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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 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 Light-Induced Color Change Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Lonchocarpus hedyosmus Trade Name Bastard locust Family Name Leguminosae Common Names Bastard locust, Nickerie basralokus, Sindjaple Regions of Distribution Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Guyana, Suriname Common Uses Bridge construction, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Mine timbers, Piling, Turnery, Wheel spokes, Wheels Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Distribution Overview The Lonchocarpus group is found throughout tropical America; generally on open hillsides and rather dry plains at low or moderate elevations.  In Surinam occasional to locally frequent in high forests and marsh forests on alluvial flats.  Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Orange Black Green/grey Red Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Brown White to cream Dark brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red Green/Grey Pink White to yellow Different than heartwood Clearly differentiated from the heartwood Grain Figure Even Interlocked Straight Other (figure) Interlocked Straight Other figure Texture Medium Fine Coarse Even or uniform Medium coarse to coarse Coarse Luster Medium High Lustrous Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to powder post beetles Moderately durable Non-resistant to termites Non-resistant to marine borers Durable Resistant to termites Perishable Resistant to powder post beetles Non-durable Moderately durable Heartwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Susceptible to marine borer attack Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Odor Has a taste Silica Content Moderate Light-Induced Color Change Darker Toxicity Some toxic effects Drying Defects Splitting Distortion Extension of Existing Shakes Ring Shakes Checking Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Slowly Reconditioning Treatement Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries slowly Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Tree Identification Bole/stem form is cylindrical Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Bole length is 20-30 m Tree height is 40-50 m Bole length is 10-20 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Tree height is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Blunting Effect Little Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Medium Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Poor to Very Poor Results Difficult to nail Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Difficult to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Permeable heartwood Heartwood is resistant Heartwood is extremely resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Difficult to machine Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Good results Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Suitable for slicing Veneers moderately easy No drying degrade Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Painting Good results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Staining Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Surface Preparation Very Good to Excellent Results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 53 - 60 lbs/cu. ft. Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Max. crushing strength = high Work to Maximum Load = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shrinkage, Radial = small Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Hardness (side grain) = hard Density (dry weight) = 61 - 67 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 11442 17761 psi Density 54 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2318 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 6899 9945 psi Shearing Strength 2205 psi Stiffness 1916 2208 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 12 17 inch-lbs/in3 Weight 53 43 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 804 1248 kg/cm2 Density 865 kg/m3 Hardness 1051 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 485 699 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 155 kg/cm2 Stiffness 134 155 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.84 1.19 cm-kg/cm3 Weight 849 689 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % 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 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 Vink, A.T.,1965,Surinam Timbers,Surinam Forest Service Paramaribo,3rd rev. ed.