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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 Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing References Regions of Distribution Response to Hand Tools Scientific Name Silica Content Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Scientific Name Lecythis paraensis Trade Name Castanna sapucaia Family Name Lecythidaceae Common Names Castanna sapucaia, Jacapucaio, Paradise nut, Quatele, Sapucaia Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brazil, Nicaragua Common Uses Agricultural implements, Boat building: framing, Bridge construction, Heavy construction, Joinery, Marine construction, Piling, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods, Tool handles, Wharf construction Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Orange Black Grain Even Straight Straight Texture Fine Fine Natural Durability Perishable Moderately durable Non-durable Resistant to marine borers Resistant to termites Resistant to attack from marine borers Moderately resistant to marine borer attack Silica Content High Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Drying Defects Checking Distortion Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking Slight spring/bow Slight end splitting No surface checking No end splitting No cupping, generally No twisting or warping Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Moderately Difficult to Difficult Easy Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 40-50 m Blunting Effect High to severe Blunting effect on machining is slight Boring Moderately easy Cutting Resistance Cutting Resistance with green wood is moderate Cutting Resistance with dry wood is moderate Planing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Planes well, to a good finish Ease of planing is moderate Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Moderate working qualities Difficult to machine Strength Properties Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Hardness (side grain) = very hard Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Max. crushing strength = high Max. crucshing strength = very high Bending strength (MOR) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 17241 25113 psi Hardness 2940 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 8467 11767 psi Shearing Strength 2847 psi Stiffness 2373 2752 1000 psi Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 1212 1765 kg/cm2 Hardness 1333 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 595 827 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 200 kg/cm2 Stiffness 166 193 1000 kg/cm2 Radial Shrinkage 5 % References Almeida, D.G. de, Costa, J.R. da,1956,Madeiras do Brasil. (Timbers of Brazil.,Min. Ag. Servico de Economia Rural, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,pp56 Edmondson, C.H.,1949,Reaction of Woods from S.America and Caribbean areas to Marine Borers in,Hawaiian Waters,Caribbean Foresters,10(1,PP37-41 Longwood, F.R.,1962,Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.207 Volkart, C.,1965,Recopilacion dedatos sobre propiedacies y usos maderos del Bosque Tropical,de las Costa Atlantica de Nicaragua,Turrialba,15(1, pp43-57 Wangaard, F.F., et al,1954,Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods 4,Tropical Woods,14(99, pp1-187