Replies

1. 
   jonsherryl | Apr 26, 2003 01:23am | #1

   Ditch, bullet (sometimes bulletwood) is a common name used for several unrelated species...But I think the odds are good that the one you're dealing with is Manilkara bidentata or a member of the closely related genus Dipholis (some botanists lump the Dipholis species into the genus Bumelia, but that's academic fine tuning.) These genera are closely related and spread all over tropical America from Florida southward into northern South America. They belong to the sapodilla family (Sapotaceae) and are closely related to sapodilla, which produces the natural gum (chicle) once used to make chewing gum. In fact most of these woods have latex-like gums, and some are irritating to work with because of their chemistry. 

   Bulletwood is dense, heavy, fine textured and most of the species have a reddish brown color. A few of the other common names for the woods produced by species in this group are: balata, beefwood, bustic, cassada and sometimes zapote, but this latter name is so widely used for so many unrelated woods that it borders on useless.

1. 
   luvmuskoka | Apr 26, 2003 03:34am | #2

   Jon,

   Thank you. A flooring mill I deal with is trying to market this to me. I figured it was a trade name.  They have sent a lead my way for finishing a contractor installed floor.

   Have you worked with this species? I'm concerned about oil content, as a lot of exotics will fight an OMU sealer and water-borne sealers sometimes bite better on an oily species.

   Here's a pic:Ditch

   
1. 
   jonsherryl | Apr 26, 2003 05:52am | #3

   Ditch, these species have latex-like gums and a slightly oily feel, as opposed to a dry feel. The distinction between gums and resins in the makeup of wood extractives is that gums tend to be more water soluble, while resins (like pine pitch) are not. The resins and gums form sort of a spectrum with resins on the one side and gums on the other...And in between these two extremes there is a broad range of intermediate oleo-resins (oil-like substances) with differing degrees of water solubility, depending on the species...Not being either a finish expert, or an organic chemist, that broad-brush sense of it is about as far as I can take you.

   If you say water based finishes work better on oily woods, it might be because the oleo-resins have some degree of water solubility which water based finishes are able to cut (blend with) to enhance the bond...These bulletwoods seem to lean to the oily (gummy) side, so if I had to guess, I'd suspect they'd offer a better bond with a water based finish...But I'm way out of my puddle on this topic...Maybe one of our Knots finish experts will chime in here. Otherwise, you'll just have to experiment. 

   Edited 4/25/2003 11:04:13 PM ET by Jon Arno

1. 
   RW | Apr 26, 2003 04:25pm | #4

   This is rather educated guesswork, I've had good luck on oily woods with vinyl sealers. The part I can only SWAG at is whether or not those hold up under foot traffic, and whether or not it's the right answer to that species - since I havent touched the stuff. Guess if 50 people chip in their two cents, eventually you'll have advice worth a buck."The child is grown / The dream is gone / And I have become / Comfortably numb "      lyrics by Roger Waters

2. 
   Clay | Apr 27, 2003 09:57pm | #5

   Since you would be finishing a pretty valuable installation, it would be unacceptable to guess whether your finish system will work on it.  You will have to have some matching samples to test with.  Sometimes a quirk of chemistry can lead to serious consequences.

1. 
   luvmuskoka | Apr 30, 2003 02:47am | #6

   Clay and RW,

   Yes, a quirk of chemistry has led to more than a few floor finish failures. Those of us finishing exotics are more or less writing the book on procedure and technique, as the species are new to the industry.

   Most pro's I know are sealing and coating with water-borne products.

   Test samples only go so far, as conditions can't very well be duplicated on 1 sq. ft.

   Will let you know how she goes.

   ThanksDitch