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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. Boring Carving 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 Painting Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Guarea trichilioides Trade Name American muskwood Family Name Meliaceae Synonyms Guarea guara Common Names Acajou, Alligator wood, American guarea, American muskwood, Atapio, Atauba, Ato blanco, Bilibili, Bois bale, Bois pistolet, Bois rouge, Buck vomit, Cabimbo, Cabirma, Cabirmasanta, Cambotata, Carbonero, Carrapeteiro, Cedrillo, Cedro dulce, Cedro macho, Cedrohy, Cedron, Cedrophy, Coquito de montana, Cramantee, Cramantree, Diofiesirie, Fruta de loro, Gito, Guano blanco, Guaraguao, Karaba-balli, Latapi, Latapicaspi, Manu, Mestizo, Pico del oro, Redwood, Requia, Shuparai, Trompeto, Trompillo, Wild akee, Yamagua, Yamao, Zambo cedro Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Panama, Puerto Rico [US], Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela Common Uses Beams, Bedroom suites, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Concrete formwork, Construction, Cooperages, Core Stock, Decks, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory construction, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Joists, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Paneling, Plywood, Shipbuilding, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer Environmental Profile Extinct Abundant/Secure Vulnerable Endangered Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview West Indies, Mexico, Central America, southern Brazil and Argentina. Heartwood Color Brown Red Purple Pale red to pink Reddish brown Red Pinkish brown Greenish to greyish Dark brown Brown Sapwood Color White Green/Grey White to yellow Different than heartwood The sapwood is distinct from the heartwood, but is not clearly demarcated Grain Straight Figure Even Other (figure) Straight Other figure Texture Coarse Medium Luster Slightly lustrous Low Dull Natural Durability Durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to wood staining fungal attack Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Heartwood resistant to dry-wood termites Heartwood resistant to decay Odor Seasoned wood has slight taste but no distinctive odor Aromatic scent when green Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Dry at a slow speed T6 - D2 (4/4); T3 - D1 (8/4) US/T6 - D2 (4/4); T3 - D1 (8/4) US Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is slow Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is slow Drying Defects Splitting Moderate twist/warp Warping can be expected No surface checking Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Dries slowly with little degrade Air dries slowly Kiln Drying Rate Slow (18-28 days for boards < 32 mm, to 52-84 days for boards >= 63 mm) Tree Identification Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is fluted Bole/stem form is cylindrical Tree Size Bole length is 0-10 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Buttresses, when present, are about 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 m) high, and the tree develops a stem that is straight to irregular. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Moderately easy The wood is difficult to bore, and has a tendency to crumble and tear. Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Low cutting resistance Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Finishes well Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Stable The timber is dimensionally stable after seasoning to the appropriate moisture content for use. Nailing Fair to Good Results Pre-Boring Recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Poor to Very Poor Results Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Yields clean surfaces Planes well, to a good finish Machines well with ordinary tools The timber planes, moulds, mortises, turns, and carves easily to produce fairly clean surfaces. Resistance to Impregnation Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is extremely resistant Not responsive to impregnation The sapwood and heartwood are very difficult to treat with preservatives and are rated as non-responsive. Resistance to Splitting Good Response to Hand Tools Easy to machine Good response to hand tools Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Good sanding qualities Good sanding finish Screwing Fair to Good Results Pre-boring recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Screwing yields good results Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Veneering Qualities Steaming required to prepare bolts Painting Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Staining Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Varnishing Good results Strength Properties Bending strength (MOR) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Max. crushing strength = medium Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Radial = small Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Max. crushing strength = high Hardness (side grain) = soft Bending strength (MOR) = low Toughness (total work) = very low Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 8610 12674 psi Density 40 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1040 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 4627 7110 psi Shearing Strength 1713 psi Stiffness 1406 1634 1000 psi Toughness 95 inch-lbs Specific Gravity 0.47 Weight 39 31 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % Volumetric Shrinkage 11 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 605 891 kg/cm2 Density 641 kg/m3 Hardness 471 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 325 499 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 120 kg/cm2 Stiffness 98 114 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 109 cm-kg Specific Gravity 0.47 Weight 624 496 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % References 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. Brooks, R.L., et al,1941,Durability tests on Untreated Timbers in Trinidad,Caribbean Forester,2(3,pp101-119 Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Fanshawe, D.B.,1954,Forest Products of British Guiana Part 1 Principal Timbers,Forest Department British Guiana Forestry Bulletin (New Series 2nd,Edition,No.1 Kynoch, W., Norton, N.A.,1938,Mechanical Properties of certain tropical woods chiefly from S. America,School of Forestry and Conservation, University of Michigan Bulletin,No.7 Little, E.L., Wadsworth, F.H.,1964,Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.249 Little, E.L.,1948,A Collection of Tree Specimens from Western Ecuador,Caribbean Forester,9(3,pp215-98 Longwood, F.R.,1961,Puerto Rican Woods - Their Machining Seasoning and Related Characteristics,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.205 Marshall, R.C.,1934,Trees of Trinidad and Tobago,Government Printer Port of Spain Trinidad Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Smith, E.E.,1954,The Forests of Cuba,Maria Moors Cabot Foundation,U.S.A. Publication, No. 2 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