Cocobollo question

[lucky duck]

Justin:

I bought some Cocobollo from you last month (3 pieces, about 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 14"). I've just started turning it, only one piece so far.  At first inspection, it looked nice and dark.  When I cut into it, the surface is dark (actually quite orange), but below the outside surface at about 3/16" it changes to substantially lighter.  It's as if the stick has been stained or oxidized, but the color doesn't goes all the way through.  The inside is nice grain but not the dark I had hoped for. The first call I turned looks horrible.  On the high spots, there are orange patches, the lower spots are decent but don't match.  Same with each end, but the stain color has penetrated much further on the ends.  I don't know if the other pieces will be the same as I haven't cut into them yet, but I certainly hope not. Is this typical?  What's going on?

[Bob from Eames Custom Calls]

I'm not affiliated with Justin in any way, but what you are describing happens on every piece of Cocobolo I have ever seen. Just turn it and let the oxygen do the rest! I'm not sure where Justin's Coco comes from, but the darkest stuff I have found has always been the Mexican stuff (but even that looks pale before it oxidizes).

 Good luck!

 Bob

[Al_at_THO Game Calls]

It sounds like Nicaraguan cocobolo to me.   Most call spinners favor the Mexican coco.  It's always good to ask.

The only other suggestion I would make, is to take stuff like this up with him via e mail, and not in your first post on the board.    If you do that, and still have a problem, contact one of the staff here.   None of our sellers pay to be here, but they are all vetted by our staff, so we trust them to treat customers right, and to a man, the all do.   

So I would ask that you e mail him, and see what he has to say. 

Thanks for understanding

Al @ THO

[dogcatcher]

The cocobolo is not stained, that us the way the wood is.  Personally that is one of the reasons why I love woodturning, you never know what the inside of the wood looks like until you turn it.

Marvin

[jcz]

Lucky, rub in some oil on the call while it is on the lathe and it should even up the color a little more. I personally like the difference in color. But to each his own. 

[Prairie Game Calls]

First time turning Cocobolo?? Buy it, keep it dry, and turn it in 5 years it will stabilize the color pretty well by then. 

Larry

[Braz]

Yea, when I buy wood, it goes on the shelf for at least a year. It is a very rare circumstance when something gets turned right away in my shop.

[lucky duck]

Thank you all for your comments.  Yes, it's the first time I've turned Cocobollo.  And while I've done a little reading, I obviously don't know much.  But I'm happy to learn.  My inquiry is just that, an inquiry.  I have no gripes or complaints with the seller.  In fact, I have every reason to believe he was more than fair.  He even threw in an extra piece of Osage at no cost.  In retrospect, I can see how it might seem like I was expressing a greivance with him, but that was not my intent.  I just want to know what's going on.  I've never had any other wood turn out this way.  But I have consistently avoided exotics.  So, if I want to turn Cocobollo, I need to plan a year to five in advance.  That seems odd.  How long does it take to oxidize?  If I turn something, am I to understand that that over time the color will darken and stabilize?  How long?  Would it help to put it in the sun for awhile?  Apparently, this stuff has some unique properties.  jcz:  What kind of oil do you rub it?  Again, thanks for your comments.  It's nice get the straight skinny from those with experience.  Great forum by the way.  I've been turning calls for several years on my own, and just never bothered to get involved on a forum.  'Lots to learn.

[Braz]

The biggest reason for letting wood sit for a year or so is so that it can dry. You just don't know the real moisture content of wood, unless you use a moisture meter. But when you get it to your shop, it still needs to acclimatize itself to your shop. I have just gotten to the point of letting wood sit until the next year from when I buy so there aren't any problems.

[Mark at dbroswoods and Honker Breaker Game Calls]

Hello,

I'm sorry the coco didn't turn out the way that you had hoped. And Al is correct, the cocobolo that I get is Nicaraguan. My dad has turned some calls out of these blanks and I understand what you mean by the color difference in just one blank, one growth ring may be dark brown while the other is a yellowish tint. I hope the others have the darker color that you looking for.

Thanks!!!!
Justin

[Prairie Game Calls]

I have wood at all stages of age and when you get the exotics from some of these places sometimes the logs are from green timber and sometimes it can be from logs that were sitting for a long time and have dried pretty well. I have found that some Coco I get is fairly wet and I experience what you did so I set it aside and buy more else where or try another stick. If it is nice dried wood the color is pretty stable. I've been turning for a while and you would be surprised how you accumulate wood over the years. I have wood that is 15 years old that I have yet to turn. I'm kind of a wood-aholic. 
Don't put it in the direct sun cause if it is high in moisture it may cause small fractures in the wood. If it's coated in wax the wax will soak into the wood and actually stain the wood turning it darker. Try leaving the finish off of the call for a while and see if it changes color I think you will see it darken on it's own. Now Purpleheart will darken if you turn it and place it in the sun for a few hours. Most Purpleheart I get is kilned dried so the sun doesn't hurt it .

Larry

[Al_at_THO Game Calls]

Hey Lucky

Thanks for understanding and the reply.

Coco is a funny wood to turn.   Sometimes you can tell what is under there, and sometimes you can't.   More often than not with Cocobolo, you get pleasantly surprised though.

You can try this.   If you have a Home Depot or a Lowes in your area, go in and ask in the paint department for Teak Oil.   It is made by Watco.   Teak Oil is not teak at all, but they call it that to confuse call makers       anyway, Teak Oil will make the grain "pop" as the say, or stand out.   You will be surprised when you put it on a call.   You can let it dry, and then finish over it, but it must dry first.

One last thought when it comes to Cocobolo.   There is a Holy Grail Cocobolo Tree out there somewhere, and the wood cutting elves cut a limb or two off it every now and then.  It has the most amazing grain and color you will ever see.   You just have to keep looking and turning, and, well, get lucky!  but the day you find it, that piece of wood will stick in your mind forever and make up for all the "plain" cocobolo you've gone through.  There is nothing like fine cocobolo, and you never know it's there until you turn it down some.   

AL @ THO

[Longntooth]

I just wish I could turn it! Makes my eyes swell shut and I cant breath. But not at first...it came on gradual.

[jcz]

Al answered for me. Teak oil works good. Boiled linseed oil (BLO) works good also.

[BigB]

Lets see a picture of the call.  For me, I like the orangish colored cocobolo.  The best thing about cocobolo is that is has some very interesting grain patterns that are never the same! 


Brian