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Blunting Effect Boring Carving Certified Source 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 Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities		Scientific Name Tetragastris balsamifera Trade Name Abey Family Name Burseraceae Synonyms Hedwigia balsamifera Common Names Abey, Abey hembra, Aguarraz moena, Amacey, Bois cochon, Gommier, Gommier encens, Masa, Palo cochino, Palo de aceite Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guadelope [France], Haiti, Puerto Rico [US] Common Uses Cabinetmaking, Cooperages, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Millwork, Oars, Paneling Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Rare Heartwood Color Brown White Yellow Red Green/grey Pink Orange Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Reddish brown Brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red White to yellow Well defined Grain Figure Other (figure) Other figure Texture Fine Even or uniform Fine Luster Medium Low Slightly lustrous Natural Durability Non-durable Perishable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to powder post beetles Very durable Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Durable Susceptible to marine borer attack Odor Has an odor Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Dry at a slow speed Dry at a moderate speed Drying Defects Checking Discoloration Distortion Slight spring/bow Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking Severe surface checking No twisting or warping No surface checking No cupping, generally Moderate end spitting Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Reconditioning Treatement Moderate Easy Difficult Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 40-50 m Certified Source Certified Source Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Little Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Easy Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is moderate Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is moderate Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Moderate gluing properties Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Finishes well Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good finishing results Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Possible if prebored Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Planes to a satisfactory finish Difficult to plane Resistance to Impregnation Permeable heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistance to Splitting Satisfactory Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Moderate working qualities Easy to machine Difficult to machine Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good sanding finish Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Possible if prebored Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good results Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Veneers moderately easy No drying degrade Suitable for slicing Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Moderate Good Painting Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Poor to Very Poor Results Varnishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Max. crushing strength = high Hardness (side grain) = hard Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Max. crushing strength (stiffness) = very low Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Bending strength (MOR) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 12154 18826 psi Density 50 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2318 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 6899 9945 psi Shearing Strength 1989 psi Stiffness 1665 1923 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 7 10 inch-lbs/in3 Weight 49 39 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 854 1323 kg/cm2 Density 801 kg/m3 Hardness 1051 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 485 699 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 139 kg/cm2 Stiffness 117 135 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.49 0.70 cm-kg/cm3 Weight 785 624 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % References Dickinson, F.E.,1949,Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods 1,Tropical Woods,13(95,pp1-140 Lamb, A.F.A., Wangaard, F.F.,1950,The Gluing Properties of certain Tropical American Woods,Yale Univ. School of Forestry Technical Report,4 Little, E.L., Wadsworth, F.H.,1964,Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.249 Longwood, F.R.,1961,Puerto Rican Woods - Their Machining Seasoning and Related Characteristics,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.205 Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Wangaard, F.F., Muschler, A.F.,1952,Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods 3,Tropical Woods,14(98, pp1-190