Gluing Cocobolo

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Gluing Cocobolo

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TANúñez

Posts: 2559
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
From: TEXAS

Gluing Cocobolo

Have any of you luthiers worked with Cocobolo? While I wait for the lacquer on my latest guitar to cure, I'm going to start another one. I was thinking of using cocobolo for the headplate, binding and bridge. I hear cocobolo is oily and is difficult to glue. Would epoxy do the trick?

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Tom Núñez
www.instagram.com/tanunezguitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 18 2008 11:04:46

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: Gluing Cocobolo (in reply to TANúñez)

quote:

ORIGINAL: TANúñez

Have any of you luthiers worked with Cocobolo? While I wait for the lacquer on my latest guitar to cure, I'm going to start another one. I was thinking of using cocobolo for the headplate, binding and bridge. I hear cocobolo is oily and is difficult to glue. Would epoxy do the trick?

I've used Cocobolo. Make sure you use a mask around the dust, it's really bad for you. As a rule I stay away from epoxy on resonous woods like this. I've had bad experiences with weak glue joints and even failure to dry due to reaction with something in the wood. Try cleaning up epoxy that won't dry off a porous piece of wood and you'll see why I don't use it. Titebond works fine and I presume hide glue as well.

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John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 19 2008 3:07:51

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: Gluing Cocobolo (in reply to TANúñez)

Tom, I would never recommend using epoxy on a bridge. It has VERY poor acoustical properties and it might creep just like PVA.

I´ve only worked cocobolo on bindings and it worked fine with both Titebond and Hideglue.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 19 2008 22:15:13

TANúñez

Posts: 2559
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
From: TEXAS

RE: Gluing Cocobolo (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

Thanks for the tips Gentleman. The oily surface of the wood has made me hesistant to use it in the past.

John

Any problems with the finish adhereing to it?

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Tom Núñez
www.instagram.com/tanunezguitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 20 2008 0:29:53

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: Gluing Cocobolo (in reply to TANúñez)

quote:

ORIGINAL: TANúñez

John

Any problems with the finish adhereing to it?

no problem at all. It is a lot like East Indian Rosewood...very porous and the color bleeds out if you're not careful.

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John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 20 2008 10:24:46

Marcus Dominelli

Posts: 6
Joined: Oct. 14 2007

RE: Gluing Cocobolo (in reply to TANúñez)

I have glued cocobolo bridges on with hide glue and it works fine, but there are a few "tricks" to employ.
Make sure the bridge is a perfect fit, and use acetone or methanol to strip all the oil off of the bottom of the bridge before gluing it on. This might take 10 minutes or so of cleaning with the solvent before the rag comes away clean and oil free.
Preheat the bridge before you glue it on to be sure that the hide glue won't gel before it gets clamped up.
I love the look of cocobolo, but I get an alergic reaction to the dust, so I won't ever use it again I think.
Marcus Dominelli

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 26 2008 14:49:20

TANúñez

Posts: 2559
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
From: TEXAS

RE: Gluing Cocobolo (in reply to Marcus Dominelli)

Thanks for the tips Marcus. Don't know if I'm allergic to Cocobolo. Guess I'll find out soon enough.

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Tom Núñez
www.instagram.com/tanunezguitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 28 2008 6:48:23

aarongreen

Posts: 367
Joined: Jan. 16 2004

RE: Gluing Cocobolo (in reply to TANúñez)

Allergies are not so simple that you are or aren't allergic to something. Very often you are fine till your not, then it could be a simple rash or you could die. The problem with woodworking is you not only get in on your skin but you get it in your system if you breathe the dust. A friend of mine once built a cocobolo guitar and he had boils break out all over his body for some time afterwards. It was not pleasent I am sure.

Not that Indian or brazilian or any other wood for that matter is totally safe but I figure if I know it's probably going to hurt me, I stay away from it. The same friend I mentioned had a devil of a time getting the finish on that guitar to dry. I don't know if it ever really did.

aaron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 1 2008 2:34:26

TANúñez

Posts: 2559
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
From: TEXAS

RE: Gluing Cocobolo (in reply to aarongreen)

Well then it's settled. I'll stay away from it. There are plenty of other alternatives. I certainly don't need to take the risk and I certainly don't need boils! Cocobolo is very nice but so are other woods.

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Tom Núñez
www.instagram.com/tanunezguitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2008 12:06:25