| OTHER COMMON NAMES: |
| Cedro macho (Costa Rica), Bateo (Panama), Mazabalo
(Colombia), Carapa (Venezuela), Krapa (Surinam), Figueroa,
Tangare (Ecuador), Andiroba (Peru, Brazil). |
| DISTRIBUTION |
| Occurs in the West Indies from Cuba to Trinidad and from Honduras south through Central America, the
Guianas, and into Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, and the overflow delta lands of the Orinoco in Venezuela; often
occurs in pure stands; a lowland species but also at high altitudes along rivers. |
| THE TREE |
| Commonly 80 to 100 ft in height with diameters 2 to 3 ft; sometimes attain diameters up to 6 ft and heights of 170 ft. Buttresses are
low, leaving a clear bole length of 50 ft or more; main stems are straight and of good form. |
 |
| DRYING AND SHRINKAGE: |
| Experience is variable, reported to air-season and kiln-dry rather slowly with a tendency to split, check, and collapse but without
serious bowing or cupping; also reported to be only moderately difficult to air-dry with only slight checking and warp. Kiln
schedule T3-C2 is suggested for 4/4 stock and T3-C1 for 8/4. Shrinkage green to ovendry: radial 3.1%; tangential 7.6%; volumetric
10.4. Movement in service is rated small. |
| DURABILITY |
| Very variable, laboratory tests report both high and
low resistance to brown- and white-rot fungi; also
variously reported to be resistant or poorly resistant
to decay in the ground. Reported to be very susceptible
to dry-wood termite attack; also vulnerable. |
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| WORKING PROPERTIES: |
| Can be worked with machine and hand tools; reported
to be somewhat harder to machine than mahogany;
has a tendency to split when nailed; glues
and screws well; peels well for veneer. |
| |
| MELIACEAE |
 |
| TRADE NAME: |
| ANDIROBA |
| COLOMBIAN NAME: |
| GUINO |
| |
| WOOD PROPERTIES |
| GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS |
| Heartwood is a light salmon to reddish brown when fresh,
becoming darker when dry, color very variable; sapwood is
pinkish turning pale brown or grayish, not always sharply demarcated
from heartwood. Texture varies from fine to coarse;
luster ranges from low to high; grain usually straight but
sometimes roey; odor and taste lacking. |
| Weigth: Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) 0.56;
air-dry density 41 pcf. |
| PRESERVATION |
| Absorption is low and penetration is poor in heartwood
treated by either pressure or non-pressure
systems. |
| USES |
| Suitable for all types of construction where durability
is not a factor; furniture and cabinet work, flooring,
joinery, millwork, veneer and plywood, and
turnery. |
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