Mesquite Bowl

[Baxter Smith]

About 3 weeks ago I posted a roughout of a bowl I had done from a piece of mesquite that Charlie Knighton had sent me.(Thanks Charlie!) After comments from several of you including Charlie, about simply finish turning it to start with, I decided I would return the piece to the lathe without waiting for it to fully dry. After a week it had warped a little but was not dry.
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I had roughturned the blank the same day I had gotten it in the mail. I had hoped to make a dark bowl with a couple of light colored handles similar in style to a bowl Leo Vanderloo had posted that he had done in apple. I had thought there was enough sapwood to do that but the checking from the pity went deeper than I had hoped and by the time I had turned that away, the angle of the sapwood did not allow for enough width looking straight down from the rim.
The next design thought came in trying to save a little of the sapwood at either edge of the rim and at the bottom(which would require a foot), but none would show inside the bowl or out. Because I had not taken the time to adjust the faceplate better to begin with, I was left with an uneven amount of sapwood at the foot. (Originally that was all going to be turned away so only the handles would have been light)
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I also ended up with some sapwood showing on one side of the bowl that I didn't want and tried to turn it away but gave up on it. You can see in the first picture where it flattens out a bit on the side where I tried to do that.
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I know most of you don't care for feet on a bowl and my wife thought leaving the sapwood makes it look like someone got paint on it... but I wanted to try something a little different.:) Came close is about the best I can say.
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Have never worked with a piece of mesquite before so have a couple of questions/observations for those of you that have. The bowl has a very silky feel to it even before finishing. All mesquite like that? It is finished with 3 coats of polymerized tung oil mixed to a medium gloss after applying the sealer. An apple bowl that I finished at the same time has a much glossier appearance. Any thoughts on why the difference?

9x3x1/4 except uner the rim where it is 3/8

Thanks as always for your comments and suggestions!

[David E Keller]

It's beautiful. I like the foot on this, and I normally don't like feet. It's really beautiful wood, and the form shows that nicely.

[Mike Golka]

Very nice shape and wood. Well done.

[Aaron Wingert]

Looks great to me Baxter. Good clean and simple form. Mesquite is a fun wood to work with.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Nice work Baxter! Normally I don't care for feet much but this one being dovetailed works well with the form!

I actually like the sporadic placement of sapwood - adds to the piece!

Only thing I can think of regarding the difference in finishes would be the wood and how much it absorbs the first coats. Sometimes you have to apply a few coats and allow to dry before it will build. If the wood was not sealed - it would continue to absorb the finish instead of becoming glossy.

[Paul Atkins]

I like the sapwood too.

[Roland Martin]

Very nice, Mesquite is very attractive wood. You did a very good job centering, you always seem to do very well with that. The sapwood where the handles might have been adds a nice touch even though it didn't turn out the way you wanted it to. I also think the foot does well on this piece as does the rim. Overall, I really like this bowl a lot.

[charlie knighton]

you are welcome Baxter :D



The bowl has a very silky feel to it even before finishing


yes, mesquite is a joy to turn, i normally just start sanding around 280 or above and use veloit oil which enhances the feel, the oil will yellow :eek: the sapwood some

[Mark Burge]

Baxter: I like the shape and finish of this bowl. I agree with everyone else that the foot looks good on this one. I understand what you are saying about the sapwood, but I only think it is that noticeable in the bottom shot. When the bowl is in use, setting on its nice foot, it looks great! In that orientation the sapwood is a nice highlight that breaks the darkness of the rest of the bowl. Nice work.

[Frank Van Atta]

Excellent piece. I like the foot and the sapwood.

[Richard Madison]

Nice bowl Baxter. Mesquite in Delaware!

Don't care for the foot, but do like the rim treatment. I like a deep, high gloss lacquer finish on mesquite, but it's easy to cut it back to any degree of satin or soft luster w/ 0000 steel wool or 600-1200 paper.

[Kevin J Lalonde]

I dont see anything to complain about on this bowl. I particularly like the rim on this one. Maybe a shorter foot? Great form. I'd take it any day!!

[James Combs]

Looks really good to me Baxter. It kind of reminds me of my days in the Philippines (Navy days). I can just picture it full of fried rice.

[Brian Effinger]

Very nice bowl, Baxter. I have always liked the striking difference between the sap & heart. The form is right on, and I like the foot too. :)

[Cody Colston]

Great shape and I really like the rim treatment. I like the sapwood, too but am a bit ambivalent towards the foot.

FYI, Mesquite can be turned green to completion without cracking and very little, if any warping. No need to rough turn and wait for it to dry. That's the primary reason Ilike turning it.

