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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 Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Pseudosamanea guachapele Trade Name Guachapele Family Name Leguminosae Common Names Cadeno, Frijolillo, Guachapele, Guachapeli, Guamarillo, Samanigua, Tabaca Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Columbia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela Common Uses Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: decking, Boat building: framing, Boat building: planking, Building construction, Cabinetmaking, Construction, Crossties, Decorative veneer, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Mine timbers, Piling, Plywood, Railroad ties, Shipbuilding, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative Environmental Profile Status unknown due to inadequate data Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Distribution Overview The species occurs from Guatemala in Central America, southward to Venezuela and Ecuador in South America. It is usually found growing on dry sites, and regenerates in abandoned fields and pastures. Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Pale brown Brown Yellow brown upon drying Brown - light orange Sapwood Color Yellow White Well defined White to yellow Whitish Grain Interlocked Figure Roey (figure) Interlocked Figure shows spiral Roey figure Texture Coarse Medium Medium Medium to coarse Coarse Medium to very coarse Luster Lustrous Natural Durability Very durable Durable Very durable Very good weathering properties Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Heartwood resistant to attack by white rot and brown rot fungi Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Dry at a moderate speed Drying Defects Splitting Checking Discoloration Distortion Slight surface checking Slight twist/warp Severe twisting/warping Moderate twist/warp Moderate drying rates produce distortion and slight warping Ease of Drying Reconditioning Treatement Little degrade In relation to density shrinkage values are low Easy Difficult Air dries with moderate difficulty Tree Identification Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Guachepele trees are often planted as shade trees in coffee plantations. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Boring Poor to very poor results Fairly easy to very easy Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Easy to saw Gluing Easy to glue Mortising Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Planing Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Surfaces tend to be woolly Good planing properties Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is highly resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Good sanding finish Easy to sand Turning Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Veneering Qualities Suitable for slicing Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Varnishing Fair to Good Results Strength Properties Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Bending strength (MOR) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Work to Maximum Load = very low Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Hardness (side grain) = soft Shrinkage, Tangential = small Resists denting and marring Heavy Density = high Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high Hardness (side grain) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 7679 10993 psi Density 40 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1027 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 3963 6549 psi Stiffness 1168 1240 1000 psi Toughness 127 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 5 7 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.54 0.58 Weight 39 31 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 4 % Volumetric Shrinkage 8 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 539 772 kg/cm2 Density 641 kg/m3 Hardness 465 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 278 460 kg/cm2 Stiffness 82 87 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 146 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 0.35 0.49 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.54 0.58 Weight 624 496 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 4 % 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 Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Demougeot, M.,1968,Finishing of Exotic Timbers containing aliphatic and resinous substances,in the Furniture Industry,Drevo,23(7,pp248-52 Dickinson, F.E.,1949,Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods 1,Tropical Woods,13(95,pp1-140 Kribbs, D.A. 1959. Commercial Foreign Woods on the American Market. Buckhout Lab., Dept. of Botany, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania. Little, E.L.,1948,A Collection of Tree Specimens from Western Ecuador,Caribbean Forester,9(3,pp215-98 Timber Development Association Ltd.,1948,Notes on Ecuadorian Timbers,TRADA, Timber Information,35,pp5 Wangaard, F.F., Muschler, A.F.,1952,Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods 3,Tropical Woods,14(98, pp1-190 WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing: Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC, Plants Program, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.