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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 Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Staining Substitutes Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Guaiacum spp. Trade Name Lignumvitae Family Name Zygophyllaceae Common Names Guayacan, Lignumvitae, Palo santo Regions of Distribution Central America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Bahamas, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, United States, Venezuela Common Uses Bearings & bushings, Bushing blocks, Farm vehicles, Machinery parts, Naval architecture, Pulley sheaves, Textile equipment, Turnery, Wheels Environmental Profile Questionable Extinct Abundant/Secure Endangered Source- Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species -CITES May soon become Endangered if over-exploitation and habitat destruction persists Lignum vitae (G. officinale and G. sanctum ) are both facing potential threat of becoming endangered. A government issued export permit is required to verify that the material is salvaged or from a sustainably managed source, such as a plantation Distribution Overview West Indies, coastal region of tropical Mexico, west coast of Central America, and northern fringe of Colombia and adjacent areas in Venezuela.  Largely confined to dry exposed sites and does well on shallow soils. Heartwood Color Brown Red Pink Greenish to greyish Dark brown Black The color of the heartwood ranges from dark greenish brown to almost black Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Pale yellow Cream Clearly differentiated from the heartwood Grain Figure Interlocked Irregular Roey (figure) Very irregular and roey Moderately to severely interlocked Texture Fine Medium Coarse Very fine Lignum vitae is especially waxy because of high guaiac gum content which accounts for about 30 percent of the weight of the wood Luster High Natural Durability Resistant to termites Susceptible to insect attack Durable Resistant to powder post beetles Resistant to marine borers Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to termites Moderately durable Heartwood resistant to attack by termites Heartwood resistant to attack by marine borers Heartwood has high natural resistance Green wood is somewhat susceptible to attack by longhorn beetle Odor May have a mild taste The timber is slightly scented when it is warmed or rubbed, and the taste has been decsribed as slightly acidic Silica Content Siliceous Kiln Schedules T2 - C2 (4/4); T2 - C1 (8/4) US/T2 - C2 (4/4); T2 - C1 (8/4) U Drying Defects Splitting Checking Distortion Shakes End splitting Shakes and end-splits are some common drying defects. End coating is recommended to minimize degrade Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Slowly Reconditioning Treatement Requires care Difficult Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Tree Size Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Bole length is 10-20 m Bole length is 0-10 m Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Tree height is 10-20 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Product Sources Lignum vitae is available in the form of small logs and is sold by weight. The material is typically marketed in pre-fabricated shapes for specific uses, and rarely in lumber form. Certified Source Certified Source Substitutes Okan (Cylicodiscus gabunensis) Comments Lignum vitae is reported to produce some of the heaviest and hardest timbers on the market. Strength properties are very high, and the wood is unequalled as material for ships' propeller bushings and bearings. The timber is reported to last about three times as long as steel or bronze for these applications because of its self lubricating properties. Splitting Straight grained material is difficult to split radially Blunting Effect Moderate High to severe Cuting edges are dulled moderately Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Difficult The wood is difficult to bore, and drilling operations are suggested to be done at slow speeds Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor response to carving operations Cutting Resistance Easy to saw The timber is very hard and heavy, and the heartwood is very difficult to saw. The sapwood is much less hard and brittle Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Use special attention for best results Lignum vitae timbers contain unusually high amounts of resin, which tend to make them oily. Surface treatment is essential in gluing. The timber responds better to synthetic adhesives Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Difficult to mortise Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Difficult moulding qualities Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Seasoned wood is reported to acquire moderate dimensional stability Nailing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Special attention suggested for best results Difficult to plane The timber is difficult to plane, and tends to ride on cutters. A cutting angle of 15 degrees or less is recommended Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Lignum vitae is barely treatable because of high density and high resin contents, but it is so durable that it can be used without preservative treatment. Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Heartwood is very difficult to work with hand tools Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor routing characteristics Sanding Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to sand The material is difficult to work in sanding, and considerable clogging of sandpaper is not uncommon because of high gum content Screwing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Pre-boring recommended Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Excellent Lignum vitae is an excellent wood for turnery work Veneering Qualities Veneers easily Suitable for slicing Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Polishing characteristics are rated as good, and is typically the only form of finishing since there is no advantage gained from further surface treatment Staining Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Density 77 lbs/ft3 Hardness 4410 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 11172 psi Toughness 162 inch-lbs Specific Gravity 0.97 1.15 Weight 74 61. lbs/ft3 Item Green Dry Metric Density 1233 kg/m3 Hardness 2000 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 785 kg/cm2 Toughness 186 cm-kg Specific Gravity 0.97 1.15 References 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. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1991. Good Wood Handbook - The Woodworker's Guide to Identifying, Selecting and Using the Right Wood. Betterway Publications, Cincinnati, Ohio. Kline, M. 1976. Guaiacum officinale - Lignumvitae. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. Page 178-179. Little, E.L. 1980. The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.