I generally sand mine to 400 grit and finish with Danish Oil.

[John Keeton]

Baxter, I like the form, the foot and the sapwood!! Can't help with the finish, as I have never seen mesquite, much less turned it. I suspect Steve is right on the porosity of the wood.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Hi Baxter :), very nice bowl Baxter, I do like the rim you made on it, also the foot, though I probably would have made it lower, but it is your bowl, not mine and as such I think it looks nice, well done :cool:

The nice thing about using Polymerized tung oil is that you can add to the finish very easily, if you do like some more shine add a coat of pure polymerized tung oil to it, or two, and than later when hard you can polish it as you like.
Though I don't care for a very shiny wooden bowl, but yes some people do, so you do have a choice :), have fun and take care :D

[Baxter Smith]

Only thing I can think of regarding the difference in finishes would be the wood and how much it absorbs the first coats. Sometimes you have to apply a few coats and allow to dry before it will build. If the wood was not sealed - it would continue to absorb the finish instead of becoming glossy.
Thanks Steve. You are probably right about not being sealed well enough. I have only used the P Tung Oil on apple to compare it too. I probably should have gone with two coats of sealer first. The last couple of coats I put on had a nice sheen but then after leaving it for 5 to 10 minutes it seemed to wipe all off.


you are welcome Baxter :D



yes, mesquite is a joy to turn, i normally just start sanding around 280 or above and use veloit oil which enhances the feel, the oil will yellow :eek: the sapwood some

Thanks again for the mesquite Charlie. I enjoy trying different woods but this seemed special! I haven't woken up in the middle of the night yet trying to figure out how to take a trip to Texas, but if I ever get there again I know what souveneirs I will be bringing back!:D


When the bowl is in use, setting on its nice foot, it looks great! In that orientation the sapwood is a nice highlight that breaks the darkness of the rest of the bowl. Nice work.
Thanks Mark. That highlighted look was what I was after.


Nice bowl Baxter. Mesquite in Delaware!

Don't care for the foot, but do like the rim treatment. I like a deep, high gloss lacquer finish on mesquite, but it's easy to cut it back to any degree of satin or soft luster w/ 0000 steel wool or 600-1200 paper.
Thanks Richard, its a little out of its range!;) I may try another couple of coats to see what happens.


Looks really good to me Baxter. It kind of reminds me of my days in the Philippines (Navy days). I can just picture it full of fried rice.
Thanks James. I love fried rice. Hmmm....




FYI, Mesquite can be turned green to completion without cracking and very little, if any warping. No need to rough turn and wait for it to dry. That's the primary reason Ilike turning it.

I generally sand mine to 400 grit and finish with Danish Oil.

Thanks Cody. This one had warped slightly after a week and it developed some tiny hairline cracks around the rim as I was finishing it. I was a little worried about them for awhile.


Baxter, I like the form, the foot and the sapwood!! Can't help with the finish, as I have never seen mesquite, much less turned it. I suspect Steve is right on the porosity of the wood.
Thanks John. This was the first time I had ever seen mesquite. I can see why people like it for turning. Nice stuff!:)


Hi Baxter :), very nice bowl Baxter, I do like the rim you made on it, also the foot, though I probably would have made it lower, but it is your bowl, not mine and as such I think it looks nice, well done :cool:

The nice thing about using Polymerized tung oil is that you can add to the finish very easily, if you do like some more shine add a coat of pure polymerized tung oil to it, or two, and than later when hard you can polish it as you like.
Though I don't care for a very shiny wooden bowl, but yes some people do, so you do have a choice :), have fun and take care :D
Thanks Leo. I agree about the shorter foot. I would have preferred to make the foot slightly lower as well but would have lost most of the sapwood on one side and I was trying to keep it visible. I like it as is but I think I shall try a couple more coats of the tung oil. I am not a high gloss fan but would be interested to see what a little more glow to this one would look like. Think my wife might like it a little more too! Have to do something to make up for those stray paint marks!:)

[Bernie Weishapl]

Baxter that is a beauty. You got to love mesquite.

[Richard Madison]

And impressive reply to multiple messages, BTW.

[Tony De Masi]

Really nice piece Baxter. I'm in favor of the foot but like Leo maybe just a bit shorter. I also like the sapwood in the piece. Mesquite is a joy to turn isn't it? Love the stuff and wish I had more of a supply.

Tony

[Mark Patoka]

Another vote in favor of the foot. It just looks right with that bowl. As far as trying to get sapwood handles, all the more reason to chuck up another piece of wood and try again.

