World of Wood

The Wonderful World of Wood:

Blackbean:

• "Castanospermum australe"

Other Names:

• Moreton bay bean.
• Moreton bay chestnut.
• Beantree.

Sources:

• Eastern Australia.

Tree Characteristics:

• A tall tree found in moist forest regions from Queenslant to New South Wales.
• It reaches about 130ft in height and produces a trunk about 3ft 3in in diameter.

Characteristics of the wood:

• A wood with attractive figure, it is rich brown in colour with grey brown streaks.
• Generally a straight grained wood but it can be interlocked.
• It is hard and heavy and is rather coarse in texture.
• The heartwood is naturally durable and resistant to preservative treatment.

Workability:

• Not a particularly easy wood to work with hand or machine tools.
• Although hard, the softer patches of the wood can crumble if cutting edges are not kept sharp.
• It glues reasonably well, but can vary.

Average dried weight:

• 45lb/cuft.

Finishing:

• It stains well and can be polished to a fine finish with the usual range of materials.

Common uses:

• Fine furniture.
• Joinery.
• Turnery.
• Carving.
• Decorative veneers.