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Blunting Effect
Boring
Carving
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 Schedules
Luster
Mortising
Movement in Service
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Resistance to Splitting
Response to Hand Tools
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Synonyms
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning

Scientific Name
Buchenavia capitata

Trade Name
Yellow sanders

Family Name
Combretaceae

Synonyms
Bucida capitata


Wood Image 1

Common Names
Almendro, Amarillo, Amarillo boj, Angouchi des sables, Bois arcoquois, Bois gli gli, Bois glis-glis, Bois gri gri, Bois gri-gri, Bois gris gris, Bois gris-gris, Bois margot, Bois olivier, Chicharro, Ciruelillo, Gemberhout, Gli-gli, Granadillo, Gri-gri, Guaraguao, Jocuma, Jucarillo, Jucaro amarillo, Jucaro mastelero, Jucaro-amarillo, Jucaro-mastelero, Katoelima, Matakki, Mirindiba, Mountain wild olive, Olivier, Olivier grand bois, Olivo negro, Olivonegro, Periquiteira, Sandero-yellow, Toekoeli, Wild olive, Yellow olivier, Yellow s, Yellow sanders

Regions of Distribution
Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, Puerto Rico [US], Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela

Common Uses
Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: decking, Boat building: framing, Boxes and crates, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Chairs, Charcoal, Chemical containers, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Decks, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Living-room suites, Mine timbers, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Planks, Plywood, Poles, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Shipbuilding, Stools, Sub-flooring, Tables , Turnery, Utility furniture, Vats, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Walking sticks, Wardrobes

Environmental Profile
Status unknown in many of its growth areas
Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center


Distribution Overview
West Indies, Panama, and South America from Venezuela to French Guiana Brazil, and Bolivia.  Several related species are found in the Amazon region.

Heartwood Color
Red
Brown
Purple
Pink
Green/grey
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Pale brown
Greenish to greyish
Yellowish brown
Grey cast
Golden brown upon exposure
Dark brown
Brown


Sapwood Color
White to yellow
Paler than heartwood
Pale yellowish brown
Different than heartwood


Grain
Figure
Interlocked
Other (figure)
Straight
Even
Closed
Growth rings (figure)
Distinct (figure)
Wavy

Straight
Interlocked
Other figures are possible or common
Other figure
Wavy
Occasionally interlocked, but not always
Distinct figure
Clear growth rings (figure)


Texture
Medium
Fine
Coarse
Medium
Medium coarse to coarse
Fine


Luster
Medium
Pronounced
High


Natural Durability
Perishable
Moderately durable
Non-durable
Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack
Durable
Very durable
Moderately durable
Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Susceptible to attack by marine borers
Sapwood susceptible to attack by powder post beetles
Resistant to wood staining fungal attack
Non durable
Moderately resistant to decay
Moderately resistant to attack by termites
Good weathering characteristics


Odor
Spicy scent and mild bitter taste when green


Kiln Schedules
Drying (speed) is fast


Drying Defects
Slight twist/warp
Slight surface checking
Slight spring/bow
Moderate surface checking


Ease of Drying
Easy
Air-dries rapidly and easily, with little degrade, little care needed

5/4 stock of the wood solar-dries very well

Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is buttressed


Tree Size
Tree height is 10-20 m
Bark width is 15-20 mm
Tree height is 0-10 m
Bark width is 25-30 mm
Bark width is 10-15 mm


Comments
Attractive funiture wood

General finishing qualities are rated as good

Blunting Effect
Blunting effect on sawing is moderate


Boring
Easy
Difficult due to hardness


Carving
Good to spindle carve


Cutting Resistance
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Moderate to saw
Easy to saw


Gluing
Difficult to glue


Mortising
Hardness and irregular grain affect mortising properties
Easy to mortise


Movement in Service
Stable
Holds shape after seasoning


Planing
Hardness and irregular grain affect planing
Easy to plane


Resistance to Impregnation
Heartwood is extremely resistant
Sapwood is resistant


Resistance to Splitting
Good


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work
Moderate working qualities
Irregular grain may cause it to tear
Excellent response
Easy to machine
Difficult to machine