[Baxter Smith]

Thanks for all the replies!


As far as trying to get sapwood handles, all the more reason to chuck up another piece of wood and try again.

You could pm Charlie Knighton for me but I think he would have a hard time parting with another piece!:);)

[charlie knighton]

You could pm Charlie Knighton for me but I think he would have a hard time parting with another piece


but, i do know the way, if anybody wants to pay expenses :D

and i have not woken up at 4 am trying to figure out an excuse to go since my trip

[Keith Burns]

A totally excellent bowl Baxter. I like the sapwood, adds interest.

[Edward Bartimmo]

The Bowl looks great!!!

Mesquite is such a nice relatively tight grained wood that has a moderate level of oil in the wood which makes it extremely workable. Even when it is dry it still cuts like butter, with exceptions of hardened burl that causes sparks. Due to the oil content it sands up to a wonderful sheen and add a simple light lacquer finish and buff it and you are set. For a showy piece it looks great in a Waterlox finish.

Being in Texas I am in abundance of mesquite. There are different types of mesquite. The yellow sapwood is key indicator of Honey Bean Mesquite. Due to the oil content in the wood it is not unrealistic to still treat mesquite as "green" even though it has been cut into logs or sections left in the sun drying in South Texas for several years before using it. Although the wood may be cut and on the ground for years, literally, the worst that may happen is that the sapwood decays, but the heartwood will remain solid and workable. The real downside to the sapwood is the potential bug infestation!!! There is no precursor or indicator that you have a problem. Suddenly within days all of the sapwood will have dozens of pinsize holes and look like lace within a week. As soon as I find a little pyramid of fine yellow dust I take immediate action from the potential infestation of tiny beetles. THis is unlike anything I have seen with any other species of wood.

Mesquite flooring providers are required to provide insurance against such infestations that can suddenly occur up to a year after the floors have been laid...no joke! I just cut up some slabs with sap and I have been soaking in DNA to kill the bugs.

Some of the coolest pieces that I have turned have large beetle bore holes (1/8" to 1/4" wide by usually 1" long grooves) that will go through both sides of blanks and have a high frequency of occurence. This is result of a different type of beetle/ grub then the tiny ones that can infest the sap wood that I mentioned above. The end product can look like someone has carved grooves throughout the bowl using a bur bit with a rotary tool.

Good luck. If you are serious about wanting some more mesquite I am certain I can round some up and send it.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Baxter,

I like everything about this bowl......the rim treatment....overall form .....grain orientation and the foot. I don't normall care for feet on bowls but it works on this one.

I have only turned one large piece of mesquite. Like you, I found it a pleasure to turn and it finished nicely too!

[Donny Lawson]

I think a little sapwood adds character.
Donny

[Baxter Smith]

but, i do know the way, if anybody wants to pay expenses :D

and i have not woken up at 4 am trying to figure out an excuse to go since my trip
My wife has a friend in New Mexico that we visited 21 years ago. Need to figure out a way to fill the van full of wood without making it look like its the reason for the trip!:);)

A totally excellent bowl Baxter. I like the sapwood, adds interest.
Thanks Keith! Coming from someone who has done such great turnings I am flattered.




Mesquite is such a nice relatively tight grained wood that has a moderate level of oil in the wood which makes it extremely workable. Even when it is dry it still cuts like butter, with exceptions of hardened burl that causes sparks. Due to the oil content it sands up to a wonderful sheen

The real downside to the sapwood is the potential bug infestation!!! There is no precursor or indicator that you have a problem. Suddenly within days all of the sapwood will have dozens of pinsize holes and look like lace within a week.

Good luck. If you are serious about wanting some more mesquite I am certain I can round some up and send it.

Thanks for all the info about mesquite Edward. I found it fascinating reading and could relate to a lot of it. Hopefully the bugs won't suddenly appear but a few holes won't bother me. I have a timberframe home made of oak that has more than a few beetle holes in the sapwood. Most are small but some are close to 3/8 of an inch!:)

Thanks as well for the mesquite offer. I sent you a pm.:D




I have only turned one large piece of mesquite. Like you, I found it a pleasure to turn and it finished nicely too!

Thanks Ken. Perhaps it was only because I had one piece, but it made me wish I had another one to turn!

[Curt Fuller]

What a beautiful bowl! I love mesquite and the sapwood gives it a little extra personality. But my favorite feature is the rim design. Just an all around beautiful bowl.

[Jerry Marcantel]

Baxter and others, Ed's right about the bugs in the sap wood. