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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 Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Weathering		Scientific Name Hernandia sonora Trade Name Aguacatillo Family Name Hernandiaceae Common Names Aguacatillo, Cebo de burro, Foforite, Hernandia, Hoahoa, Hoja tamal, Jack in the box, Maga, Mago, Mango, Mano de leon, Palo de chicalpexte, Sea hearse, Tambor, Topolite, Toporite, Ventosa Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America, North America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Mexico, Puerto Rico [US], Trinidad and Tobago, United States Common Uses Boat building: framing, Boxes and crates, Flooring, Light construction, Matches, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products Heartwood Color Brown Red Purple Black Highly variable White Pink White to cream Greenish to greyish Pale brown Black Sapwood Color Pink White Yellow Brown Green/Grey Same as heartwood Grain Straight Even Straight Texture Medium Coarse Fine Medium coarse to coarse Medium Luster Low Medium Dull Natural Durability Durable Very durable Resistant to termites Moderately durable Resistant to marine borers Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to powder post beetles Resistant to powder post beetles Susceptible to Termite (lsoptera) attack Susceptible to marine borer attack Non durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Perishable Heartwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Weathering Good Toxicity Dermatitic effects Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Drying Defects Distortion Checking Internal Honeycombing Possible Collapse Splitting Slight twist/warp No surface checking Slight spring/bow Slight cupping No cupping, generally Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Fairly Easy Rapidly Medium to High Shrinkage Variable Slowly Easy Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Naturally dries quickly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Bark width is 5-10 mm Tree height is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Bark width is 10-15 mm Tree height is 40-50 m Tree height is 10-20 m Certified Source Certified Source Comments General finishing qualities are rated as poor Blunting Effect Moderate Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Blunting effect on machining is severe Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Fairly difficult to very difficult Difficult Carving Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is moderate Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Finishes poorly Difficult to mortise Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Poor moulding results Difficult to mould Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Easy to nail Planing Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to plane Planes to a poor finish Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is permeable Resistance to Splitting Excellent Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Difficult to sand Poor results Screwing Pre-boring recommended Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Easy to screw Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Poor results Difficult to turn Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Poor results Varnishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Density (dry weight) = 15-22 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Volumetric = very small Shrinkage, Volumetric = small Shrinkage, Radial = small Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Hardness (side grain) = very soft Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Bending strength (MOR) = very low Bending strength (MOR) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 4310 6606 psi Density 18 lbs/ft3 Hardness 319 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 1432 2675 psi Shearing Strength 882 psi Stiffness 1188 1383 1000 psi Weight 18 15 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 5 % Volumetric Shrinkage 7 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 303 464 kg/cm2 Density 288 kg/m3 Hardness 144 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 100 188 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 62 kg/cm2 Stiffness 83 97 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 288 240 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 5 % 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 Brooks, R.L., et al,1941,Durability tests on Untreated Timbers in Trinidad,Caribbean Forester,2(3,pp101-119 Carter, D.T.,1943,The Manufacture of shingles from local woods in Trinidad and Tobago,Caribbean Forester,4(3,pp107-11 E.H. Walker,1954,Important Trees of the Ryukyu Islands,United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands Special Bulletin,No. 3 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 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 Little, E.L.,1948,A Collection of Tree Specimens from Western Ecuador,Caribbean Forester,9(3,pp215-98 Longwood, F.R.,1961,Puerto Rican Woods - Their Machining Seasoning and Related Characteristics,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.205 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 Schiffino, J.,1945,Riqueza Forestal Dominicana (Three volumes,Secretaria de Estado de Agric. Ind. y Trabajo 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 Wangaard, F.F., W.L. Stern, and S.L. Goodrich. 1955. Tropical Woods - Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods, Volume V, No. 103. School of Forestry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. Wood, B., Calnan, D.,1976,Toxic Woods,British Journal of Dermat 94 Suppl. 13