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Blunting Effect
Boring
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Family Name
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Schedules
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Planing
References
Regions of Distribution
Response to Hand Tools
Scientific Name
Silica Content
Strength Properties
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Size

Scientific Name
Lecythis paraensis

Trade Name
Castanna sapucaia

Family Name
Lecythidaceae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Castanna sapucaia, Jacapucaio, Paradise nut, Quatele, Sapucaia

Regions of Distribution
Central America, Latin America

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Brazil, Nicaragua

Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Boat building: framing, Bridge construction, Heavy construction, Joinery, Marine construction, Piling, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods, Tool handles, Wharf construction

Heartwood Color
Brown
Yellow
Orange
Black


Grain
Even
Straight

Straight


Texture
Fine
Fine


Natural Durability
Perishable
Moderately durable
Non-durable
Resistant to marine borers
Resistant to termites
Resistant to attack from marine borers
Moderately resistant to marine borer attack


Silica Content
High


Kiln Schedules
Drying (speed) is fast


Drying Defects
Checking
Distortion
Slight twist/warp
Slight surface checking
Slight spring/bow
Slight end splitting
No surface checking
No end splitting
No cupping, generally
No twisting or warping


Ease of Drying
Fairly Easy
Moderately Difficult to Difficult
Easy


Tree Size
Tree height is 30-40 m
Tree height is 20-30 m
Bole length is 20-30 m
Bole length is 10-20 m
Tree height is 40-50 m


Blunting Effect
High to severe
Blunting effect on machining is slight


Boring
Moderately easy


Cutting Resistance
Cutting Resistance with green wood is moderate
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is moderate


Planing
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results
Planes well, to a good finish
Ease of planing is moderate


Response to Hand Tools
Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work
Moderate working qualities
Difficult to machine


Strength Properties
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high
Hardness (side grain) = very hard
Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate
Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very high
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high
Max. crushing strength = high
Max. crucshing strength = very high
Bending strength (MOR) = very high
Bending strength (MOR) = high


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength1724125113psi
Hardness2940lbs
Maximum Crushing Strength846711767psi
Shearing Strength2847psi
Stiffness237327521000 psi
Radial Shrinkage5%
Tangential Shrinkage7%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength12121765kg/cm2
Hardness1333kg
Maximum Crushing Strength595827kg/cm2
Shearing Strength200kg/cm2
Stiffness1661931000 kg/cm2
Radial Shrinkage5%

References
Almeida, D.G. de, Costa, J.R. da,1956,Madeiras do Brasil. (Timbers of Brazil.,Min. Ag. Servico de Economia Rural, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,pp56

Edmondson, C.H.,1949,Reaction of Woods from S.America and Caribbean areas to Marine Borers in,Hawaiian Waters,Caribbean Foresters,10(1,PP37-41

Longwood, F.R.,1962,Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.207

Volkart, C.,1965,Recopilacion dedatos sobre propiedacies y usos maderos del Bosque Tropical,de las Costa Atlantica de Nicaragua,Turrialba,15(1, pp43-57

Wangaard, F.F., et al,1954,Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods 4,Tropical Woods,14(99, pp1-187