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Blunting Effect Boring Carving Certified Source Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance 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 Painting Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Catalpa longissima Trade Name Bois chene Family Name Bignoniaceae Synonyms Macrocatalpa longissima Common Names Bois chene, Chene, Chene d'Amerique, Chene de Amerique, Chene de Antilles, Chene haitien, Chene noir, French oak, Haitian oak, Jamaica oak, Mast wood, Pois doux marron, Radegonde, Randegonde, Roble, Roble de olor, Yokewood Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guadelope [France], Haiti, Jamaica Common Uses Boat building (general), Boat building: framing, Flooring, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Light construction, Shingles, Vehicle parts Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Endangered Heartwood Color Red Brown Pink Purple Black Pale brown Greenish to greyish Sapwood Color White Yellow Pink Green/Grey Brown Well defined Paler than heartwood Grain Even Straight Figure Distinct (figure) Straight Distinct figure Texture Medium Coarse Fine Medium to coarse Medium Fine Fine to medium Coarse Luster Medium High Low Pronounced Lustrous Natural Durability Durable Moderately durable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to termites Non-resistant to marine borers Very durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Perishable Resistant to powder post beetles Non-durable Non-resistant to termites Durable Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Very durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Odor Has an odor Toxicity Some toxic effects Drying Defects Splitting Distortion Collapse Checking Internal Honeycombing Possible Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Tree Size Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 10-20 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Bole length is 10-20 m Bole length is 20-30 m Certified Source Certified Source Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Little Moderate Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Easy Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Surface Preparation Carefully Controlled Conditions Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Pre-Boring Recommended Poor to Very Poor Results Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Sanding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Easy to turn Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Suitable for slicing No drying degrade Veneers moderately easy Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Painting Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory results Staining Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Varnishing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 67 -75 lbs/cu.ft. Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Density 36 lbs/ft3 Weight 35 33 lbs/ft3 Item Green Dry Metric Density 576 kg/m3 References Basilis, G.,1978,El Roble (Catalpa longissima,El Forestal 2(8) pp18-21 Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 9 Central America and the Caribbean,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Burns, L.V.,1942,Roofing Shingles in Jamaica,Caribbean Forester 4(1) pp9-15 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 Longwood, F.R.,1962,Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.207 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 Swabey, C.,1941,The Principal Timbers of Jamaica,Department of Science and Agriculture Jamaica Bulletin No.29 Wolcott, G.N.,1950,An Index to the Termite Resistance of Woods,Agricultural Experimental Station, University of Puerto Rico Bulletin,No.85