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content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" http-equiv="content-type"> 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 Comments Common Names Common Uses Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Grain Heartwood Color Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Painting Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Couratari panamensis Trade Name Balata blanc Family Name Lecythidaceae Common Names Balata blanc, Congolo garepelo, Couratari, Ipipjo, Mari-mori, Oelemali, Tabari, Tauary, Wadala Regions of Distribution Central America Common Uses Heavy construction, Light construction Environmental Profile Rare Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow Purple Orange Pink Red Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown White to yellow Pinkish Grain Figure Closed Even Growth rings (figure) Straight Wavy Mottled (figure) Texture Fine Medium Coarse Luster Low Pronounced Natural Durability Durable Perishable Moderately durable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to powder post beetles Drying Defects Splitting Checking Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Moderately Difficult to Difficult Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 40-50 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 50-60 m Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Comments General finishing qualities are rated as satisfactory Blunting Effect Moderate Boring Fair to good results Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Straight Figure Interlocked Even Other (figure) Silver tint (figure) Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Veneering Qualities Veneers easily Veneers moderately easy Suitable for peeling No drying degrade Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Painting Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Staining Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Strength Properties Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 6111 9589 psi Stiffness 1665 1923 1000 psi Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 4 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 429 674 kg/cm2 Stiffness 117 135 1000 kg/cm2 Radial Shrinkage 2 % References Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press 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