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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 Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Oxandra lanceolata Trade Name West Indian lancewood Family Name Annonaceae Synonyms Oxandra virgata, Uvaria lanceolata, Uvaria virgata, Bocagea virgata, Guatteria virgata Common Names Asta, Biriba, Black lancewood, Bois d'arc, Bois de lance, Bufumo, Embyu branco, Envira preta, Guanabanillo, Haya, Haya blanca, Haya preita, Haya prieta, Lancewood, Lanzenholz, Palo de lanza, West Indian lancewood, White lancewood, Yaya, Yaya boba, Yaya boba macho, Yaya bobo, Yaya comun, Yaya de monte, Yaya hembra, Yaya prieta Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brazil, Cuba, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Netherlands, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico [US], Puerto Rico, Venezuela Common Uses Agricultural implements, Billiard-cue butts, Bobbins, Carvings, Fishing rods , Fishing rods, Handles, Handles: general, Handles: woodworking tools, Mathematical instruments, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Picker sticks, Railroad ties, Shade rollers, Shafts/Handles, Shuttles, Specialty items, Spindles, Spools, Sporting Goods, Stencil & chisel blocks, Sucker rods, Textile equipment, Tool handles, Turnery, Umbrella handles , Vehicle parts, Wheel spokes Environmental Profile Status within range has not been officially determined Distribution Overview The species is indigenous to the Carribean islands, and is most prominent in Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica. Some similar but separate species are reported to grow in the Amazon basin. Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow Purple Orange Pink Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Black Greenish to greyish Older trees develop heartwood that is darker in color than the pale yellow sapwood. Sapwood Color White Yellow White to yellow Well defined Same as heartwood The sapwood, which is commercially preferred over the heartwood, is pale yellow in color Grain Straight Even Straight The grain is typically straight Texture Coarse Medium Fine Luster Medium Lustrous Pronounced Medium Dull Natural Durability Moderately durable Durable Perishable Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to termites Non-resistant to marine borers Non-durable Non durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Perishable Moderately durable Durable The timber has little or no natural resistance to attack by decay causing organisms and other wood destroying insects. Resistance to abrasion is high. Odor No specific smell or taste Drying Defects Distortion Checking Splitting Slight surface checking Slight end splitting End-grain should be sealed to prevent the wood from checking Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Slowly Volumetric shrinkage is rather high Moderate Difficult Material from Panama is moderately difficult to air-dry Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Very slow Drying rate is slow Tree Size Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Bole length is 10-20 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Bark width is 10-15 mm Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm The tree is slender, growing to height that is rarely more than 50 feet (15 m) and a diameter of about 18 inches (45 cm). Product Sources Commercial use of Lancewood is on the decline. Although supplies are adequate, availability thorugh retail outlets in the US is limited. Boards are seldom available in widths greater than 5 or 6 inches (13 or 15 cm), which limits the use of Lancewood as a cabinetwood. Younger Lancewood trees are preferred over older trees since they contain a higher proportion of the commercially useful sapwood. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good The wood is very strong, extremely elastic, and has good resistance to abrasion. The mechanical properties given are those of species in the genus that grows in Panama and corresponds to a basic specific gravity of 0.75 Blunting Effect Moderate Blunting effect on machining is slight Blunting effect on machining is moderate Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Boring Fairly easy to very easy Boring operations are moderately difficult because of high density Carving Heartwood is very difficult to treat Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Moderate to fairly difficult to saw Mortising Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results The wood is very dense, and may be moderately difficult to mortise, but it works to yield smooth surfaces Moulding Moderate moulding characteristics Nailing Possible if prebored Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Planes well, to a good finish Planing yields smooth surfaces Moderately difficult to plane High density makes wood difficult to plane and work Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Resistance to Splitting Poor Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Difficult to machine Easy to machine Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Routing is easy Sanding Very Good Sanding Properties Screwing Poor results Possible if prebored Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Good results Easy to turn Finish is generally satisfactory Excellent It is reported to cut and shape like Hickory. Steam Bending Unsuitable Poor to Very Poor Results Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Satisfactory results Good results Lancewood takes a high polish Staining Finish is generally satisfactory Finish is generally good Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = large Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large May require special tools to process Density = high The species is considerably stronger than White oak or Teak. It has exceptionally high bending strength qualities when air-dried Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 23226 psi Density 61 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2773 lbs Stiffness 2842 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.73 Weight 59 47 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % Volumetric Shrinkage 15 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 1632 kg/cm2 Density 977 kg/m3 Hardness 1257 kg Stiffness 199 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.73 Weight 945 753 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % References Arno, J. 1991. Oxandra lanceolata - Lancewood. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 258-259. 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 Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 9 Central America and the Caribbean,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Clifford, N.,1953,Commercial Hardwoods - Their Characteristics Identification and,Utilization,Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. London Clifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. London Cox, H.A.,1939,A Handbook of Empire Timbers,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO Findlay, W.P.K.,1975,Timber: Properties and Uses,Crosby Lockwood Staples London,224PP Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1945,A Handbook of Empire Timbers,Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Forest Products Research Forests Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1956,A Handbook of Hardwoods,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Department of,Science and Industrial Research, Building Research Establishment Fors, A.J.,1965,Maderas Cubanas,Inst. Nac. Ref. Agraria La Habara HMSO. 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer, Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed. 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 Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Record, S.J., Mell, C.D.,1924,Timbers of Tropical America,Yale Univ. Press Schiffino, J.,1945,Riqueza Forestal Dominicana (Three volumes,Secretaria de Estado de Agric. Ind. y Trabajo Swabey, C.,1941,The Principal Timbers of Jamaica,Department of Science and Agriculture Jamaica Bulletin No.29 Timber Development Association,1948,Some New Timbers and Their Uses No. 34,Timber Development Association Limited, London [TRADA] Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition Woods, R.P.,1949,Timbers of South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series