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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?
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.
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
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.
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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