Bulletwood (Manilkara bidentata)
Family: Sapotaceae
Common names: Abeille, Acana, Almiqui, Aus, Ausabo, Ausubo, Balata, Balata burue, Balata franc, Balata gomme, Balata rouge, Beefwood, Boeti, Bolletri, Bolletrie, Borowe, Botrie, Bulletwood, Bully, Bully tree, Chicozapota, Chicozapote, Horseflesh, Iriar, Kobero, Macaranduba, Maparajuba, Massarandu, Massaranduba, Miurajuba, Nispero, Paardevleeshout, Pamashto, Paraju, Purgio, Purgo, Purue, Quinilla, Quinilla colorada, Red balata, Red lancewood, Sapotille, South American mahogany
Distributed in: Brazil, Columbia, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Guadelope [France], Guyana, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico [US], Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela (Central America, Latin America, North America, Oceania and S.E. Asia)
Distribution overview: Widely distributed throughout the West Indies, Central America, and northern South America; occurs in many forest types and not exacting as to soil or topography. Locally frequent.
Common uses: Bent Parts, Billiard-cue butts, Boat building (general), Boat building: framing, Bridge beams, Bridge construction, Bridge joists, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Charcoal, Chests, Construction, Decks, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Exterior trim & siding, Exterior uses, Factory construction, Fine furniture, Fishing rods, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Handles, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Marine construction, Matches, Mathematical instruments, Mine timbers, Musical instruments , Musical instruments, Musical instruments: percussion, Musical instruments: strings, Naval architecture, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Piling, Posts, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Shade rollers, Shafts/Handles, Shingles, Skis, Sporting Goods, Structural work, Textile equipment, Tool handles, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative, Violin bows, Wheel spokes
Product sources: The ITTO reports that the species is an important source of timber. It is usually exported at a low rate, and is also well known for its yield of balata or gutta-percha which is collected from tapped trees. Small quantities of Bulletwood are exported because the tree is valued for its latex. Supplies of lumber are limited, and the material is usually available at high prices from the larger importers in the United States.
Environment profile: Data source is Nature Conservancy
Tree size: Tree height is 30-40 m
Trees are usually swollen at the base,
Colors: the heart isReddish brown, Yellowand the sapwoodWhite to yellow, Yellow.The grain isWeak figure, the textureUniformand the lusterSlightly lustrous
Natural durability: Very durable, Weathering properties are very poor
Odor: No specific smell or taste
Silica Content: Siliceous
LightInduced Color Change: Darker
Kiln Schedules: T1 - B1 (4/4) US
Drying Defects: Slight surface checking, Slight twist/warp
Ease of Drying: Slowly
Tree Identification: Bole/stem form is straight
Comments: General finishing qualities are rated as good
Blunting Effect: Medium effect
Boring: Fairly difficult to very difficult
Carving: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Cutting Resistance: Moderately easy despite high density
Gluing: Use special attention for best results
Mortising: Finishes well
Moulding: Good finishing
Movement in Service: Good finishing
Nailing: Holds nails well, Possible if prebored
Planing: Satisfactory planing properties
Resistance to Impregnation: Resistant sapwood
Resistance to Splitting: Satisfactory
Response to hand tools: Responds Readily
Routing recessing: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Sanding: Good sanding finish
Steam bending: Very good
Screwing: Screwing yields good results
; Turning: Poor results
Painting: Satisfactory; Polishing: Satisfactory; Varnishing: Good;
- Numerical data Metric
- Numerical data English
- Strength properties
- References
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Item |
Green |
Dry |
Metric |
| Specific Gravity |
0,77 |
0,95 |
|
| Density |
|
961 |
kg/m3 |
| Bending Strength |
1193 |
1800 |
kg/cm2 |
| Crushing Strength |
170 |
265 |
kg/cm2 |
| Hardness |
|
1392 |
kg |
| Impact Strength |
|
|
cm |
| Shearing Strength |
|
196 |
kg/cm2 |
| Stiffness |
182 |
223 |
1000 kg/cm2 |
| Tangential Shrinkage |
9 |
|
% |
| Radial Shrinkage |
6 |
|
% |
| Weight |
1041 |
961 |
kg/m3 |
| Maximum Load |
0,84 |
1,19 |
cm-kg/cm3 |
| Toughness |
|
299 |
cm-kg |
| Static Bending |
766 |
1035 |
kg/cm2 |
|
 |  |  |  | | Item | Green | Dry | English | | Bending Strength | 16982 | 25609 | psi | | Crushing Strength | 2430 | 3773. | psi | | Density | | 60 | lbs/ft3 | | Hardness | | 3070 | lbs | | Maximum Crushing Strength | 8491 | 11619 | psi | | Shearing Strength | | 2798 | psi | | Static Bending | 10898 | 14729 | psi | | Stiffness | 2595 | 3173 | 1000 psi | | Toughness | | 260 | inch-lbs | | Work to Maximum Load | 12 | 17 | inch-lbs/in3 | | Specific Gravity | 0.77 | 0.95 | | | Weight | 65 | 60 | lbs/ft3 | | Radial Shrinkage | 6 | | % | | Tangential Shrinkage | 9 | | % | | Volumetric Shrinkage | 17 | | % | |
Bending strength (MOR) = very high 0 Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very high 1 Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Radial = large Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shearing strength (parallele to grain) = very high Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = large Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft. Work to Maximum Load = very low Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = small Max. crushing strength = low Hardness = very high Density (dry weight) = >75 lbs/cu. ft. Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = low Max. crushing strength = medium Max. crushing strength = highBulletwood is equal to or superior to Greenheart (Ocotea rodiaei ) in shock resistance, hardness, shear, and bending strength.
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