Wood Porn (SFW)

[Cantplay]

Got a couple of 4/4 cocobolo boards.

No project in mind yet, just good price I couldn't pass up.

My friend called it 'cocolocobolo'

John

[NickC]

That's beautiful looking wood.

I used to work for a large building materials corporation. They started up an operation in South America, harvesting local varieties and kiln drying it down there. Problem was, once the stuff moved from the mill and onto cargo ships it warped into all manner of twists and turns by the time it arrived stateside. They abandoned the whole deal and lost a bundle on that operation.

So it's really remarkable when I see shots of gorgeous tropical species like you posted. There must be a "right" way to mill and prepare it. Kiln-drying and mass production apparently isn't the answer.

[LeftyStrat]

No project in mind yet, just good price I couldn't pass up.

So I'm not the only one! I was in Rockler and they had a sale on cocobolo, I couldn't resist, even though I still haven't figured out what to do with them. But it sure is some pretty wood.

It seems to be pretty oily wood. Any clues on how to finish it?

[Cantplay]

Sand it down 600 grit or so and then polish it with steel wool or a green scrubby. It will take a fairly high polish without any added finish, but you could tung oil it.

The color it turns when you sand it quickly reverts as the exposed oils oxidise.

John

[ampmike]

Wow!!I see a beautiful head cab!!!!!!!!!Mikey

[Structo]

Yeah, that is one of my favorite exotic woods.

Just beautiful.

I want to have a fretboard made from it but my plans fell through.

[Reeltarded]

It makes me break out in a rash. I am allergic to cocobolo, and penicillin.

Pretty though! It can be hard to finish. I start with shellac, then lacquer. It likes shellac better than sealer, generally. As mentioned above, it oxidizes dark, and very fast.

[Eddiehazelfan]

Beautiful boards. I love cocobolo...if I may share?

[IMG:800:534]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y74/Gl ... -20-08.jpg[/img]

Custom made guitar featuring a cocobolo body & neck. Feels and sounds wonderful.

[Cantplay]

Thats shweet!. Is the fret board cocobolo too?

The body looks like it has a lighter face on it.

How does it sound vs a maple neck? Darker?

John

[Eddiehazelfan]

Thats shweet!. Is the fret board cocobolo too?

The body looks like it has a lighter face on it.

How does it sound vs a maple neck? Darker?

John

Thanks. The fretboard is African Blackwood...body has a quilt maple carved top. It's a 25" scale so it's relatively warmer than a Strat-scale maple neck but still has plenty of clarity and articulation. At least on this build, I found cocobolo to be far different than how builders describe it...mine is not muddy or dead-sounding at all.

[IMG:534:800]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y74/Gl ... -20-08.jpg[/img]

Re the OP's boards...I really dig that dark one on the right. I'd love to do a cabinet out of cocobolo if I could find material in the right dimensions. It would be heavy as hell though, and probably would have to be a laminate.

[LeftyStrat]

That is one seriously beautiful guitar!

What kind of finish was used?

[Eddiehazelfan]

Thanks...I believe its a poly finish...that maple had a natural stain (sapwood?) that gave it a golden amber hue when cleared but it's au natural. Cocobolo can be tough to finish. The guitar was made by Neal Moser of Moser Custom Shop, Prescott Valley, AZ. It was finished by Dan Lawrence of DLR Graphics.

[Cantplay]

Yeah, the problem is cocobolo is sort of a crooked growing tree, and its unusual to find wide boards. Those are 8" wide, not wide enough to even do a head cab for standard size chassis unless I add some contrasting strips to make it wider.

The wood is so strong and dense I bet you could do a cab with 1/4 or 3/8 and just some inside corner braces.

I don't have a good enough bandsaw to resaw these 4/4 boards, but they'd be pretty split and rejoined book matched.

So they're hiding in my wood rack till they know what they want to be.

John

[Cantplay]

Couple pieces of walnut arrived today.

These shots are dry, no water, spirits or anything.

John

[LeftyStrat]

Very nice. Someday I want to do a chambered walnut strat.

Unfortunately I don't have any way to resaw pieces right now.