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 Certified Source 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 Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Steam Bending Strength Properties Substitutes Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities		Scientific Name Astronium fraxinifolium Trade Name Goncalo alves Family Name Anacardiaceae Common Names Bois de zebre, Bossona, Bototo, Coubaril, Gateado, Gomavel, Goncalo alves, Guarabu bata, Guarabu encirado, Guarabu rajado, Gusanero, Jejuira, Kingwood, Locustwood, Muira, Muiraquatiara, Mura, Rajado branco, Red astronium, Robel gateado, Sangue, Tigerwood, Urunday, Urunday-para, Yoke, Zebrawood, Zorrowood Regions of Distribution Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela Common Uses Billiard-cue butts, Boat building (general), Boat building, Bobbins, Bows, Bridge construction, Brush backs & handles, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Decorative veneer, Fine furniture, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture , Furniture, Handles: general, Heavy construction, Jewelry box, Joinery, Ladders, Light construction, Mine timbers, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Paneling , Paneling, Piling, Plywood, Posts, Railroad ties, Shutters, Sporting Goods, Toys, Turnery, Veneer: decorative, Wheel spokes, Wheels Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview The area of natural distribution is from Mexico through Central America to Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. It is found at altitudes ranging from 150 to 1000 m but is most common at 500-600 m. It grows in areas with annual rainfall of 1200-3000 mm and temperatures of 24-27.5°C in both dry and humid tropical forests. It does not tolerate waterlogging or heavy clay soils. Best growth is obtained on lighter soils with less than 40% clay, neutral pH and good drainage. Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow Black Purple Orange Reddish brown Brown Red Pale brown Dark brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Light golden brown to reddish brown, with irregularly spaced blackish brown streaks Black Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red Green/Grey Grey Well defined White to yellow Paler than heartwood Dirty gray or brownish-white Different than heartwood Clearly distinct from heartwood It is about 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) wide Grain Figure Wavy Interlocked Straight Mottled (figure) Even Closed Distinct (figure) Stripe (figure) Other (figure) Irregular Wavy Interlocked Straight Mottled figure Striped figure Distinct figure Other figure Irregular Wood has alternating bands of hard and soft tissue, and a mottled figure similar to that of Rosewood is occasionally present . Texture Fine Medium Fine Medium Fine to medium Luster Medium High Low Pronounced Medium to dull luster Lustrous Natural Growth Defects Gum/resin streaks Natural Durability Durable Very durable Moderately durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Susceptible to insect attack Durable Very durable Resistant to wood staining fungal attack Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack by beetles Used for boat building and general construction Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules Dry at a moderate speed Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Checking Distortion Moderate twist/warp Moderate surface checking Slight surface checking Raid air-drying rates may cause excessive warping and checking Moderate spring/bow Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Fairly Easy Thick Stock Requires Care Slowly Moderate Dries slowly to prevent degrade Difficult Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries at a moderate speed Naturally dries slowly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is cylindrical Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 10-20 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Bark width is 10-15 mm Narrow flanged buttresses that are about 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 m) high. It develops well-formed cylindrical boles that are often clear for about two-thirds or more of the total height of the tree. Certified Source Certified Source Substitutes Used to produce knife handles as a subsitute for Cocbolo (Dalbergia) Used for a subsitute for the production of bobbins This hard and heavy wood possesses strength properties that are similar to those of American dogwood (Cornus florida ) Comments Durable General finishing qualities are rated as good Lesser known species from Central and South America One of the most beautiful tropical woods Strong Suited primarily for construction and secondarily for fine furniture Tough Blunting Effect High to severe Blunting effect on machining is severe Boring Fair to good results Fairly difficult to very difficult Twist drills should be avoided because they cause breakouts To avoid burning, a slower speed (about 250 rpm) has been recommended Bradpoint bits and using a back board under tdrilled material can minimize tearout Back drill out periodically during deep drilling is also recommended Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Start with medium-cut burrs and progress to fine ones is recommended since coarse burrs tend to chip the wood Power carving tools with carbide-tipped burrs are essential Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Rip-Profile blade with a maximum of 28 teeth is recommended for ripping to allow sawdust to clear and to prevent charring from heat buildup Requires power tools with carbide-tipped blades and cutters to work Highly figured wood should be crosscut with the help of a backing board to prevent tearout Hard, heavy and dense Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult Gluing Surface Preparation Carefully Controlled Conditions Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Use glues with a longer open time, such as woodworker's white glue Surface