Spanish Cedar

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DESCRIPTION	Spanish Cedar heartwood is pale pinkish-brown when freshly cut, becoming red or dark reddish-brown. Sapwood pale pinkish-beige. Grain is straight, sometimes shallowly interlocked with a moderately coarse texture. Weight averages about 30lbs per cu. ft.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN	Central & South America
BOTANICAL NAME	Cedrela Odorata
OTHER NAMES	Acajou, Ceder, Cedre Rouge, South American Cedar
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES	Moderately good steam bending characteristics. The wood is strong in relation to its weight.
WORKING PROPERTIES	Easy to work with hand and power tools. Sharp cutting tools required to avoid woolliness. Staining and polishing can be difficult due to presence of gum, but good finish is obtainable with suitable filling. Holds nails and screws well and glues satisfactorily.
DURABILITY	Durable. Susceptible to attack by powder post beetle, but resistant to termites. Heartwood is extremely resistant to preservative treatment. Sapwood is permeable.
SEASONING	Dries rapidly with minor warping, slight checking and end splitting. Low temperature kiln drying recommended to avoid distortion or collapse. Very small movement.
USES	The premier wood used for cigar humidor interiors. Also used for furniture, cabinets, paneling, flooring, boat building, skins of racing boats, clothing chests, decorative veneers, plywood and panel core stock.
COMMENTS	This wood is not a true cedar.