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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Know Your Wood: Massaranduba

Massaranduba


Time on this rock is precious. We call it Massa.

Common trade names: Massaranduba, Massa, Brazilian Redwood

Genus: Malinkara bidentata

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 3190

Description: Massaranduba is a cost-effective, yet highly comparable alternative to slightly denser and more costly selections such as Ipe and Cumaru. Deep red hues accompany this delightful tropical hardwood, and the effective life of this species is over a couple of decades. The heartwood presentation may resemble that of purpleheart, though this is a different species. Straighter grains than most of the tropical hardwoods we offer, and the tree itself yields a natural latex (balata) from the sap, in addition to an edible fruit.

Location: Central and South America, Caribbean.

Common Aliases: Bullet wood, Balata, Bolivian Cherry, Ausubo, Macaranduba

Performance: Highly comparable to tropical hardwoods Ipe and Cumaru, but slightly easier to work.

Acclimation: As with any tropical hardwood, allow your material to adjust properly to its new environment fully stacked, spaced, and covered for a minimum of ten days. You will be glad you waited.

Common Uses: Golf balls (hist.), exterior decking, shiplap, rainscreen siding, whip handles, furnishings, patio furniture.

Properties from: The Wood Database

Bulletwood (Manilkara bidentata)
Common Name(s): Bulletwood, Massaranduba
Scientific Name: Manilkara bidentata
Distribution: Carribean, Central and South America
Tree Size: 100-150 ft (30-46 m) tall, 2-4 ft (.6-1.2 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 66 lbs/ft3 (1,060 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .85
Hardness: 3,190 lbf (14,190 N)
Rupture Strength: 29,690 lbf/in2 (204,760 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 3,332,000 lbf/in2 (22,980 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 13,380 lbf/in2 (92.3 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 6.3%, Tangential: 9.4%, Volumetric: 16.9%, T/R Ratio: 1.5

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