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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 Carving Certified Source Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Tetragastris altissima Trade Name Sali Family Name Burseraceae Common Names Aguaras, Amacey, Amesclao, Azucarero, Azucarito blanco, Breu manga, Breu preto, Breugrande, Encens rouge, Haiawaballi, Incienso, Joeliballi tataroe, Lacre de bajo, Masa, Palo, Palo cochino, Red haiawaballi, Rode salie, Sali, Salie, Trementino azucarero, White haiawaballi Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Bahamas, Brazil, Columbia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Venezuela Common Uses Bridge beams, Bridge construction, Bridge joists, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Exterior trim & siding, Exterior uses, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, General carpentry, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Millwork, Mine timbers, Moldings, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Stairworks, Vehicle parts Environmental Profile Vulnerable Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview The genus Tetragastris consists of about four medium- to large-sized trees that occur in the West Indies, Central America, and northern South America. They are widely distributed and are common in localized areas in the high forests of Surinam. Heartwood Color Red Brown Pink Purple Pale brown Orangish-Brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Pink Red Brown Yellowish brown Pinkish-Gray Clearly differentiated from the heartwood Grain Figure Irregular Interlocked Moderately to severely interlocked Irregular Irregular to roey. Texture Fine Medium Very fine Even or uniform Fine Luster High Medium Medium to high Natural Durability Very durable Resistant to termites Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to powder post beetles Durable Resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to marine borers Resistant to marine borers Heartwood resistant to decay Heartwood resistant to attack by white rot and brown rot fungi Heartwood is moderately resistant to attack by termites and marine borers Heartwood is moderately resistant to attack by dry-wood termites Odor No specific taste The wood has what is described as a fragrant balsamic smell Silica Content High Siliceous Contains silica Some Tetragastris timbers are siliceous. A silica content of 0.13% (of ovendry weight) has been reported in some species. Accumulations of 0.05% is generally believed to be enough to affect the machining properties of wood. Toxicity Some toxic effects Drying Defects Splitting Distortion May check and split Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Slowly Rapidly Little degrade Difficult to season Carefully controlled conditions required Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Naturally dries at a moderate speed Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Naturally dries quickly Tree Size Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Trunk diameter is 250-300 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Bole length is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 60-70 m Bole length is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 300-350 cm Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Tree height is 50-60 m Product Sources The ITTO reports that species in the genus produce limited quantities of timber. Export potential is rated as fair. Certified Source Certified Source Comments Sali has been suggested as a potential substitute for Birch (Betula ) and Maple (Acer ) Blunting Effect High to severe Moderate Medium dulling effect on cutting edges Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Fair to good results Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting resistance with dry wood is moderate Cutting resistance is reported to depend upon species and grain orientation, but is generally moderate Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Good gluing properties Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Pre-Boring Recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Poor to Very Poor Results Tends to split during nailing Pre-boring recommended Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Machining difficulty is rated as moderate in planing and other operations, and is usually affected by species type, and interlocked grain content Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Sapwood response to penetration and retention is adequate Heartwood responds poorly to preservative treatment Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Responds Readily Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Pre-boring recommended Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Suitable for slicing Veneers moderately easy Difficult to veneer Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Fairly Easy to Very Easy Takes polish well Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Very heavy Very dense Bending strength (MOR) = very high It has superior properties in compression parallel to grain in the air-dry condition than Teak, White oak, or Hard maple. It is hard and superior to Teak and probably Mahogany Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 12093 16242 psi Density 54 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1931 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 6007 8648 psi Stiffness 1759 2156 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.68 0.74 Weight 59 52 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 14 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 850 1141 kg/cm2 Density 865 kg/m3 Hardness 875 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 422 608 kg/cm2 Stiffness 123 151 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.68 0.74 Weight 945 833 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % References Chichignoud, M., G. Deon, P. Detienne, B. Parant, P. Vantomme. 1990. Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America. International Tropical Timber Organization, Centre Technique Forestier Tropical, Division of CIRAD, 45 bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-marne CEDEX, France. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Record, S.J. and R.W. Hess. 1943. Timbers of the New World. Published on the Charles Lathrop Pack Foundation, Yale University Press, New Haven CT.