Cocobolo

[rovercat]

Anything special that one should do when gluing the tubes and finishing Cocobolo.
I do use a good resperator when turning but have not used Cocobolo before.
Thanks

 

[ed4copies]

Cocobolo is very oily - you probably knew that.

Before gluing, if you want to clean the "hole" with solvent -good idea. I don't, I just glue with CA. With most woods, I insert the tube from the wrong end first, spread the glue a little and then insert from the "middle" of the pen and twist. With cocobolo, it will be glued in place before you finish all this "messing around".

I am now allergic to cocobolo, so the headgear has to be in place before turning.

I still make these pens, although infrequently, because they are gorgeous when they are completed.

Good Luck - it isn't real difficult, just don't "dilly-dally" (a technical term) or your tubes will be glued faster than you can wink!![][]

 

[kent4Him]

Not to start the CA/GG war, but I would recommend using Gorilla Glue and letting it cure overnight. You can dilly-dally around as much as you like. I agree with Ed's comment about starting with the wrong end and then moving to the middle. I find no need to clean out the hole on Cocobolo and GG.

 

[ilikewood]

Sniff, "Aahhh, I love the smell of Cocobolo in the morning!"

Famous quote (paraphrased just a bit)

Both ways have worked well for me in the past. Epoxy is what I use, but most of the other glues will work well. (hint...scratch the surface of your tubes well so the glue has something to adhere to).[]

 

[Mikey]

I've also never found a need to clean the wood with any solvents before glue. I've also noticed that Cocobolo is one of those woods where the glue sets quickly and you need to work fast. gues it's something in the oil of the wood.

Anyway, IIRC, there was a WOOD Magazine test done a year or so ago where they tested the strength of glues woodworkers used on regular and oily woods. In one of the tests they wiped the woods down to see if that worked better. I believe that they found that wiping down the wood actually created a weaker bond.

 

[Penmonkey]

Just do NOT try a polyurethane finish. I did and it never would dry because the wood is so dense. CA works very well on it.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Ed,
I use the same method of inserting my tubes on all pen blanks... I have nominally stopped using cocobolo because about half of them were glued in half in/half out... and cussing didn't help any at all.

 

[ed4copies]

Originally posted by ozmandus
<br />Ed,
I use the same method of inserting my tubes on all pen blanks... I have nominally stopped using cocobolo because about half of them were glued in half in/half out... and cussing didn't help any at all.

You need to cuss better!!!


Oh, and a hacksaw........cut off the remaining tube, insert from other end.

It helps to utter the phrase, "So there you son of a __________" while you are doing this. (Oh, and glue fast - a recurrence of the "gluing trauma" is to be avoided!![][][]

 

[gerryr]

I use 30 minute epoxy on Cocobolo, do not clean the drilled hole with anything other than air and have never had a problem gluing the tubes in. I love Cocobolo, especially Bill's Cocobolo.[]