Hooray for Cocobolo!

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Tue May 22, 2007 8:05 pm

bensdad wrote:Joseph's technique of hanging a beer can from the chanter top is one I recommend.

Caffiene Free Diet Coke... I never drink beer out of a can... if I can help it.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Tue May 22, 2007 8:09 pm

Doc Jones wrote:B'rer Joseph, Is that an extra drone on your set? Looks like it has a little Northumbrian-style on-y/off-y thingy.

What's it fer?

Also, looks like one of the tone holes has a metal insert. What's the scoop there?

While you're at it, do illuminate on the set's key and maker. Sure is a beauty.

Patrick

Yes, the extra drone is an A drone. The pin is the on/off switch

The stuff in the A hole (

) of the chanter is a length of rolled styrene, a temporary rush to flatten that note.

Set by David Boisvert, in D, and she's mighty purty indeed.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Tue May 22, 2007 8:32 pm

Those drones sound superfine, and with the A-drone on, the effect is, in a word, lush. I was almost rendered incontinent by the experience, and I mean that in a good way.

nwhitmer · Post by **nwhitmer** » Thu May 24, 2007 6:18 am

Cocobolo has its good points but I no longer make pipes out of it. In 20 years I have seen three cases of contact allergy to this wood. To this point not once for African Blackwood, for comparison.

I suppose the chances of any one person becoming allergic to it are small. But the chances are higher than with other common musical instrument woods. And the negative effects seem to be cumulative. A person can use or work with cocobolo for a while with no problem, then develop a reaction and - from all evidence I have heard - will only get worse with continued exposure.

If you choose to work with it, be careful. Wear a good dust mask, wash your hands afterwords, etc.

BTW, I think it is evil-smelling stuff when worked with. Compare to boxwood, for example, which is nice, or african blackwood, a sweet perfume. Such things are a matter of opinion, I know.

Nick Whitmer

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Thu May 24, 2007 6:38 am

Yes, Cocobolo is a highly toxic wood and for those who are prone to allergies, even more so. But as I understand it, and please correct me if I am wrong here, aren't all members of the rosewood family toxic to one degree or another? How about ebony too?

To date, I have yet to experience any reaction to my chanter (I have had it three years now) nor to my mainstock and drones (which I have had for only a few months), though I 'll admit that time may change all that.

I would caution anyone whose physiology is inclined toward evil reactions to allergens to avoid contact with this and other highly toxic woods and to carefully consider what they wish their instruments to be built from prior to ordering them... better to be safe than sorry.

edited to add:

Perhaps some of the pipemakers here, who are aware of the toxicity of the woods they use or have used, could compile a list of these materials and post that list here?

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Thu May 24, 2007 8:21 am

Nanohedron wrote:Those drones sound superfine, and with the A-drone on, the effect is, in a word, lush. I was almost rendered incontinent by the experience, and I mean that in a good way.

So, it sounds gorgeous. Hey Joe howzabout a sound file?

How common is an A drone...first I've heard of it.

Patrick

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Thu May 24, 2007 11:28 am

I'll put a soundfile up someday fairly soon... I'll still getting used to being home again. It really was a fun weekend in St. Minneapaulis.

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Thu May 24, 2007 12:05 pm

Joseph E. Smith wrote:I'll put a soundfile up someday fairly soon... I'll still getting used to being home again. It really was a fun weekend in St. Minneapaulis.

So, are these A drones common or was this a special order, custom request type deal?

Doc

reedbiter · Post by **reedbiter** » Thu May 24, 2007 12:23 pm

I thought I had developed an allergy to the irritating cocobolo, but apprently it was just the piper!

Seriously though. Unless you are are working (turning, sanding etc...)with the wood it's unlikely that anyone would have any sort of reaction to it. It's not the WOOD per se, it's the OIL in the wood that people react to. Just like some one will react (to a greater or lesser degree) to poison ivy etc.
That being said, there are those people out there who will react to blackwood flutes..even through the finish. AND blackwood is supposed to be one of the least irritating.

