WOOD SPECIES:
Pau Ferro
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Machaerium scleroxylon
OTHER COMMON NAMES:
Pau Ferro, Caviuna, Jacaranda Pardo, Morado, Bolivian Rosewood, Santos Rosewood
TYPICAL USES:
Pau Ferro lumber is commonly used in veneering applications, flooring and cabinet-making, woodworking lathe turnery projects, musical instruments and small specialty items.
SOURCES:
Central America, South America
AVG BENDING STRENGTH:
18,250 psi
SPECIFIC GRAVITY:
0.76
AVG WEIGHT:
54 lbs/cu.ft.
COLOR:
Pau Ferro coloration can vary, from red-orange to dark brown, with irregular purple-black streaks.
GRAIN:
Typically Pau Ferro lumber exhibits a mostly straight, undulating grain. Some stock’s grain can be somewhat irregular or interlocked.
TEXTURE:
Very fine, even texture with extremely small pores.
LUSTER:
Pau Ferro exhibits a high, natural luster.
MOVEMENT:
A moderate amount of dimensional movement is expected.
DURABILITY:
Pau Ferro is considered to be durable, with a high level of resistance to decay.
BLUNTING EFFECT:
Works fairly well, though some blunting is noticed on cutting edges.
CUTTING RESISTANCE:
Moderate resistance to sawing operations, more so with lumber possessing interlocked or irregular grain patterns.
PLANING:
Pau Ferro samples containing an irregular grain pattern may have a tendency to tear during planing. Sharp cutters and adjusted feed rates are recommended.
TURNING:
An excellent wood choice for most woodworking lathe projects.
BORING:
No reported issues.
GLUING:
Oily tropical hardwoods such as Pau Ferro tend to resist gluing.
NAILING:
Pre-drilling is recommended for best results.
SCREWING:
Pre-drilling is recommended for best results.
POLISHING:
Polishes to a pleasing natural finish.
STAINING:
Pau Ferro finishes well. Clear, natural stains are recommended to allow the natural beauty and color of the wood to shine through.
