Finishing cocobolo

================================ Ron, "De-oiling" prior to finishing should help with the adhesion. Acetone, lacquer thinner, etc., should do the job for you.

Ken Moon Webberville, TX

Another alternative for cocobolo, assuming it;s a decorative piece...is just a good 'ol paste-wax. Sand to 2000 and then wax and buff.

rr

Ken Mo>>Could use a little help finishing a cocobolo goblet. As I am sure > > everyone

I have great difficulty sanding Cocobolo past 400. Just gums the paper something fierce. I find a cotton buff on the drill press with some Tripoli removes any remaining marks the 400 didn't get. Then I usually just buff it up with a flannel buff and Carnauba wax. Leaves a glass like finish with minimal effort. Doesn't hold up well with pieces that get a lot of handling though, but it is easy to just rebuff when it dulls.

The higher grits take a real light touch to avoid the gumming up. An alternative to the higher grits are super-fine steel wood and/or brown-paper bag material.

rr

Bill B wrote:

When sanding using higher grits I've found that using a paste wax as a lubricant also helps.

-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

"Tough" for a wax, yes. But that's not saying much. It's still just a wax and, depending on what Ron has in mind for actual use of the goblet, will quickly disintegrate. For just a display piece, you're right on, Chuck.

- Andrew

As Randy suggested, a good paste wax is best. Because the wood contains so many natural oils, I've never had very good luck getting anything to stick to it. But if I sand it to the highest grit I have, then use some Butcher's Bowling Alley Wax on it and give it 15-30 minutes to dry, and buff it out...looks like glass and as tough a finish as you could want, for that amount of effort.

-- Chuck *#:^) chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply. <

September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

I use cocobolo and many other exotic oily woods all the time, and getting the finish to stick is no big deal. If you want to put a clearcoat on it, make sure you seal it 2-4 times with 5 minute epoxy. Just rub on with rubber gloves, and then wipe off with a paper towel. If you reapply before it completely dries, then you don't have to scuff it up between coats. This will fill the pores and the finish will fill nicely.

or watco oil.

Two words: WET SAND.

Personally, I wet sand with water (lots), but any oil should do also. I'll wet sand cocobolo to 12000 grit Micromesh. Surface comes out like glass. I them buff it with a soft flannel wheel lightly coated with carnuba wax.

Peter Teubel Milford, MA