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Boring Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sapwood Color Scientific Name Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Tabebuia guayacan Trade Name Guayacan Family Name Bignoniaceae Synonyms Tecoma guayacan Common Names Guayacan, Iapacho, Ipe Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Panama Common Uses Agricultural implements, Axles, Boat building (general), Boat building: framing, Bridge construction, Cabinetmaking, Decks, Fishing rods, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture, Handles: general, Heavy construction, Joinery (external): ground contact, Ladders, Light construction, Mine timbers, Paneling, Piling, Posts, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods, Textile equipment, Vats, Vehicle parts, Wheel spokes, Wheels Heartwood Color Brown Yellow White Highly variable Red Grey Tan Greenish to greyish Brown Black Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Dark brown Sapwood Color White to yellow Well defined Pinkish Grain Figure Stripe (figure) Interlocked Rippled (figure) Growth rings (figure) Striped figure Interlocked Rippled figure Clear growth rings (figure) Texture Fine Coarse Medium Fine Fine to medium Luster Slightly lustrous Lustrous Natural Growth Defects Yellowish deposits in vessels Natural Durability Perishable Non-durable Very durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Durable Toxicity Dermatitic effects Respiratory effects Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Dry at a moderate speed Drying Defects Moderate surface checking Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking Slight spring/bow Slight cupping No twisting or warping No surface checking Ease of Drying Thick Stock Requires Care Moderately Difficult to Difficult Moderate Easy Difficult Tree Identification Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is cylindrical Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 50-60 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Gluing Difficult to glue Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Nailing Possible if prebored Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Resistance to Impregnation Heartwood is highly resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Difficult to machine Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Steam Bending Moderate Poor Polishing Good results Staining Staining (Characteristic) = coloured water-soluble extract Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. Max. crushing strength = high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = high Hardness (side grain) = very hard Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very high Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very high Max. crushing strength = very high Density (dry weight) = >75 lbs/cu. ft. Work to Maximum Load Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 16360 23941 psi Density 56 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2940 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 7945 11159 psi Shearing Strength 2854 psi Stiffness 2304 2667 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 14 19 inch-lbs/in3 Weight 55 51 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 1150 1683 kg/cm2 Density 897 kg/m3 Hardness 1333 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 558 784 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 200 kg/cm2 Stiffness 161 187 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.98 1.33 cm-kg/cm3 Weight 881 817 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % 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 Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 9 Central America and the Caribbean,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Dickinson, F.E.,1949,Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods 1,Tropical Woods,13(95,pp1-140 Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Garratt, G.A.,1933,Systematic anatomy of the woods of the Myristicacaeae,Tropical Woods,5(35,pp6-48 Lamb, A.F.A., Wangaard, F.F.,1950,The Gluing Properties of certain Tropical American Woods,Yale Univ. School of Forestry Technical Report,4 Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1940,American Woods of the Family Bignoniaceae,Tropical Woods,8(63,pp 9-38 Wangaard, F.F., Chudnoff, M.,1950,The Steam Bending Properties of Certain Tropical American Woods,Yale Univ. School of Forestry Technical Report No. 6 Wangaard, F.F., Muschler, A.F.,1952,Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods 3,Tropical Woods,14(98, pp1-190 Woods, R.P.,1949,Timbers of South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series