Vochysia Hondurensis (Yemeri)


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Scientific Name
Vochysia hondurensis

Trade Name
Yemeri

Family Name
Vochysiaceae

Common Names
Chambo caspi, Corpus, Emeri, Emery, Emory, Flor amarillo, Palo de agua, Palo de chancho, Quaruba, San Juan, White mahogany, White yemeri, Yemeri

Regions of Distribution
Central America, Latin America

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama

Common Uses
Boxes and crates, Building materials, Canoes, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Crossties, Decorative plywood, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, General carpentry, Hatracks, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Millwork, Moldings, Office furniture, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Radio – stereo – TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Stools, Tables , Trimming, Utility furniture, Wainscotting, Wardrobes

Environmental Profile

Status has not been officially assessed

Distribution Overview
Various species in the Vochysia genus are widely distributed in tropical America, from southern Mexico to Peru, and are most plentiful in the Guianas and Brazil. They are reported to thrive best on coastal plains and alongside waterways, and are often found in nearly pure stands on abandoned farmlands.

Heartwood Color

Brown
Purple
Red
Pink
Pale red to pink
Pale brown
Reddish brown
Golden brown with a reddish cast

Sapwood Color

Brown
White to yellow
Paler than heartwood
Different than heartwood
Color not distinct from heartwood

Grain

Figure
Interlocked
Straight
Even
Stripe (figure)
Rays (figure)
Weak (figure)

 

Interlocked
Straight
Striped figure
Weak figure
Rays figure

May be suitable for the manufacture of less expensive grade furniture

Texture

Fine
Medium to coarse
Moderately coarse
Coarse

Luster

Medium
Lustrous
High
Golden luster

Natural Growth Defects
Brittleheart = rare or absent

Natural Durability

Durable
Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Non durable
Moderately durable
Susceptible to attack by fungi and termites
Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present
Heartwood resistant to decay

Odor

No specific smell or taste

Kiln Schedules

Drying (speed) is fast
T2 – D4 (4/4); T2 – D3 (8/4) US
Schedule A (4/4) United Kingdom

Drying Defects

Moderate twist/warp
Slight surface checking
Moderate cupping
Slight collapse and honeycomb
No end splitting
No defects are common
No defects are common
Moderate spring/bow

The wood has a high tendency to twist and cup. Some collapse may also occur in thicker stock.

Ease of Drying

Moderate
Dries slowly
Dries at a fairly rapid rate

Quartersawn material is less prone to drying degrade

Tree Identification

Bole/stem form is straight
Bole/stem form is not buttressed
Bole/stem form is cylindrical

Tree Size

Tree height is 10-20 m
Sapwood width is 0-5 cm
Tree height is 20-30 m
Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm

Product Sources
The ITTO reports that the species is an important source of timber for export.

Timber produced by species in the genus are used for the same purposes as Qualea timbers, and the two genera are often referred to by the same vernacular name in some localities.

Substitutes
Spanish cedar

Comments
Durable and is easier to work, and can be used for utility plywood, drawer bottoms, and panels

General finishing qualities are rated as good

Blunting Effect

Blunting effect on sawing green wood is mild
Slight effect
Medium effect
Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is mild
Blunting effect on machining is slight

Boring

Moderately easy
Bores readily with ordinary machine tools

Carving

Good results

Cutting Resistance

Easy to saw
Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy

Gluing

Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Easy to glue
Moderate gluing properties
Good properties

Mortising

Moderately easy to mortise
Good mortising properties
Finishes satisfactorily
Easy to mortise

Moulding

Satisfactory moulding results
Moulding ease is moderate
Good moulding properties
Easy to mould

Nailing

Easy to nail
Holds nails well

Planing

Easy to plane
Ease of planing is moderate
Planes to a satisfactory finish

Resistance to Impregnation

Sapwood is permeable
Heartwood is permeable

Preservative absorption and retention is more than adequate in both heartwood and sapwood

Resistance to Splitting

Good

Response to Hand Tools

Easy to Work
Works readily with handtools
Variable qualities
Easy to machine
Difficult to machine

Routing & Recessing

Routing is easy

Sanding

Satisfactory sanding results
Fairly good sanding characteristics

Turning

Poor results
Turns with moderate ease
Responds well

Steam Bending

Poor

Painting

Responds well to painting
Good results

Polishing

Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results
Good results

Staining

Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Stains well
Staining (Characteristic) = non-staining

Water-Based stains should be avoided since they tend to raise the grain

Varnishing

Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy

Strength Properties

Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft.
Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft.
Bending strength (MOR) = low
Work to Maximum Load = very low
Shrinkage, Radial = very small
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low
Shrinkage, Tangential = small
Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate
Bending strength (MOR) = high

Numerical Data

Item Green Dry English
Bending Strength 7062 11140 psi
Density 32 lbs/ft3
Hardness 686 lbs
Impact Strength 20 25 inches
Maximum Crushing Strength 3085 5055 psi
Shearing Strength 1009 psi
Stiffness 1054 1248 1000 psi
Toughness 133 inch-lbs
Work to Maximum Load 4 8 inch-lbs/in3
Specific Gravity 0.46 0.52
Weight 29 24 lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage 2 %
Tangential Shrinkage 8 %
Volumetric Shrinkage 13 %
Item Green Dry Metric
Bending Strength 496 783 kg/cm2
Density 512 kg/m3
Hardness 311 kg
Impact Strength 50 63 cm
Maximum Crushing Strength 216 355 kg/cm2
Shearing Strength 70 kg/cm2
Stiffness 74 87 1000 kg/cm2
Toughness 153 cm-kg
Work to Maximum Load 0.28 0.56 cm-kg/cm3
Specific Gravity 0.46 0.52
Weight 464 384 kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage 2 %
Tangential Shrinkage 8 %

References
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 Woods – Temperate and Tropical. USDA., Forest Service, Preliminary Copy, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.

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

Chichignoud, M., G. Deon, P. Detienne, B. Parant and P. Vantomme. 1990. Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO, Centre Technique Forestier Tropical, Division of CIRAD, 45 bis Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne, CEDEX, France.

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

Constantine, Jr., A. J. 1959. Know Your Woods – A Complete Guide to Trees, Woods, and Veneers. Revised Edition. Revised by H.J. Hobbs. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York.

Davis, E.M.,1949,Exploratory tests in machining and related properties of 15 Tropical,American Hardwoods,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison,Report,No.1744

HMSO. 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R. H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

ITTO. 1991. Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America. Association Internationale Technique des Bois Tropicaux, Centre Technique Forestier Tropical Division of CIRAD, 45 bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-marne, CEDEX, France

Kukachka, B.F.,1970,Properties of Imported Tropical Woods,Forest Research Paper FPL 125

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)

Longwood, F.R.,1962,Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.207

Perpetua Hardwoods. Sea Star Trading Co. – Purveyors of Fine Wood. Newport, Oregon. Personal Communication, 1993.

Record, S.J. and R.W. Hess. 1943. Timbers of the New World. Published on the Charles Lathrop Pack Foundation, Yale University Press, New Haven CT.

Stevenson, D., Stevenson, N.S.,1925,Some Secondary Timbers of British Honduras,Tropical Woods 1(4) pp 12-16

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

Woods, R.P.,1949,Timbers of South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series