Greenheart: hardworking hardwood

ESPITE its romantic niune. Egreenheart (Ocoteo rodiaei) is a wood of outstanding strength and durability, used where these qualities, plus its availability in very large sizes, are required. Throughout the world it is renowned as a structural timber for piling, piers, dock and harbor work and lock gates.

In addition, greenheart is used for pier decking and handrails, industrial flooring, as bearers for engines in the engineering industry, for vats, agitators in vats and filter presses in the chemical industry. It also is a standard timber for manufacturing the shafts of rackets, laminated archery bows and fishing rods in the sporting goods industry.

Found in Guyana in large quantities and in Surinam and Brazil in limited amounts, the wood had been logged for export for over200 years.The tree grows very high, up to 130 ft., developing a long straight cylindrical bole which is often 50 to 80 ft. long and 16 to ?A in. in diameter.

Greenheart is shipped mostly as hewn baulks, squared to 12 to 16 in. in lengths up to 40 ft. Some squares are Vl in. and over 60 ft. long.

The wood which has a moderately fine texture, free from knots and other defects, is very hard and heavy. With an average density of 64 lb. per foot seasoned, it is one ofthe heaviest timbers used commercially. Generally used unseasoned, it has a density of about l0 lbs. per foot.

Greenheart has a distinctive pale to dark olive green heartwood, often with dark brown or black markings. The sapwood, which is not always well defined, is pale.

Greenheart timber seasons slowly with considerable degrade by checking and splitting in large dimensions. When dry, it is rated as having a medium movement in service. It is exceptionally strong, about 5090 heavier than English oak and almost twice as

Story at a Glance

Strong, durable structural tim. ber. .imported as hewn baulks ...heavier than English oak... can be hazardous to employees in working...

resistant to shock and more than twice as strong in bending, compression and stiffness. It is moderately good for steam bending.

This strength and weight are detrimental to the wood in working and finishing properties. It is difficult to work with both hand and machine tools. For ripsawing, saws with 66 teeth and a 15 hook are recommended. Sharp planing cutters with a 20o cutting angle give a good finish, but the wood has a marked blunting effect. When the cutters are dulled, the finish is easily torn or becomes fibrous. Wood tends to break away as tools exit in end grain working. To prevent splitting,holes must be prebored for screws.

Working of greenheart can be hazardous. Some operators experience nasal irritation from the dust caused by machining. Splinters can cause septic wounds.

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