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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 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 Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Enterolobium cyclocarpum Trade Name Guanacaste Family Name Leguminosae Common Names Acacia franc, Algarrobo carretera, Algarrobo de orejas, Anjera, Arbol de las orejas, Arbol de orejas, Bois tanni, Cabellos de venus, Carita, Carito, Caro, Caro hembra, Carocaro, Cascabel sonaja, Central American walnut, Conacaste, Conocaste, Coratu, Corotu, Cuanacaztle, Cuau-nacaztli, Devils ear, Earpod, Genisero, Genizero, Guanacaste, Guanacaste negro, Harina, Huanacaxtle, Huinecaztle, Jarina, Jenezero, Jenisero, Jenizero, Juana costa mahogany, Kelobra, Kolobra, Mexican walnut, Nacaxtle, Nacazle, Oreja, Oreja de judio, Orejas, Orejero, Orejo, Oriera, Parota, Perota, Piche, Pichwood, South American walnut, Tamboril, Timbauba, Timbo, Timbo Color, Tubroos Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela Common Uses Bent Parts, Blockboard, Boat building (general), Boat building: framing, Boxes and crates, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Concrete formwork, Core Stock, Cutting surfaces, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Drawer sides, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Fishnet floats, Floats, Food containers, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Millwork, Moldings, Office furniture, Packing cases, Paneling , Paneling, Particleboard, Plain veneer, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Stools, Structural work, Trimming, Utility furniture, Veneer, Wainscotting, Wardrobes Environmental Profile Secure in many areas of its range Generally secure within its natural habitat Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Distribution Overview Mexico and southward through Central America to Trinidad, Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil (including Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia); often planted as an ornamental. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Red Orange Purple Black Brown Reddish brown Pale brown Greenish to greyish Dark brown Walnut brown, with dark variegated streaks and a greenish cast Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Green/Grey White to yellow Well defined Clearly differentiated from the heartwood Grain Interlocked Figure Straight Stripe (figure) Even Other (figure) Growth rings (figure) Interlocked Straight Striped figure Other figure Clear growth rings (figure) Guanacaste crotches are often highly figured. Texture Coarse Coarse Medium to coarse Medium Luster Medium Pronounced Lustrous Natural Durability Very durable Resistant to marine borers Resistant to termites Durable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to marine borers Moderately durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present Non durable Very resistant to termite attack. Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Perishable Heartwood resistant to decay Durable Durability in water is very high, and the large trunks are usually hollowed out into canoes and water troughs. Odor Sawdust is pungent and may cause irritation in some individuals. No specific smell or taste Toxicity Some toxic effects Respiratory effects Unspecified toxicity Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Splitting Distortion Slight twist/warp Slight end splitting Slight surface checking No twisting or warping No surface checking Air seasons rapidly with a slight tendency to warp or split. Ease of Drying Slowly Easy Dries at a fairly rapid rate Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is cylindrical Tree Size Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Bark width is 15-20 mm Bole length is 0-10 m Product Sources The ITTO reports that the species is a fairly important source of timber. Export potential is rated as fair. Guanacaste is available in the lumber form at a medium price, but quartered veneer, crotches and swirls are rather scarce. Although the wood is described as useful and attractive, it is not classed as a high grade furniture wood. Comments Abnormal Wood Tissue General finishing qualities are rated as good Tension wood is rather common. Blunting Effect High to severe Moderate Blunting effect on machining is moderate Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is moderate Blunting effect on machining is slight Boring Fairly easy to very easy Easy Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Low resistance Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to glue Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Stable Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Pre-Boring Recommended Easy to nail Holds nails well Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Ease of planing is moderate Easy to plane Raised and chipped grain are common because of tension wood. Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to Work Easy to machine Variable qualities Sanding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Screwing Pre-boring recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very Good to Excellent Results Yields smooth, clean surface. Poor results Easy to turn End-Grain material may produce rough surfaces Veneering Qualities Suitable for slicing Difficult to veneer Suitable for peeling Moderately easy to veneer Suitable for slicing Suitable for peeling Easy to cut Painting Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Satisfactory results Good results Varnishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Shrinkage, Radial = very small Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = small Bending strength (MOR) = low Shrinkage, Volumetric = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Hardness (side grain) = very soft Density (dry weight) = 15-22 lbs/cu. ft. Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Max. crushing strength = low Bending strength (MOR) = very low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Max. crushing strength = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 5108 8273 psi Density 26 lbs/ft3 Hardness 422 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 3726 5473 psi Shearing Strength 882 psi Stiffness 911 1230 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.3 0.46 Weight 25 22 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 5 % Volumetric Shrinkage 6 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 359 581 kg/cm2 Density 416 kg/m3 Hardness 191 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 261 384 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 62 kg/cm2 Stiffness 64 86 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.3 0.46 Weight 400 352 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 5 % References Belize,1946,42 Secondary Hardwood Timbers of British Honduras,British Honduras Forest Department Bulletin,No.1 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 Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods - Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Brazier, J.D., Franklin, G.L.,1967,An Appraisal of the Wood Characteristics and Potential Uses of some,Nicaraguan Timbers,FAO for Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough Brown, W.H.,1969,Properties and uses of Tropical hardwoods in the United Kingdom. Part 1,Nonstructural properties and uses.,Conference on Tropical hardwoods SC-5/TN-5, Syracuse University Chichignoud, M., G. Deon, P. Detienne, B. Parant and P. Vantomme. 1990. Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO, Centre Technique Forestier Tropical, Division of CIRAD, 45 bis Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne, CEDEX, France. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Clifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. London Constantine, Jr., A. J. 1959. Know Your Woods - A Complete Guide to Trees, Woods, and Veneers. Revised Edition. Revised by H.J. Hobbs. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Davis, E.M.,1949,Exploratory tests in machining and related properties of 15 Tropical,American Hardwoods,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison,Report,No.1744 Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Falla Ramirez, A.,1971,Resultados de Estudios Fisico-Mechanicos de Algunas Maderas de la Serrania,de San Lucas. (Some timbers of the San Lucas mountain range.,Plegable Divulgativo, Div. Forestal, Inderena Colombia,pp6 Flores Rodriguez, L.J.,1969,Description Caracteristicas y usos de 25 Maderas tropicales,Mexicanas,Camera Nacional de la Indust