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Blunting Effect Boring Carving Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning		Scientific Name Pithecellobium arboreum Trade Name Wild Tambran Family Name Leguminosae Common Names Bahama sabicu, Barba de Jolote, Barba jolote, Black tamarind, Cola de chancho, Turkey gill, Wild tambran Regions of Distribution Central America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Bahamas, Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago Common Uses Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Bridge beams, Bridge construction, Bridge joists, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Core Stock, Decorative veneer, Drawer sides, Figured veneer, Flooring, Framing, Furniture , Furniture, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Millwork, Moldings, Office furniture, Plain veneer, Posts, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Sculpture, Specialty items, Spools, Textile equipment, Trimming, Veneer, Wainscotting, Woodwork Environmental Profile Environmental status not officially assessed Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Orange Red Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Reddish brown Pale brown Dark reddish-brown, often with alternating lighter reddish-brown and golden brown bands Brown, red, dark reddish brown with nearly black stripes after prolonged exposure Sapwood Color Yellow White Yellowish-Gray White to yellow Not clearly differentiated from the heartwood Grain Figure Interlocked Growth rings (figure) Rippled (figure) Rippled figure Irregular color Interlocked Interlocked grain produces distinct ribbon figure Figure Occurrence is variable Clear growth rings (figure) Broad stripe on quartersawn surfaces Broad rays produce silver grain on quartersawn surfaces Texture Medium Fine Coarse Even or uniform Uniform Medium-Textured Medium Luster Medium High Fair luster Comparable to that of Honduras mahogany Natural Durability Perishable Durable Moderately durable Non-durable Resistant to termites Non-resistant to powder post beetles Susceptible to insect attack Slightly resistant to attack by marine borers Resistant to attack by white-rot and brown-rot fungi Moderately durable Heartwood moderately resistant to dry-wood termite attack Durable Odor No specific smell or taste Toxicity Some toxic effects Kiln Schedules T6-D4(4/4);T3-D3(8/4)Us Dry at a moderate speed Drying Defects Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking Slight spring/bow Slight end splitting Slight cupping No resin/gum exudation Less than appreciable warping and checking Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Reconditioning Treatement Moderately Difficult to Difficult Moderate Air dries and kiln dry easily with little degrade Tree Identification Bole/stem form is misshapen Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 20-30 m Blunting Effect Slight blunting effect on cutters Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is mild Blunting effect on machining is slight Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Responds well to boring Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good, especially with sharp carving tools Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is moderate Cutting Resistance with dry wood is moderate Cutting resistance is slightly higher than that of Honduras mahogany Gluing Fair to Good Results Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy The operation requires sharp cutting edges for best results Mortises without difficulty with ordinary machine tools Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good moulding qualitites, especially if sharp cutters are used Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Small movement in use Dimensionally stable after proper seasoning Nailing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Planing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Sharp tools recommended to prevent pick-up in material with interlocked grain Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Resistant to preservative treatment Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Moderate working qualities Good response to sharp hand tools Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sharp cuttin edges recommended to prevent pick-up in material with interlocked grainj Sanding Responds well to sanding operations Screwing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turning Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Works without difficulty with sharp cutting edges in turning operations Good results Easy to turn Polishing Fair to Good Results Poor to Very Poor Results Surface Preparation Material takes a high polish Finished easily Staining Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Very heavy Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Resists denting and marring High in density Hardness = medium Crushing strength = high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high The bending strength of air-dried wood of the species is similar to that of Teak, which is considered to be strong Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 10104 12956 psi Density 47 lbs/ft3 Hardness 941 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 4890 7107 psi Stiffness 1441 1564 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.56 Weight 46 37 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 5 % Volumetric Shrinkage 8 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 710 910 kg/cm2 Density 753 kg/m3 Hardness 426 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 343 499 kg/cm2 Stiffness 101 109 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.56 Weight 737 592 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 5 % References Belize,1946,42 Secondary Hardwood Timbers of British Honduras,British Honduras Forest Department Bulletin,No.1 CAOBA International, San Francisco, California. 1993. Personal Communication. Perpetua Hardwoods. Sea Star Trading Co. - Purveyors of Fine Wood. Newport, Oregon. Personal Communication, 1993. Smith, E.E.,1954,The Forests of Cuba,Maria Moors Cabot Foundation,U.S.A. Publication, No. 2 Swabey, C.,1941,The Principal Timbers of Jamaica,Department of Science and Agriculture Jamaica Bulletin No.29