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Boring
Carving
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
Painting
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Resistance to Splitting
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing

Scientific Name
Podocarpus guatemalensis

Trade Name
Podocarp

Family Name
Podocarpaceae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Amunu, British Honduras yellowwood, Caoba del pais, Caobilla, Chaquiro, Cipres, Cipresillo lorito, Cipricillo, Cypress, Dilang butiki, Djamudju, Landin, Laurier-rose, Malaalmaciga, Manio, Maniu, Matai, Miro, Mse, Musenene, Mushunga, Paya, Pinho bravo, Pino, Pino castaneto, Pino chaquiro, Podocarp, Raisinier montagne, Sisin, Weedee, Wild pine, Wild pitch pine

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

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Columbia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Venezuela

Common Uses
Beams, Bent Parts, Boxes and crates, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Concrete formwork, Construction, Core Stock, Decks, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory construction, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Joists, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Millwork, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Veneer

Environmental Profile
Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center


This species is officially classified as Rare within its natural habitat in Belize, El Salvador, and Colombia, and Endangered in Costa Rica, and Guatemala.
Ts status in the wild is currently listed as unknown because of insufficient information in Mexico, Panama, Nicaragua, and Venezuela

Distribution Overview
The growth range of this tropical American species of Podocarpus genus includes the West Indies and from southern Mexico to southern Chile. It is often found in the mountainous regions within its range.

Heartwood Color
White
Yellow
Green/grey
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Pale brown
Yellow to yellowish-brown
Brown


Sapwood Color
Yellow
White
Same as heartwood
White to yellow
Same color as heartwood
Pinkish
Not distinct from heartwood


Grain
Straight
Even
Interlocked

Straight
Straight to shallowly interlocked


Texture
Medium
Fine
Uniform


Luster
Somewhat lustrous


Natural Durability
Perishable
Moderately durable
Low to moderate resistance to decay


Odor
No specific smell or taste


Kiln Schedules
Dry at a moderate speed
UK=H US=T10D4S/T8D3S Fr=7
T10-D4S(4/4); T8-D3S(8/4)US
Drying (speed) is fast


Drying Defects
Splitting
Slight twist/warp
Slight tendency to warp and check in drying
Slight surface checking
Slight end splitting


Ease of Drying
Little degrade if dried properly
Easy
Air-dries rather well


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is straight
Bole/stem form is not buttressed
Bole/stem form is fluted


Tree Size
The trees are unbuttressed, and develop somewhat fluted but straight and clear boles.

Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Boring
Good response to boring operations


Carving
Responds well to carving operations
Carves well with ordinary tools to yield clean surfaces


Cutting Resistance
Low resistance to sawing


Mortising
Mortises readily, with rather good results


Moulding
Moulds well (70+ % of pieces will yield good to excellent results)


Movement in Service
Small
Shows only small movement after manufacture
Dimensionally stable


Nailing
Easy to nail
Takes nails well
Holds nails well


Planing
Generally smooth planed surfaces
Generally clean planed surfaces
Fairly easy planing operations


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant sapwood
Resistant heartwood
Heartwood is permeable
Heartwood is moderately resistant
Fairly good response to preservative treatment


Resistance to Splitting
Good


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to machine
Responds well to hand tools


Routing & Recessing
Generally good routing qualities


Sanding
Good sanding properties
Clean and smooth sanded surfaces


Turning
Yields clean surfaces


Steam Bending
Very poor
Poor


Painting
Good results
Satisfactory painting properties


Polishing
Generally polishes well


Staining
Finish is generally good
Satisfactory staining properties


Varnishing
Good results
Fair varnishing properties


Strength Properties
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low
Max. crushing strength = medium
Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft.
Hardness (side grain) = soft
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low
Bending strength (MOR) = medium
Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = very low
Toughness (total work) = very low
Work to Maximum Load
Toughness (total work) = low
Shrinkage, Tangential = small
Shrinkage, Radial = very small
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium
Max. crushing strength = low
High in density
Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft.
Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high
Bending strength (MOR) = very high
Bending strength (MOR) = low
Bending strength (MOR) = high

The bending strength of air-dried wood of the species is similar to that of Teak, which is considered to be strong. Other species in this range include Teak, White oak, and Hard maple. It is fairly hard, resisting wear, denting, and marring fairly well. The weight is about average

Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength1019714692psi
Density32lbs/ft3
Hardness862lbs
Impact Strength16inches
Maximum Crushing Strength41486744psi
Shearing Strength1718psi
Stiffness114513011000 psi
Toughness119inch-lbs
Work to Maximum Load89inch-lbs/in3
Specific Gravity0.420.54
Weight3331lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage2%
Tangential Shrinkage6%
Volumetric Shrinkage10%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength7161032kg/cm2
Density512kg/m3
Hardness391kg
Impact Strength40cm
Maximum Crushing Strength291474kg/cm2
Shearing Strength120kg/cm2
Stiffness80911000 kg/cm2
Toughness137cm-kg
Work to Maximum Load0.560.63cm-kg/cm3
Specific Gravity0.420.54
Weight528496kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage2%
Tangential Shrinkage6%

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

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.

Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 8 Australasia,TRADA, Red Booklet Series

Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 9 Central America and the Caribbean,TRADA, Red Booklet Series

Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.

Dallimore, W. and Jackson, A. Bruce,1966,A Handbook of Coniferae and Ginkgoaceae Fourth Ed. Revised by S.G.,Harrison,Edward Arnold (Publishers) Ltd. London

Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department

Forest Products Research Laboratory U.K.,1957,A Handbook of Softwoods,Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Forest Products Research,HMSO

Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1945,A Handbook of Empire Timbers,Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Forest Products Research

Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1967,The Steam Bending Properties of various timbers,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Leaflet,No.45

Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1969,The Movement of Timbers,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough Technical Note,No.38

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)

Little, E.L., Wadsworth, F.H.,1964,Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.249

Record, S.J.,1927,Trees of Honduras,Tropical Woods,10, pp10-47

Redding, L.W.,1971,Resistance of Timbers to Impregnation with Creosote,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Bulletin No.54 pp.43

Smith, D.N.,1959,The Natural Durability of Timber,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Record,No.30

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