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. Boring Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities		Scientific Name Lonchocarpus castilloi Trade Name Black cabbage-bark Family Name Leguminosae Common Names Balche, Barbasco, Black cabbage bark, Black cabbage-bark, Cabbage bark, Chaperno, Guaimaro, Haiari, Imbira de sapo, Macaratu, Machiche, Manchich, Marajagua, Sindajapl, Sindjaple, Timbo Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Belize, Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela Common Uses Axles, Bent Parts, Boat building (general), Bridge construction, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Construction, Crossties, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Fine furniture, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Mine timbers, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Poles, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Stools, Sub-flooring, Tool handles, Turnery, Utility furniture, Vehicle parts, Wardrobes, Wheel spokes, Wheels Environmental Profile The environmental profile of this species within its natural habitat has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Tropical America, Mexico in particular. It grows on open hillsides and dry plains at lowland or medium elevations, but may also be locally found in high forests and marsh forests on alluvial flats in Surinam. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Orange Reddish brown Dark brown The heartwood is yellowish brown to dark reddish brown in color, usually with stripes of a lighter color. Unfinished wood is rather dull Sapwood Color Brown Yellow White to yellow Pinkish Paler than heartwood Different than heartwood Clearly differentiated from the heartwood The thick and clearly distinct sapwood is yellowish brown in color, and has been described as unattractive in appearance Grain Figure Interlocked Even Rippled (figure) Rays (figure) Growth rings (figure) Distinct (figure) Variable (figure) Straight Irregular Interlocked Rippled figure Rays figure Straight Irregular Irregular color Distinct figure Clear growth rings (figure) Texture Coarse Fine to medium Coarse Luster Slightly lustrous The luster is low to medium Natural Durability Perishable Non-durable Very durable Moderately resistant to marine borer attack Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from pinworms (ambrosia beetles) Heartwood durability varies considerably by species, but L. castilloi is rated as very resistant to fungus and insect attack Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules Kiln Schedule G (4/4); United Kingdom 8 - B3 (4/4); T5 - B1 (8/4) US Drying Defects Splitting Slight twist/warp Distortion and shrinkage are minimal if the material is dried slowly Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Easy Moderate The rate varies from slow to rapid, and depends upon the species Tree Identification Bole/stem form is unknown Bole/stem form is not buttressed Tree Size Bark width is 15-20 mm Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Machiche is a potential substitute for applications where a dark-reddish wood, such as Mahogany is required Boring Moderately easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Movement in Service The timber is reported have moderate dimensional stability, and exhibits medium movement after manufacture. Nailing Pre-boring recommended Difficult to nail Planing Planes to a satisfactory finish Ease of planing is moderate Most machining operations, including planing, turning, mortising, boring, and moulding are fairly easy, although the timber is described as hard. The material responds well to sharp cutters to produce clean surfaces without too much difficulty Resistance to Impregnation Sapwood is resistant Most species in the genus are rather difficult to treat with wood preservatives Response to Hand Tools Difficult to machine Sanding Good sanding properties Turning Turns with moderate ease Good results Easy to turn Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Veneers moderately easy Steam Bending Moderate Polishing Fair to Good Results Good results Staining The wood takes finishes well, except polyurethane. Finishing is reported to highlight irregularities in the grain to make the normally dull wood rather attractive Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 53 - 60 lbs/cu. ft. Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Max. crushing strength = very high Bending strength (MOR) = very high Toughness (total work) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very high Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Max. crushing strength = high Hardness (side grain) = very hard Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 18567 25938 psi Density 56 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2805 lbs Impact Strength 40 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 9680 13101 psi Shearing Strength 2920 psi Stiffness 2298 2572 1000 psi Toughness 335 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 15 19 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.63 Weight 57 55 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Volumetric Shrinkage 13 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 1305 1823 kg/cm2 Density 897 kg/m3 Hardness 1272 kg Impact Strength 101 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 680 921 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 205 kg/cm2 Stiffness 161 180 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 385 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 1.05 1.33 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.63 Weight 913 881 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % References Belize,1946,42 Secondary Hardwood Timbers of British Honduras,British Honduras Forest Department Bulletin,No.1 Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods -Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Clifford, N.,1953,Commercial Hardwoods - Their Characteristics Identification and,Utilization,Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. London Lavers, G. M. 1966. The Strength Properties of Timbers. Forest Products Research Bulletin, No. 50. Ministry of Technology, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London. Lavers, G.M.,1983,The Strength Properties of Timber (3rd ed. revised Moore G.L.,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Report (formerly Bulletin No.50) Perpetua Hardwoods. Sea Star Trading Co. - Purveyors of Fine Wood. Newport, Oregon. Personal Communication, 1993. 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 WARP. 1995. Getting to Know LKS:Machiche - Lonchocarpus castilloii. Published Results of Test Conducted Students at the Woodworking Centre of Ontario, Conestoga College Under the Supervision of Dennis Harlock and John Buss. Understory, Volume 5, Number 1, Fall/Winter, 1995. Page 9.