Maybe Peter could confirm or deny the following story. Phil Wardle once told me that a certain pipemaker living is Australia once reacted horribly to a flute he was making from cocobolo. Phil related that the fellow's lip swelled up terribly. He then visited the restroom to wash the oil and dust off his hands...but mistakenly chose to relieve himself first...whereupon other parts of his anatomy suffered the same painful fate.

..of course it may or may NOT be true..but it makes a darn funny story.

Tim Britton once reacted TERRIBLY to a rosewood I had provided to him to manafacture a half set. Tim tells me that it wasn't until he had completed the last piece of the set that he reacted like puffer fish. THERE'S an image for you! Picture Tim's famous curls, then POOF!

The A drone (or G drone...sounding the fifth when pitched in C)has been an option I frequently add to sets. Tim Britton has offered A drones for nearly 20 years. Froment has commonly offered additional drones as well I believe.

Tim utilizes a deceptively simple switch system for his A drone. It's deceptive in the fact that it seems simple, yet takes a great deal of effort to make correctly and is quite tricky to manufacture...one slip and an entire mainstock (nearly completed) is ruined! I prefer the Northumbrian style shutoff because it looks VERY cool.

Chris Bayley · Post by **Chris Bayley** » Thu May 24, 2007 12:24 pm

Nick Whitmer wrote

Compare to boxwood, for example, which is nice, or african blackwood, a sweet perfume.

Nick - Try and get hold of some tulip wood (variety of rosewood) - gorgeous colouring and the perfume given off puts blackwood and boxwood to shame.

Chris

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Thu May 24, 2007 1:49 pm

The A drone (or as I like to call it, the 'fifth element'

) was an unexpected bonus provided by David as a 'thank you' for my patience. It seems to have worked well as I haven't harrassed him in ages!

The Sporting Pitchfork · Fri May 25, 2007 2:36 am

nwhitmer wrote:Cocobolo has its good points but I no longer make pipes out of it. In 20 years I have seen three cases of contact allergy to this wood. To this point not once for African Blackwood, for comparison.

I suppose the chances of any one person becoming allergic to it are small. But the chances are higher than with other common musical instrument woods. And the negative effects seem to be cumulative. A person can use or work with cocobolo for a while with no problem, then develop a reaction and - from all evidence I have heard - will only get worse with continued exposure.

If you choose to work with it, be careful. Wear a good dust mask, wash your hands afterwords, etc.

BTW, I think it is evil-smelling stuff when worked with. Compare to boxwood, for example, which is nice, or african blackwood, a sweet perfume. Such things are a matter of opinion, I know.

Nick Whitmer

Funny this came up today...Bit off-topic, but I think I've got a blackwood allergy. I've played flute for about 10 years and never really had any problems, but for the past few days my lower lip has been feeling a bit uncomfortable after playing and today after I had been playing for about 30 minutes, I looked in the mirror and my lower lip had really swelled up...Not fun! Looks like I'm going to have to look into getting the embouchre area plated...

Good thing my pipes are made of boxwood...

Post by **Nanohedron** » Fri May 25, 2007 11:05 am

The Sporting Pitchfork wrote:Funny this came up today...Bit off-topic, but I think I've got a blackwood allergy. I've played flute for about 10 years and never really had any problems, but for the past few days my lower lip has been feeling a bit uncomfortable after playing and today after I had been playing for about 30 minutes, I looked in the mirror and my lower lip had really swelled up...Not fun! Looks like I'm going to have to look into getting the embouchre area plated...

Good thing my pipes are made of boxwood...

Very likely you are reporting the thing itself. There can be a range of symptoms, it appears, judging from posts I've read here at C&F. Me, I never had much swelling, but the inflammation went from red to purple, and burned and itched and blistered. Poison-ivy, like. And it took me about eight years before any allergy set in. An electrical tape barrier in the meantime, or at least temporarily grow a soul patch. No reason to give up fluteplaying. Your fingers are unlikely to be affected.

reedman · Post by **reedman** » Tue May 29, 2007 8:09 am

Good thing my pipes are made of boxwood,

Why? do you blow them with your lips as well.