Sanding
Easy to sand


Screwing
Difficult to screw


Turning
May be some tearing due to irregular grain
Good results
Easy to turn


Steam Bending
Moderate
Fair/moderate


Polishing
Good results
Satisfactory results
Smooth finish


Strength Properties
Shrinkage, Radial = very small
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low
Bending strength (MOR) = medium
Shrinkage, Tangential = small
Max. crushing strength = high
Shrinkage, Volumetric = small
Hardness (side grain) = medium
Max. crushing strength = medium
Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft.
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium
Hardness (side grain) = soft
Shrinkage, Tangential = very small
Shrinkage, Radial = small
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low
Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft.
Bending strength (MOR) = low
Very heavy
Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate
Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large
Shrinkage, Radial = moderate
Resists denting and marring
Hardness = medium
Dnesity (dry wieght) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft.
Density = high
Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high
Bending strength (MOR) = high


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength945213409psi
Crushing Strength10461254psi
Density47lbs/ft3
Hardness1328lbs
Maximum Crushing Strength54768070psi
Shearing Strength1932psi
Static Bending62027513psi
Stiffness145716611000 psi
Toughness121inch-lbs
Work to Maximum Load89inch-lbs/in3
Specific Gravity0.550.62
Weight4636lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage2%
Tangential Shrinkage5%
Volumetric Shrinkage8%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength664942kg/cm2
Crushing Strength7388kg/cm2
Density753kg/m3
Hardness602kg
Maximum Crushing Strength385567kg/cm2
Shearing Strength135kg/cm2
Static Bending436528kg/cm2
Stiffness1021161000 kg/cm2
Toughness139cm-kg
Work to Maximum Load0.560.63cm-kg/cm3
Specific Gravity0.550.62
Weight737576kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage2%
Tangential Shrinkage5%

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

Brooks, R.L., et al,1941,Durability tests on Untreated Timbers in Trinidad,Caribbean Forester,2(3,pp101-119

Caribbean Commission,1952,Information on properties of timbers gathered by questionnaire and,collated in the secretariat of the Caribbean Commission including some,related data from technical literature.,Caribbean Commission, Port of Spain, Trinidad Caribbean Timbers, their,Utilization and Trade within the area CTUTA/1/Doc.7 + App.1-18

Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.

Dickinson, F.E.,1949,Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods 1,Tropical Woods,13(95,pp1-140

Edmondson, C.H.,1949,Reaction of Woods from S.America and Caribbean areas to Marine Borers in,Hawaiian Waters,Caribbean Foresters,10(1,PP37-41

Fors, A.J.,1965,Maderas Cubanas,Inst. Nac. Ref. Agraria La Habara

Lamb, A.F.A., Wangaard, F.F.,1950,The Gluing Properties of certain Tropical American Woods,Yale Univ. School of Forestry Technical Report,4

Little, E.L., Wadsworth, F.H.,1964,Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.249

Longwood, F.R.,1961,Puerto Rican Woods - Their Machining Seasoning and Related Characteristics,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.205

Marshall, R.C.,1934,Trees of Trinidad and Tobago,Government Printer Port of Spain Trinidad

Marshall, R.C.,1939,Silviculture of the trees of Trinidad and Tobago - British West Indies,O.U.P.,London

Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press

Record, S.J., Mell, C.D.,1924,Timbers of Tropical America,Yale Univ. Press

Slooten van der, H.J., Martinez, E.P.,1959,Descripcion y propiedades de algunas madeiras Venezolanas,Inst. for Lation Americano de Investigacion y Capaciticion Boletin,Informaturo Dirulgaturo

Swabey, C.,1941,The Principal Timbers of Jamaica,Department of Science and Agriculture Jamaica Bulletin No.29

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

Wangaard, F.F., and A.F. Muschler. 1952. Tropical Woods - Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods, Volume III, No. 98. School of Forestry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.

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

Wangaard, F.F.,1951,The Physical Properties of Tropical Woods,F.A.O. For. & For. Prod. Studies Series No.3 Tropical Woods and Ag.,Residues as sources of pulp,pp10-16

WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center-Plants Programme, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.

Wolcott, G.N.,1940,A List of the Woods arranged according to their resistance to the attack,of,the 'Polilla', the Dry-wood Termite of the West Indies, Cryptotermes,brevis Walker,Caribbean Forester,1(4,PP1-10