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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 Kiln Schedules 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 Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Substitutes Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Dalbergia nigra Trade Name Brazilian rosewood Family Name Leguminosae Common Names Babia rosewood, Bahia rosewood, Brazilian rosewood, Caa-biuna, Cabeuna, Cabiuna, Cambore, Camboriuna, Caviuna, Jacaranda, Jacaranda cabiuna, Jacaranda de Brasil, Jacaranda wood, Jacaranda-da-bahia, Jacaranda-preto, Jacaranda-rajado, Jacaranda-roxo, Jacarandaholz, Jacarandá, Jacardanda de Brasil, Legno di jacaranda, Madera de palisandro, Marnut, Palisander, Palisander wood, Palisanderholz, Palissander, Palissandre da Brésil, Palissandre du bresil, Palissandro, Pau preto, Rio rosewood, Rosewood, South American rosewood, Urauna Regions of Distribution Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brazil, India Common Uses Bedroom suites, Billiard-cue butts, Boat building (general), Bobbins, Boxes and crates, Brush backs & handles, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Drawer sides, Drum sticks, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture, Handles, Handles: woodworking tools, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Marquetry, Mine timbers, Musical instruments , Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Office furniture, Organ pipes, Paneling , Paneling, Piano keys, Pianos , Picker sticks, Plywood, Poles, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Shade rollers, Shafts/Handles, Shuttles, Sounding boards, Specialty items, Spindles, Spools, Sporting Goods, Stencil & chisel blocks, Sucker rods, Tool handles, Turnery, Umbrella handles , Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare within its range Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center A recommendation has been made to ban the species from commercial trade (Source - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora - CITES - March 1993) Distribution Overview Brazil (Bahia, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo). The species is encountered equally in primary and secondary formations, occurring on soils of low natural fertility, deep clay and clay-sand soils with good drainage. It is able to tolerate dry conditions. Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow Orange Pink Purple White Purple Brown Dark brown Black Pale brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Red Sapwood Color White Yellow White to yellow Clearly differentiated from the heartwood Grain Straight Wavy Even Closed Figure Interlocked Weak (figure) Rippled (figure) Spiral Straight Wavy Weak figure Rippled figure May be wavy or curly Interlocked Generally straight, but not always Spiral grain occasionally Texture Coarse Medium Medium Medium to coarse Coarse The wood has large pores that are quite irregular in size and position. It has an oily or waxy appearance and is gritty to the touch. Luster High Medium Lustrous Medium Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to powder post beetles Perishable Non-resistant to termites Non-durable Non-resistant to marine borers Very durable Durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Pinworm (ambrosia beetle) attack may be present in the standing tree Felled logs are not resistant to attack by Pinworm (ambrosia beetle) The heartwood is highly reputed to be very resistant to termite, insect and fungus attack. Odor May have a distinctive taste May be fragrant when green The wood has a very fragrant aroma similar to that of roses when cut. The smell, which is less pronounced in younger trees, is also discernible when the wood is burned Toxicity Dramatic effects Unspecified toxicity Respiratory effects Needle-Like crystals can cause skin irritation in some individuals Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed UK=C US=T3C2/T3C1 Fr=3 T3 - C2 (4/4); T3 - C1 (8/4) US Drying Defects Collapse Internal Honeycombing Possible Distortion Moderate surface checking Slight surface checking Slight end splitting Moderate end spitting The wood shows a slight tendency to check and distort during drying. Splitting is also a typical drying defect Ease of Drying Rapidly Fairly Easy Reconditioning Treatement Requires slow and careful seasoning to prevent degrade. Kiln dries well Dries slowly Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Rapid Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is misshapen Tree Size Bole length is 30-40 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Bole length is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Tree height is 50-60 m Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Sapwood width is 10-15 cm The often buttressed trees are reported to develop boles that are usually short and irregular in shape Product Sources Brazillian rosewood is scarce in the more accessible areas because of over-harvesting, but some timber from the species is available from environmentally responsible sources. Supplies of Brazilian rosewood are very limited because of shortages, making it quite expensive. Related species are available on the market as substitutes for true Rosewood. Certified Source Certified Source Substitutes Ogea (Daniellia ogea ) Comments Generally strong and durable High waste factor Since they are usually hollow. Usable volume may be reduced considerably after the undesirable sapwood is removed. Ironically, old trees with defective stems are reported to yield the most attractive material. Brazillian rosewood is far superior in hardness than any of the native N. American hardwoods used in furniture manufacturing. Rosewood is also the primary choice as a tonewood for the highest quality stringed musical instruments Blunting Effect Little Moderate High to severe Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is severe Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Blunting effect is rather severe but the timber is not too difficult to work Boring Fair to good results Fairly difficult to very difficult Vary from difficult to easy Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Moderate to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Satisfactory gluing properties Some care is required because of the high density of the wood Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Poor to Very Poor Results Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Stability is good Shape retention after manufacture is usually very good Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Pre-boring recommended Difficult to nail Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Ease of planing is moderate Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Resistant heartwood Preservation is believed to be unnecessary and probably undesirable because of the traditional uses of the wood. Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Easy to machine Moderate working qualities Difficult to machine Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Screwing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Possible if prebored Difficult to screw Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good results Easy to turn Veneering Qualities Suitable for slicing Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Tends to Degrade Unsuitable Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very good Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Poor results Polished surfaces are very smooth and shiny Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu.ft. Max. crushing strength = high Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Radial = small Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Hardness (side grain) = very hard Shrinkage, Tangential = large Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Volumetric = small Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = very small