Re: KAKAWATE Tree, is it a really good source of lumber ?

Some more pics of the Kakawate Tree.

Here is a close-up of its trunk.

KAKAWATE tree, with a scientific name GLIRICIDIA SEPIUM, and also known as Madre De Cacao. Its a medium size tree that can grow to 10 m or 15 m and belongs to the familyof Fabaceae. It is easily propagated by cuttings of its mature stems.

Re: KAKAWATE Tree, is it a really good source of lumber ?

many thanks rosy..

kakawate hunting mode nako...

hehe

Re: KAKAWATE Tree, is it a really good source of lumber ?

kakawate is better known in our province as madre cacao. Dried heartwood is very tough, I think the durability of an electric saw will be tested in this wood. I remember I wanted to cry when I tried to cut a cross section to be used as base for a display item. It took me hours using a cross cut saw, driving a nail through it is not possible without the aid of drill because it always kneels as if asking for mercy hehe:D
We use dead tree in the garden to hang orchids. Widely used also as marker for land boundaries instead of "mohon". I think its lumber can be used on small specialty projects only cause it's hard to produce good size lumber out of it, the trees are mostly crooked shaped.

Good luck to your quest docV:).

Re: KAKAWATE Tree, is it a really good source of lumber ?

Yeah violaine good luck on your hunt for this very hard wood.

Here I would just like to say somethings about this sought after hard wood and its many uses.
KAKAWATE or Madre de kakaw as it is known locally is a very versatile tree. Its hard wood can be used to make wooden spoons, trays, wooden mugs or maybe wooden plates. This tree though only considered as a medium tree because it grows only to about 10 or 15 meters can also be placed in the level or classifications of the NARRA, KAMAGONG, GUIJO, DAO, ACACIA, YAKAL, MANGKOHO and so many many more hard wood trees in our country. Its trunk when milled would yield a very very hard wood, the wood grain, its fantastic too and when properly sanded and finished would yield a very smooth and very shiny surface, simply great for furnitures like tables, benches, chairs and coffee tables, wood workers for sure will love its wood. :p

If one would go to an orchid farm you will notice most if not all of their stumps or drift woods are Kakawate, this kind of wood is also a sought after by orchid growers because of its hard wood and the beauty it gives taken and used in its natural form, sumusuko ang mga termites sa katigasan ng kahoy na ito. You can hammer or drive a # 4, #5, or even a #6 nail to its trunk or its center, for sure your nails would bend, this has been proven by yours trully, this wood is really amazing.

This tree has been used for free form furnitures using its natural forms and its so expensive, from dining tables to chairs of unusual shapes and forms, to large wooden benches to wooden stools and side and center tables, really when this wood is properly designed into a furniture then well sanded, polished and varnished for sure it will command a steep price.

What is so sad here is that this Kakawate is being harvested still at a very young stage due to the needs of large orchid farms in the provinces, and that this tree though not so big a tree does not reach its full maturity, maturity in the sense that it produces large trunks in diameter so that it can be properly milled to produce some real to goodness good lumber, wood plunks for furniture use, sigh, talagang sayang at naka pang hihinayang ang potencial usage ng Kakawate tree. :rolleyes: 😡

If only we can propagate this medium size tree or use them for tree planting activities, this could be a replacement for the dwindling supply of hard wood here in our country. Our government might realize someday its potencial usage and might suddenly pass a law banning the harvesting or cutting of this modest tree. 🙁

Re: KAKAWATE Tree, is it a really good source of lumber ?

Here's a link courtesy of Violaine, so viewers can understand better and possibly be inspired.

http://silang.olx.com.ph/antique-abl...iid-176888043

Re: KAKAWATE Tree, is it a really good source of lumber ?

wow that's dead gorgeous! :massbounce:
I would say that's a product of a 30 year-old or more kakawate tree

Re: KAKAWATE Tree, is it a really good source of lumber ?

kakawate pala yan ...
ngayon ko lang nalaman
actually napakadali daw magpalaki ng kakawate, ibaon lang daw sa lupa , kahit putol na sanga
ay tutubo pa...
sabi ng tatay ko, magandang gawing bakod ang kakawate
kaya nung nagpagawa ng bakod ang tatay ko sa farm niya,
yun kakawate lang ang poste,
tapos yun lumaki na yung puno, may bakod pa kami...
nice info sir rosy...
maasahan ka talaga...

Re: KAKAWATE Tree, is it a really good source of lumber ?

kung tama pagkakatanda ko yung dahon po nyan (pounded leaves) parang anti-scabies. mga folk remedy. tapos yung mga baka at kambing namin na pasaway paboritong kainin dahon niyan. kaya yung mga lower branches ng mga madre de cacao kalbo parati.

Re: KAKAWATE Tree, is it a really good source of lumber ?

Hey jon, thanks for the compliment but it was violaine who requested on another thread that I post some photos of the kakawate tree and of course I obliged but instead of posting them pics on that thread I decided to just open a new thread for this kasi baka ma OT :offtopic: e masita pa ni admin. 🙁 :bottom:

Re: KAKAWATE Tree, is it a really good source of lumber ?

hey rosy,

sent you a pm.

thanks

V

Re: KAKAWATE Tree, is it a really good source of lumber ?

Very nice thread Rosy, very informative about this rare kakawate wood specie, ang gandang kahoy pala ito...parang madami akong nadadaanan nga nyan sa Silang. Tamang tama byahe ako bukas sa Batangas baka makakita nyan..:chopper:

Re: KAKAWATE Tree, is it a really good source of lumber ?

A N O !!!!!!, byahe na naman sa Batangas ? he he he he he , joke joke joke lang bro Armand.

Bro, why KAKAWATE hunting na rin ba kagaya ni Violaine ????????? L O L

Have a nice trip to Batangas, be safe always and God bless.