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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

Wood Image 1

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
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength767910993psi
Density40lbs/ft3
Hardness1027lbs
Maximum Crushing Strength39636549psi
Stiffness116812401000 psi
Toughness127inch-lbs
Work to Maximum Load57inch-lbs/in3
Specific Gravity0.540.58
Weight3931lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage2%
Tangential Shrinkage4%
Volumetric Shrinkage8%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength539772kg/cm2
Density641kg/m3
Hardness465kg
Maximum Crushing Strength278460kg/cm2
Stiffness82871000 kg/cm2
Toughness146cm-kg
Work to Maximum Load0.350.49cm-kg/cm3
Specific Gravity0.540.58
Weight624496kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage2%
Tangential Shrinkage4%

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.









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