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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 Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Substitutes Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Pentaclethra macroloba Trade Name Apara Family Name Leguminosae Synonyms Pentaclethra filamentosa Common Names Apara, Ataka, Bois mulatre, Carbonero, Fine-leaf, Gabilan, Gavilan, Koeroebahara, Koeroeballi, Koorooballi, Koroballi, Kroebara, Mulato, Oil bean, Palo de aceite, Palo mulato, Parana-cachy, Paroa-caxy, Pracachy, Pracaxy, Sangredo fabo, Trysil, Wild tamarind Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brazil, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela Common Uses Flooring, Fuelwood, Furniture, Heavy construction, Light construction, Plywood, Poles, Veneer Environmental Profile Vulnerable Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow Purple Orange Brown Pale red to pink Pale brown Dark brown Sapwood Color White Red Green/Grey Brown White to yellow Well defined Pinkish Grain Figure Even Straight Other (figure) Weak (figure) Straight Other figure Weak figure Texture Medium Coarse Fine Medium Luster Medium High Lustrous Natural Durability Moderately durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Susceptible to insect attack Non-durable Perishable Durable Durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to wood staining fungal attack Moderately durable Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Drying Defects Distortion Collapse Internal Honeycombing Possible Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Variable Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Substitutes The species is an excellent substitute for Teak (Tectona grandis ) in most applications, especially where durability and stability are required. Afrormosia has good resistance to wear, it is rated slightly higher in strength and hardness than teak, but has only fair bending properties Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Little Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Easy Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to mortise Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to mould Nailing Fair to Good Results Difficult to nail Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Difficult to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is permeable Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to sand Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to turn Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Polishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Staining Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Max. crushing strength = high Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Hardness (side grain) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 11442 17761 psi Density 47 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1658 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 6899 9945 psi Stiffness 1916 2208 1000 psi Weight 46 37 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % Volumetric Shrinkage 13 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 804 1248 kg/cm2 Density 753 kg/m3 Hardness 752 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 485 699 kg/cm2 Stiffness 134 155 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 737 592 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % References Brooks, R.L., et al,1941,Durability tests on Untreated Timbers in Trinidad,Caribbean Forester,2(3,pp101-119 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 Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO Marshall, R.C.,1934,Trees of Trinidad and Tobago,Government Printer Port of Spain Trinidad Marshall, R.C.,1939,Silviculture of the trees of Trinidad and Tobago - British West Indies,O.U.P.,London Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press 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 Tropical Timber Information Center U.S.A.,1975,Pentaclethra macroloba,State Univ. of New York TTIC Brief,14