3rd pen, first attempt at Cocobolo

[BeeAMaker]

First Try with Cocobolo wood. Don't judge me on the design of the pen :smile-big: I'm still getting to know my tools and what I can do with them. I know it's not a conventional shape, I'm just honing my skills before i get serious. So, on with the show (photographer I am not)

I was a bit upset with the fact that the tip of this kit, did not match the diameter of the bushing. I sanded the wood flush to the bushing but you will see in the photo the wood is slightly larger diameter than the tip. I may try my hand at disassembly and put it back on the Lathe. Time to get the calipers out! Is this something I need to watch for or is it mostly limited to the cheaper pen sets?

I also did not take my time sanding it (it was 1am) so I stopped at 600 grit then buffed it with Shelawax. If you look closely you can probably see some cross grain marks. (I left the clip off on purpose)

Thanks!

 

[Skie_M]

I can't see any radial scratches .... looks pretty good!


Most people (woodworkers in general) will tell you that taking your sanding up past 220 - 400 grit is a waste of time and effort .... lately, I've been sanding my bare wood up to 1000 - 1200 (depends on what I grab when I reach into the last bin where I keep my paper strips).

I can't really say if it makes that much of a difference, between 500 or 600 grit and 1000 or 1200 grit, but it still comes out very pretty after I've finished it in CA.

 

[mecompco]

Looks nice. I think Slims are the worst offenders--getting the nib to blank transition exact is an art. Other component sets can also vary, so unless you're sure, a measurement with the calps is never a bad idea. Also, you need to allow for sanding, and then for the buildup of finish--really tough to get a Slim perfect.

I do hope you don't develop an allergy to Cocobolo as I did. First few pens were fine, then the rash started and got progressively worse so I quit turning it. A shame as it is a beautiful wood.

Regards,
Michael

 

[Skie_M]

I'll echo the concerns about cocobolo issues ....


I had ordered a great deal - 15 lbs of cocobolo in a large flat rate box for around 35 dollars. The same week I ordered it, I ended up itching all over and had a very bad rash on the tops of both my feet. Turns out that I'm now sensitive to cocobolo.


Cocobolo is a sensitizer. A good way to view this is ... it's not whether or not you are allergic to it. It's HOW LONG you will not be sensitive to it before it starts to affect you. It can start out mild, or it can be devastatingly life-threatening, and it will only get worse with continued exposure. It's not a question of IF ... it's more a statement of YOU WILL BE AFFECTED EVENTUALLY.

Also, while the other rosewood species are a little more well behaved, in that they are not sensitizers that act like cocobolo ... they are still in the same family of tree species. Once cocobolo starts to affect you, EVERY ROSEWOOD may start to affect you. These include tulipwood, honduran rosewood, bolivian rosewood, kingwood, ect ... Any wood related in name to rosewood of any type plus any tree described as a true rosewood is included in this.


Use good dust collection; you may also wish to wear a dust mask/respirator and invest in an air filtration system for your shop (can be as simple as a furnace filter on the back of a box fan, pushing air away from your work area through the filter), and proper hygiene (take a shower after turning cocobolo).


It's a GORGEOUS wood ... I've made 3 pens and my shaving razor handle (which I still use to this day) from it, and the entire 15 lbs of it that I ordered is still sealed inside it's box. Can't touch it till I get my shop properly set up ... turning this stuff in my house is asking for an anaphylactic reaction.

 

[jttheclockman]

Not a fan of the shape but most beginners seem to fall in love with bulbous shapes for pens. Look at all the big brand name pens and you do not see shapes like that. It is a taste thing though and sometimes a bigger shape is good for people with difficulty writing and arthritis.

As far as bushings go, yes every pen kit and every pen should be done with calipers to get to the final shape. A kit can wind up with a tad more plating than another from the same batch. Or the bushings can be machined to a different tolerance and this goes for those special made bushings too. So learn to use the calipers because too as mentioned when you start using a film finish you will want to overturn your blank so that there is room to build it back up with the finish and yes it counts because you feel the transition from kit parts to blank.

As mentioned also that wood seems to have an effect on most people because of the irritants so do wear dust masks and have good dust collection going when working with it. There are many other woods that do the same and sometimes you learn the hard way.

Anyway good luck as you progress in the hobby. Looks like you are well on your way.

 

[BeeAMaker]

Thanks guys! I know Cocobolo is an Allergen, and I have allergies! I plan to work with in sparsely, maybe once in a great while.

Most people (woodworkers in general) will tell you that taking your sanding up past 220 - 400 grit is a waste of time and effort .... .

When I do Cabinets I rarely go above 180, depending on the finish I want. Harder woods come out smoother at 220 or 240. But wood is wood, you can only get it so smooth. I am assuming that is why is seems everyone coats their wood pens with CA, so they can get a really nice shine. ??

For me, I like a nice sheen and luster, but when wood shines, it looks plastic. There are times for it however, just a different preference than most I guess.

 

[mecompco]

Thanks guys! I know Cocobolo is an Allergen, and I have allergies! I plan to work with in sparsely, maybe once in a great while.

Most people (woodworkers in general) will tell you that taking your sanding up past 220 - 400 grit is a waste of time and effort .... .

When I do Cabinets I rarely go above 180, depending on the finish I want. Harder woods come out smoother at 220 or 240. But wood is wood, you can only get it so smooth. I am assuming that is why is seems everyone coats their wood pens with CA, so they can get a really nice shine. ??

For me, I like a nice sheen and luster, but when wood shines, it looks plastic. There are times for it however, just a different preference than most I guess.

The CA is really just for a hard, durable finish. A friction polish or as I like to do on my gun-themed pens a Tru-Oil finish will give more of a wood feel. But, they won't last anywhere near as long as a CA finish will. On wood, I usually sand to 400 and call it good (making sure to sand laterally as well as radially with the blank spinning, of course).