WOOD SPECIES:
Cocobolo
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Dalbergia retusa
OTHER COMMON NAMES:
Cocobolo, Cocobola, Granadillo, Caviuna, Jacarandaholz, Palisander, Palissandro, Nambar, Rosewood, Pau Preto, Urauna, Palo Negro, Funera, Cocobolo Prieto, Palisandre, Nicaraguan Rosewood
TYPICAL USES:
Cocobolo is respected for it’s color and figure, lending itself well to a number of applications,
including fine furniture, turnery, musical instruments and specialty wood objects.
SOURCES:
Central America
AVG BENDING STRENGTH:
10,000 psi
SPECIFIC GRAVITY:
0.90
AVG WEIGHT:
67 lbs/cu.ft.
SAPWOOD COLOR:
Freshly cut, Cocobolo sapwood is generally a pale yellowish hue, darkening somewhat with age and exposure.
HEARTWOOD COLOR:
Cocobolo heartwood is multi-hued, with markings of deep red, purple and black.
GRAIN:
Typically straight with limited interlocking.
TEXTURE:
Fine texture with small to medium-sized pores.
MOVEMENT:
Cocobolo is considered to be extremely stable, with little to no dimensional movement.
DURABILITY:
Due to the natural oils contained within Cocobolo wood, the species tends to be extremely durable and resistant to both decay and insect infestation. Naturally waterproof.
BLUNTING EFFECT:
Cocobolo exhibits moderate blunting and requires the use of sharp machine tools.
CUTTING RESISTANCE:
Saw rather easily with a slight blunting effect on cutting edges.
PLANING:
Cocobolo typically planes to a clean smooth surface, assuming proper angles, feed speeds and sharp cutting tools.
TURNING:
Above-average to excellent turning properties make Cocobolo a favorite wood for lathe projects.
BORING:
Bores well.
GLUING:
The natural oils within Cocobolo make it extremely tough to glue.
NAILING:
Cocobolo exhibits average nail holding characteristics. Pre-drilling is advised.
SCREWING:
Average screw holding properties. Pre-bore for best results.
POLISHING:
The natural oil content of Cocobolo allows for excellent polishing properties.
STAINING:
When finishing, Cocobolo colors can tend to bleed, so care must be taken when applying seal coats and stains.
