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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. Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Strength Properties Substitutes Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Scientific Name Caryocar costaricense Trade Name Aji Family Name Caryocaraceae Common Names Aji, Ajillo, Ajo, Almendrillo, Almendro, Almendro de bajo, Almendron, Cagui, Firme, Genene', Manu, Maqui-maqui cagui, Pequia, Pequia brava, Pete rana do terra firme, Pete', Pete-rana, Rana do terra Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Colombia, Costa Rica Common Uses Flooring, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Plywood, Railroad ties, Vehicle parts Heartwood Color Brown Black Purple Red Sapwood Color White Yellow Grain Closed Interlocked Wavy Wavy Interlocked Texture Coarse Medium Fine Medium coarse to coarse Luster Medium Lustrous Natural Durability Durable Very durable Perishable Non-durable Resistant to termites Non-resistant to powder post beetles Susceptible to insect attack Moderately durable Durable Toxicity Some toxic effects Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Moderate twist/warp Moderate end spitting Moderate collapse and honeycombing Ease of Drying Difficult Tree Size Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 0-10 m Substitutes Aramatta (Diplotropis purpurea ) has superior strength properties. These other species are similar: Pau amarello (Euxylophora paraensis ), Piquia (Caryocar villosum ) and Tatajuba (Bagassa guianensis ) Cutting Resistance Cutting resistance with dry wood is variable Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Permeable heartwood Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Difficult to machine Screwing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Satisfactory results Strength Properties Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Max. crushing strength = high Hardness (side grain) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = medium Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 9310 14566 psi Hardness 1658 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 6899 9945 psi Shearing Strength 1560 psi Stiffness 2167 2494 1000 psi Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 10 % Volumetric Shrinkage 13 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 654 1024 kg/cm2 Hardness 752 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 485 699 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 109 kg/cm2 Stiffness 152 175 1000 kg/cm2 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 10 % References Barghoorn, A.W., Renteira, R.,1967,Estudio Anatomico y Fisico-Mecanico del Cagui (Caryocar costarricense,Donn.Sm.,Inst. Forestal Latino-Americano de Inves. Y Cap. Merida Venezuela Bol.,24,pp35-58 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 Villamil, F.G.,1971,Maderas Colombianas,Proexpo Colombia