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Blunting Effect
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
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Polishing
Product Sources
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Resistance to Splitting
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Mora gonggrijpii

Trade Name
Faveira

Family Name
Leguminosae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Faveira, Goma pashaca, Kouatakama, Mahot rouge, Mora, Mora bukea, Mora de guayana, Moraboekea, Morabukea, Morera, Nato, Nato rojo, Parakwai, Pracuuba, Royo, Tamarindo, Visgueiro

Regions of Distribution
Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Brazil, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela

Common Uses
Boat building (general), Boat building: framing, Bridge construction, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Charcoal, Construction, Crossties, Decks, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Marine construction, Mine timbers, Piling, Posts, Pulp/Paper products, Railroad ties, Shipbuilding, Structural work, Sub-flooring, Tool handles, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Wharf construction

Environmental Profile
Status has not been officially assessed


Distribution Overview
The natural growth range of this species is confined to the forests in Guyana and Surinam. It is described as a dominant species which prefers heavy clay soils on hillsides.

Heartwood Color
Brown
Purple
Green/grey
Red
Reddish brown
Dark brown
Brown
Pale red to pink
Dark brown
Yellowish
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange

The heartwood is yellowish-red brown, reddish brown or dark red with lighter streaks.

Sapwood Color
Brown
White to yellow
Different than heartwood
Well defined
Pinkish
Paler than heartwood
Pale yellow
Distinct from the heartwood


Grain
Straight
Interlocked
Figure
Closed
Even
Wavy
Distinct (figure)
Variable (figure)
Rippled (figure)

Straight
Interlocked
Wavy
Variable figure
Distinct figure
Rippled figure


Texture
Fine
Coarse
Medium
Medium coarse to coarse
Medium
Fine to medium
Coarse
Fine


Luster
Medium
Low
Lustrous
Pronounced
Medium to high


Natural Durability
Perishable
Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Durable
Susceptible to marine borer attack
Very durable
Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Non durable
Moderately durable
Highly resistant to attack by drywood termites
Heartwood resistance to decay varies by species

Material from Surinam and Guyana is resistant to very resistant to attack by brown-rot and white-rot fungi

Odor
There is usually an astringent taste and a slightly sour odor

Toxicity
Respiratory effects
Dermatitic effects


Kiln Schedules
Dry at a slow speed
UK=B US=T2C2/T2C1 Fr=2
T2 - C2 (4/4); T2 - C1 (8/4) US


Drying Defects
Distortion
Moderate surface checking
Severe twisting/warping
Moderate twist/warp
Severe cupping
Slight surface checking
No resin/gum exudation
Slight twist/warp

Improper stacking may cause the material to warp. Stock with boxed heart are liable to split

Ease of Drying
Slowly
Reconditioning Treatement
Little degrade
Difficult
Moderate
Timber should be stacked carefully
Easy
Dry slowly and carefully to minimize degrade

Reports on drying vary, but it is generally moderately to season

Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is buttressed
Bole/stem form is cylindrical


Tree Size
Tree height is 10-20 m
Tree height is 20-30 m


The tree is reported to often attain a height of 100 to 120 feet (30 to 37 m), with a trunk diameter of 24 to 36 inches (60 to 90 cm) above large buttresses which may be 15 feet (4.5 m) high

Product Sources
The ITTO reports that the species is an important source of timber for local consumption. Export potential is rated as fair.

Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Blunting Effect
Blunting effect on machining is severe
Blunting effect on machining is moderate
Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe


Boring
Very good to excellent results
Fairly easy to very easy
Interlocked grain may cause chipping and pick-up in boring operations
Fairly difficult to penetrate with preservatives


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult
Yields smooth clean surfaces
Moderate to fairly difficult to saw
Interlocked grain may result in considerable pick-up and chipped grain
Cutting Resistance with green wood is moderate
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is moderate


Mortising
Fair to Good Results


Moulding
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results


Movement in Service
Large


Nailing
Poor to Very Poor Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Possible if prebored
Difficult to nail


Planing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Straight grained material yields clean surfaces
Planes to a poor finish
Difficult to plane

Timber containing interlocked grain may chip and pick-up considerably.

Resistance to Impregnation
Permeable sapwood
Permeable heartwood
Sapwood is permeable
Heartwood is resistant
Heartwood is extremely resistant
Sapwood is moderately resistant


Resistance to Splitting
Poor


Response to Hand Tools
Responds Readily
Difficult to machine
Moderate working qualities
Easy to machine


Routing & Recessing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly difficult to penetrate with preservatives


Sanding
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Moderately difficult to sand


Screwing
Poor to Very Poor Results
Easy to screw


Turning
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Easy to turn
Poor results
Straight grained material yields smooth surfaces
Interlocked grain makes turning fairly difficult
Difficult to turn


Veneering Qualities
No drying degrade. Dries flat without splitting
Moderately easy to veneer


Steam Bending
Moderate


Polishing
Fair to Good Results
Satisfactory results


Staining
Reacts with Iron to discolour wood
Finish is generally satisfactory


Strength Properties
Shrinkage, Tangential = large
Shrinkage, Radial = large
Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very high
Hardness (side grain) = very hard
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high
Max. crushing strength = very high
Max. crushing strength = high
Bending strength (MOR) = very high
Bending strength (MOR) = high
Bending strength (MOR) = medium
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very high
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high
Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = high
Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate
Shrinkage, Radial = moderate
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium
Max. crushing strength = medium
Hardness (side grain) = hard
Very heavy
Very hard
Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large
Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large
Density (dry weight) = >75 lbs/cu. ft
Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu.ft
Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high
Bending strength (MOR) = low

The species is considerably stronger than White oak or Teak. It has exceptionally high bending strength qualities when air-dried. It is very hard, and may require special tools to process. The weight is exceptionally high, even in the seasoned condition. It is much heavier than Teak or White oak. The species has very high density.

Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength1438423627psi
Density62lbs/ft3
Hardness2895lbs
Impact Strength55inches
Maximum Crushing Strength770912353psi
Shearing Strength2755psi
Stiffness239130101000 psi
Work to Maximum Load24inch-lbs/in3
Specific Gravity0.72
Weight6250lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage6%
Tangential Shrinkage9%
Volumetric Shrinkage19%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength10111661kg/cm2
Density993kg/m3
Hardness1313kg
Impact Strength139cm
Maximum Crushing Strength542868kg/cm2
Shearing Strength193kg/cm2
Stiffness1682111000 kg/cm2
Work to Maximum Load1.68cm-kg/cm3
Specific Gravity0.72
Weight993801kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage6%
Tangential Shrinkage9%

References
Armstrong, F.H.,1960,The Strength Properties of Timber,Forest Products Research Laboratory, London Bulletin,No.45

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

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.

Caribbean Commission,1952,Information on properties of timbers gathered by questionnaire and,collated in the secretariat of the Caribbean Commission including some,related data from technical literature.,Caribbean Commission, Port of Spain, Trinidad Caribbean Timbers, their,Utilization and Trad