Replies

1. 
   PlaneWood | Sep 24, 2005 09:59pm | #1

   A good Carnuba paste wax will work fine.  I use the Trewax brand available at most Ace Hardware stores.  Also, you can seal it with a thinned dewaxed shellac.  If you have a 3# cut, then use about 1 part shellac and 3 parts denatured alcohol. If you have the Zinnser Clear Coat (which is ready made dewaxed shellac), then cut it about 50%.  Just wipe on 2 or 3 coats then buff with 0000 steel wool and then wax and polish with a cotton cloth.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
   PlaneWood

1. 
   jhounshell | Sep 25, 2005 02:35am | #3

   Thanks guys. Either way, looks like I'll be investing in a can of Trewax real soon.Jeff

2. 
   DonC | Sep 25, 2005 03:14am | #4

   Whenever I glue cocobolo or rosewood, I wipe the joint area with acetone. this strong solvent reves some of the natural oil in these species and realy ehlps with the glue bond.

   I wonder if treating the entire surface with acetone prior to finishing would be of benefit? I've never tried it before. If you have a crap piece, you might want to do a trest piece and compare. Let us know your results IF you decide to try.

1. 
   PlaneWood | Sep 25, 2005 03:58am | #5

   I accidentally left a cocobolo handle in acetone overnight once and it came out white the next day.  The acetone leached all the color out.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood

2. 
   ted | Sep 25, 2005 04:42pm | #6

   I can't say if the Acetone trick is a myth or for real. But I've never had success with that method when gluing. From what I've experienced wiping the surface with Acetone or any solvent for that matter merely draws more of the resins (wood doesn't contain oil) to the surface thus inhibiting a good bond. The best bonds I've had gluing Cocobolo come when I glue up soon after I've either planed or cut a fresh surface on the material. I've found that if I cut a surface and let it sit around for a couple of days or more and then attempt to glue up I'll inevitably have failure down the road.

1. 
   PlaneWood | Sep 25, 2005 09:20pm | #7

   Denatured alcohol will do the same as acetone for washing the wax off the surface of Cocobolo and is a lot safer than acetone.  I have glued Cocobolo and aged Brazilian Rosewood with System III epoxy and have never washed the two surfaces beforehand.  The bond has always been good.  Brazilian Rosewood is not near as waxy as Cocobolo.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood

2. 
   DonC | Sep 26, 2005 01:43am | #9

   I think your are right Ted. I'm gonna give up wiping with acetone. My club had a guest speaker from Franklin Glues once. He concurs with your fresh cut glue method. He suggested lightly sanding any wood that is not fresh cut for the best bond.

   You mentioned that perhaps Acetone draws the resinn to the glue line. I'll bet is does since I once had an experience with rosewood inlayed into white maple. I sprayed a vertical surface with Lacquer and the Rosewood bled down like a curtain of lava color. Yicks! I moved fast had wiped off most but still had to re-sand the whole project. Darn it!

     Later I sealed with Shellac and then lacquer with no problems. Isn't it curious how Shellac is such a great sealer and finish and it's such old,old,old technology. I have never had a bad experience with shellac. I can't say the same thing for LOTS of modern day concocktions. (sp)

2. 
   Danceswithwoods | Sep 25, 2005 12:25am | #2

   Yes.  Try rubbing in a couple of coats of teak oil.  It's formulated for those dense hardwoods.  I've used it on cocobolo and other rosewoods with great success and followed that up with Trewax (I thought I was the only one who ever used this wax!  Good stuff).  The thinned shellac sounds like a good sealer also.

3. 
   mikegagne | Sep 25, 2005 09:29pm | #8

   its Mexican rosewood and takes an oil finish quite well. aloha, mike