should be pre-treated with a solvent to clear natural extractives Gluing is often difficult Apply light coat, brief joining of pieces, separating the pieces and allowing the glue to partially set and then rejoining the pieces Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting angle of 15 degrees is recommended for best results Movement in Service Small movement under actual use conditions Dimensionally stable after proper seasoning Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Pre-boring recommended Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Straight-Grained wood can be fed into the planer at a 90 degree angle Slow feeding rates have been recommended Shallower cuts are suggested if any tearout occurs during planing Cutting angle of 15 degrees is recommended due to alternating bands of hard and soft material as well as irregular and interlocked grain Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Very high resistance to chemical impregnation Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to Work Difficult to machine Variable qualities Moderate working qualities Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Bits with ball bearing pilots, a consistent feed rate, and shallower passes have been suggested for best reults Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Use a cabinet scraper and sanding with the grain for best results Generally easy to sand Extra attention should be paid to grits since avoiding them may leave scratches that are difficult to remove Screwing Pre-boring recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very Good to Excellent Results Very good screw holding qualities Screws should be lubricated for easier operations Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good results Turns easily with sharp tools Highly figured material requires care to prevent tearout Easy to turn Veneering Qualities Suitable for slicing Difficult to glue Can sometimes be sliced into highly decorative veneers for paneling Steam Bending Unsuitable Generally unsuitable for steam bending Polishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Good results Polishes very easily No grain filling is required and a clear finish is suggested to enhance the beauty of the wood Finishes very easily Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu.ft Density (dry weight) = >75 lbs/cu. ft Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Max. crushing strength = high Hardness (side grain) = hard Very high density Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = small Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very high Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very high Max. crushing strength = very high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 11442 18704 psi Density 60 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2318 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 7944 11203 psi Shearing Strength 2745 psi Stiffness 2304 2600 1000 psi Weight 63 57 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 804 1315 kg/cm2 Density 961 kg/m3 Hardness 1051 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 558 787 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 192 kg/cm2 Stiffness 161 182 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 1009 913 kg/m3 Radial 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 Brown, W.H.,1969,Properties and uses of Tropical hardwoods in the United Kingdom. Part 1,Nonstructural properties and uses.,Conference on Tropical hardwoods SC-5/TN-5, Syracuse University Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 2 South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Chichignoud, M., G. Deon, P. Detienne, B. Parant, and P. Vantomme. 1990. Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America. Prepared for International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) by Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT, Division of CIRAD, 45bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne Cedex, France. Constantine, Jr. A.J. 1975. Know your Woods - A Complete Guide to Trees, Woods, and Veneers. Revised Edition, Revised by Harry J. Hobbs. Charles Scribner and Sons, New York. Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Harrar, E.S.,1942,Some Physical Properties of Modern Cabinet Woods 3. Directional and Volume,Shrinkage,Tropical Woods,9(71, pp26-32 Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed. Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1992. Good Wood Handbook - The Wood worker's Guide to Identifying, Selecting and Using the Right Wood. HarperCollins Publishers, London Kline, M. 1979. Astronium fraxinifolium - Goncalo alves. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World, Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 54. Kribbs, D.A. 1959. Commercial Foreign Woods on the American Market. Buckhout Lab., Dept. of Botany, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania. Kryn, J.M.,1952,Goncalo Alves - Astronium fraxinifolium Schott, and Astronium graveolens,Jacq., including var. Planchonianum (A.planchonianum Engl.) Family,Anacardiaceae,Foreign Woods Information Leaflet, Forest Products Laboratory, Forest,Service U.S. Department of Agriculture Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California. Patterson, D. 1988. Commercial Timbers of the World. Fifth Edition. Gower Technical Press, Aldershot, UK. ix + 339 pp. 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 Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London 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 Timber Development Association,1948,Some New Timbers and Their Uses No. 34,Timber Development Association Limited, London [TRADA] Wood Magazine. 1995. Goncalo alves - Prized for its Beauty, Harvested for its Durability. Compiled with Woodworker Tom Etreses and Woodturner Gary Zeff in Wood Magazine, August 1995. Page 37-38. Woods, R.P.,1949,Timbers of South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series