: general, Heavy construction, Joinery, Ladders, Light construction, Mine timbers, Musical instruments, Piling, Plywood, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods, Tool handles, Turnery, Veneer, Walking sticks, Wheel spokes Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow Purple Green/grey Orange Purple Dark brown Red Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown White to yellow Well defined Different than heartwood Grain Figure Straight Interlocked Even Stripe (figure) Rippled (figure) Rays (figure) Weak (figure) Straight Striped figure Rippled figure Interlocked Weak figure Rays figure Texture Medium Fine Coarse Fine Fine to medium Medium Luster Medium High Lustrous Pronounced Natural Durability Non-durable Durable Perishable Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to termites Non-resistant to marine borers Resistant to powder post beetles Durable Very durable Susceptible to marine borer attack Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) may be present in the felled log Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed UK=B US=T2C2/T2C1 Fr=2 Drying Defects Distortion Checking Severe surface checking Severe end splitting Moderate surface checking Moderate end spitting Ease of Drying Rapidly Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 40-50 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect High to severe Blunting effect on machining is severe Boring Fairly easy to very easy Difficult Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Possible if prebored Difficult to nail Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Planes to a satisfactory finish Resistance to Impregnation Permeable heartwood Permeable sapwood Heartwood is highly resistant Sapwood is permeable Resistance to Splitting Poor Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to Work Difficult to machine Moderate working qualities Sanding Good sanding finish Screwing Possible if prebored Turning Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good results Easy to turn Veneering Qualities Diifficult to veneer There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits Suitable for slicing Good gluing qualities Steam Bending Moderate Polishing Good results Staining Poor results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = very high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Max. crushing strength = very high Density (dry weight) = >75 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft. Hardness (side grain) = very hard Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = small Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very high Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very high Max. crushing strength = high Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = very high Toughness (total work) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Hardness (side grain) = hard Bending strength (MOR) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 17175 24865 psi Density 59 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2784 lbs Impact Strength 74 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 8990 12374 psi Shearing Strength 2745 psi Stiffness 2304 2667 1000 psi Toughness 363 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 19 23 inch-lbs/in3 Weight 58 51 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 1207 1748 kg/cm2 Density 945 kg/m3 Hardness 1262 kg Impact Strength 187 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 632 869 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 192 kg/cm2 Stiffness 161 187 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 418 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 1.33 1.61 cm-kg/cm3 Weight 929 817 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % References Berni, C.A., Bolza, E., Christensen, F.J.,1979,South American Timbers - The Characteristics, Properties and Uses of 190,Species,C.S.I.R.O Div. Building Research Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Fanshawe, D.B.,1954,Forest Products of British Guiana Part 1 Principal Timbers,Forest Department British Guiana Forestry Bulletin (New Series 2nd,Edition,No.1 Forests Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1956,A Handbook of Hardwoods,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Department of,Science and Industrial Research, Building Research Establishment I.U.F.R.O.,1973,Veneer Species of the World,Assembled at F.P.L. Madison on behalf of I.U.F.R.O. Working Party on,Slicing and Veneer Cutting Lavers, G.M.,1983,The Strength Properties of Timber (3rd ed. revised Moore G.L.,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Report (formerly Bulletin No.50) Longwood, F.R.,1962,Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.207 Polak, A.M.,1992,Major Timber Trees of Guyana A Field Guide,The Tropenbos Foundation Wageningen, The Netherlands Slooten, H.J. van der,1970,Evaluation Study of eighteen Wood Species from Guyana for Veneer and,Plywood Manufacture,Forest Industries Development Survey FAO Report SF/GUY9 Tech. Report,No.13,U.N.D.P. Takahashi, A.,1975,Compilation of data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part 2,Central and South America,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No.4