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 Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation 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 Varnishing		Scientific Name Plathymenia reticulata Trade Name Vinhatico Family Name Leguminosae Common Names Amarelinho, Amarello, Amerello, Brazilian mahogany, Brazilian yellowood, Brazillian mahogany, Candeia, Candela, Espinollo, Goldwood, Oiteira, Parica-zinho, Pau amerello, Pau de candeia, Tatane blanco, Tatare, Venhatico roxo, Vinhatico, Vinhatico cabelleira, Vinhatico castanho, Vinhatico de campo, Vinhatico flor de algadao, Vinhatico oretha de macaco, Vinhatico pe de boi, Vinhatico roxo, Vinhatico testa de bois, Yellow mahogany, Yellowwood Regions of Distribution Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brazil Common Uses Boat building (general), Boat building, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Construction, Door, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture , Furniture, Heavy construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Light construction, Moldings, Parquet flooring, Plywood, Railroad ties, Tables, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative Environmental Profile Endangered Environmental status not officially assessed Distribution Overview The species occurs in eastern Brazil, from the lower Amazon to Sao Paolo. It is distributed in a scattered fashion throughout its range, with an average occurrence of only about three trees per acre. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Orange Red Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Brown Orange-Brown, occasionally with darker streaks Ages to dark rich shade of reddish-brown upon exposure Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red Pink Well defined White to yellowish-white White to yellow Clearly demarcated from heartwood in old trees Grain Straight Even Figure Interlocked Variable (figure) Straight Variable figure Straight to roey Interlocked Texture Fine Even or uniform Medium Medium to coarse Fine to medium Moderately fine Even textured Luster Medium Lustrous Silky sheen Pronounced Natural Durability Moderately durable Durable Moderately durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Perishable Non durable Moderately resistant to decay Moderately resistant to attack by fungus and wood destroying insects Durable Odor No specific smell or taste Toxicity Respiratory effects Kiln Schedules Schedule E (4/) United Kingdom Drying Defects Checking Distortion Splitting Dries with very little or no degrade Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Slowly Reconditioning Treatement Little degrade Easy Moderate Air dries and kiln dries without too much difficulty Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries at a moderate speed Naturally dries quickly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is not buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 0-10 m Bole length is 0-10 m Bark width is 0-5 mm Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Product Sources Supplies of Sycamore are plentiful. It is readily available and is priced in the inexpensive range. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Boring Fair to good results Good boring qualitites Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Tendency to tear Fairly difficult to saw Gluing Good gluing properties Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Responds well to mortising operations Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Very stable after seasoning Stable Retains shape well in use Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Holds nails well Nails without pre-boring Good nail holding properties Easy to nail Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Responds well to thin edged sharp tools in most machining operations Planes withouth too much difficulty to yield smooth, silky surfaces Planes well, to a good finish Resistance to Impregnation Permeable heartwood Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistant sapwood Sapwood responds well to preservative treatment Heartwood is moderately resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Easy to machine Responds well to hand tools Keep sharp for best results Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing Good screwing properties Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Poor choice for turnery work Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Unsuitable Painting Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Polishing Fair to Good Results Satisfactory results Poor results Requires some filling for best polishing results Staining Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Satisfactory staining properties Finish is generally satisfactory Varnishing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Max. crushing strength = low Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Radial = large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Low shock resistance Crushing strength = high Bending strength (MOR) = medium The timber has good strength properties, but it is seldom used in applications where strength is required. It is a tough, strong wood in relation to its weight Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 6111 9589 psi Density 35 lbs/ft3 Maximum Crushing Strength 2139 3916 psi Shearing Strength 2205 psi Stiffness 1017 1199 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.57 Weight 35 27 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 4 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 429 674 kg/cm2 Density 560 kg/m3 Maximum Crushing Strength 150 275 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 155 kg/cm2 Stiffness 71 84 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.57 Weight 560 432 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % References Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux,1955,Nomenclature Generale des Bois Tropicaux,Assoc. Tec. Int. des Bois Tropicaux Nogent-sur-Marne France 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 Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 2 South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Clifford, N.,1953,Commercial Hardwoods - Their Characteristics Identification and,Utilization,Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. London Harrar, E.S.,1942,Some Physical Properties of Modern Cabinet Woods 3. Directional and Volume,Shrinkage,Tropical Woods,9(71, pp26-32 Kline, M. 1981. Plathymenia reticulata - Vinhatico. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 283-284. Kribbs, D.A. 1959. Commercial Foreign Woods on the American Market. Buckhout Lab., Dept. of Botany, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania. Kribs, D.A.,1950,Commercial and Foreign Woods on the American Market (a manual to their,structure, identification, uses and distribution,U.S.A. Penn. State College, Tropical Woods Laboratory Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California. Patterson, D. 1988. Commercial Timbers of the World. Fifth Edition. Gower Technical Press, Aldershot, UK. Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Record, S.J., Mell, C.D.,1924,Timbers of Tropical America,Yale Univ. Press 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 Tamolang, F.N., Martawijaya, A., Kartasujana, I., Kadir, K., Parwira, S.,1992,Indonesian Wood Atlas Volume II,Department of Forestry, Agency for Forestry Research and Development,,Bogor-Indonesia Timber Development Association,1948,Some New Timbers and Their Uses No. 34,Timber Development Association Limited, London [TRADA] Titmuss, F.H. 1965. Commercial Timbers of the World. Third Edition (Enlarged of A Concise Encyclopedia of World Timbers). The Technical Press, London. Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition Woods, R.P.,1949,Timbers of South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Wood, B., Calnan, D.,1976,Toxic Woods,British Journal of Dermat 94 Suppl. 13