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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 Family Name Grain Heartwood Color Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Abrasion Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Lysiloma bahamensis Trade Name Abey Family Name Leguminosae Common Names Abey, Bahama lysiloma, Bahama sabicu, Dzalam, Frijolillo, Frijolillo cuadrado, Frijolillo redondo, Horshflesh, Sabicu, Salom, Saplillo, T'zalam, Tabernau, Taverrnon, Tzalam, Tzucte, Tzukte, Wild tamarind, Xiazek Regions of Distribution Central America, North America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Bahamas, Belize, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, United States Common Uses Boat building (general), Cabinetmaking, Flooring, Furniture, Heavy construction, Light construction, Paneling, Plywood, Posts, Railroad ties, Tool handles Distribution Overview Chiefly a Mexican genus with extensions into Central America, southernmost parts of the United States, and the Greater Antilles. Heartwood Color Brown Brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Pale brown Sapwood Color Brown Yellow White to yellow Grain Straight Even Figure Distinct (figure) Straight Distinct figure Texture Fine Even or uniform Uniform Medium Medium Coarse Luster Lustrous Slightly lustrous Natural Durability Very durable Durable Durable Resistant to wood staining fungal attack Moderately durable Drying Defects Splitting Extension of Existing Shakes Checking Severe end splitting Ease of Drying Medium to High Shrinkage Moderately Difficult to Difficult Easy Difficult Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Carving Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Gum-Up Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Resistance to Abrasion High Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Response to Hand Tools Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Screwing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Turning Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Veneering Qualities Suitable for slicing Easy to cut Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Strength Properties Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 7711 12078 psi Density 43 lbs/ft3 Stiffness 1341 1560 1000 psi Weight 42 34 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 542 849 kg/cm2 Density 689 kg/m3 Stiffness 94 109 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 673 544 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % References Echenique-Manrique, R., Diaz Gomez, V.,1969,Algunas Caracteristicas Technologicas de la Madera de once Especies,Mexicanas. (Some technological characteristics of the wood of eleven,Mexican species.,Inst. Nac. Inv. For. Mexico Boletin Tecnico,27 Fors, A.J.,1965,Maderas Cubanas,Inst. Nac. Ref. Agraria La Habara Gerry, E.,1954,Sabicu - Lysiloma latisiliqua,USA Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory,,Madison, Info. Leaflet Foreign Woods Series,No.2002 Kribs, D.A.,1950,Commercial and Foreign Woods on the American Market (a manual to their,structure, identification, uses and distribution,U.S.A. Penn. State College, Tropical Woods Laboratory Pennington, T.D., Sarukhan, J.,1968,Manual para la Identificacion de campo de los Principales Arboles,Tropicales de Mexico,Inst. Nac. Inv. For. Mexico Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Saks, E.V.,1954,Tropical Hardwoods for veneer Production in Mexico,Caribbean Forester,15(3&4, pp112-9