Surplus Cocobolo Blanks Potential (Any Interest)?

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egnald

Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2017
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4,204
Location
Columbus, Nebraska, USA
Greetings fellow IAP members,

I am a big fan of Cocobolo. I get my pen blanks from a family-run custom furniture business in a small town (population 5000) Northeast of Malvern, PA (The Corporate HQ for Vishay, the company I retired from). They build and sell outdoor garden furniture, planters, trellises, and some flooring all made from exotic hardwoods like Teak, Mahogany, Spanish cedar, Mango, and Cocobolo.

I have been thinking about buying more from them but they only sell in big lots and I wind up with hundreds of surplus blanks. I made some rough estimates that show I can split the surplus up into Priority Mail Boxes that hold up to 20 blanks. Considering the blanks and the cost of Priority Mail shipping in the USA, I can offer them up for $30 in a box of 10 ($3.00 per blank including shipping) or $45 in a box of 20 ($2.25 per blank including shipping).

I am not considering this to be a group buy since the price (and cost) at this point are just my best guess estimates. Also, according to IAP, the intention of a Group Buy is to "get the greatest discount available for all that participate", but there really isn't any kind of quantity discount in this situation, just a surplus of blanks that might be available. That and there are a lot of other rules associated with managing a Group Buy that I just don't want to deal with - at least at this point.

So, consider this just a feeler for whether or not there would be any interest in taking some of the surplus off my hands. Let me know either through this thread or through the PM system (Start Conversation Link) if you are interested in some of the blanks if I decide to proceed with my purchase.

Thank You, and Best Regards,
Dave

PS Here are pictures of some of the pens I have made from their Cocobolo in the past two or three years. Note that they all start out looking like brown chunks of wood, but once they are turned some are really nice and colorful and others are quite plain. I always consider Cocobolo to be like Forrest Gump's box of Chocolates -- you never know what you are going to get.

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I'm on a budget so if the time is right when you plan on getting these out, please holler at me. I would be interested in a box of 20 also.
 
I love cocobolo that has some of what I call the rusty color variation in it like some that you have shown here. The sixth one down, the GM Zen, and the one just below it really caught my eye. I'd be interested in a box of 20
 
I love cocobolo that has some of what I call the rusty color variation in it like some that you have shown here. The sixth one down, the GM Zen, and the one just below it really caught my eye. I'd be interested in a box of 20
I know, those are some of my favorites as well. Unfortunately, there was no outward indication on the blanks before I turned them. They all pretty much looked the same to start with, but some turn out like those colorful ones and others are just plain old all brown. - Dave
 
I know, those are some of my favorites as well. Unfortunately, there was no outward indication on the blanks before I turned them. They all pretty much looked the same to start with, but some turn out like those colorful ones and others are just plain old all brown. - Dave
I haven't turned a ton of cocobolo like you have but I have seen that in probably half of what I have turned. I don't know if it is oxidation or what it is but it tends to hide the true grain. It's like opening a present lol. Either way, I haven't seen a piece of cocobolo that didn't look nice.
 
When you buy from them, do they provide already cut to size pen blanks or do you cut them up? I have a pretty good supply of cocobolo pen blanks but I would like to find some 2 x 2 cocobolo spindle stock for turning hand plane knobs. If this is more than you want to do, I understand, I just thought I would ask.
 
When you buy from them, do they provide already cut to size pen blanks or do you cut them up? I have a pretty good supply of cocobolo pen blanks but I would like to find some 2 x 2 cocobolo spindle stock for turning hand plane knobs. If this is more than you want to do, I understand, I just thought I would ask.
I get them as 3/4 square, 5-inches long. I asked them about bigger sizes at one time, but their prices were much - much higher so I never pursued it. I have bought some 2 x 2 x 12 from WoodTurningz to use for pen holders that was pretty reasonable (at least at the time) at about $30. - Dave
 
When you buy from them, do they provide already cut to size pen blanks or do you cut them up? I have a pretty good supply of cocobolo pen blanks but I would like to find some 2 x 2 cocobolo spindle stock for turning hand plane knobs. If this is more than you want to do, I understand, I just thought I would ask.
I've got a few 1 1/2" square x 18" if that might work for you for plane knobs. Over the years i've cut several of these into pen blanks--and as Dave mentioned, colors varied widely--from one end of 18" to the other. Like Christmas, always a good gift, but some better than others!!
 
I've got a few 1 1/2" square x 18" if that might work for you for plane knobs. Over the years i've cut several of these into pen blanks--and as Dave mentioned, colors varied widely--from one end of 18" to the other. Like Christmas, always a good gift, but some better than others!!
Thanks for the offer. All of the bench plane knobs I turn are between 1 1/2 and 2" so 1 1/2 won't work. I've got a beautiful board I can make some totes with, I just need the spindle portion.
 
I get them as 3/4 square, 5-inches long. I asked them about bigger sizes at one time, but their prices were much - much higher so I never pursued it. I have bought some 2 x 2 x 12 from WoodTurningz to use for pen holders that was pretty reasonable (at least at the time) at about $30. - Dave
Thanks for the info. You've got some beautiful pens there. I love cocobolo.
 
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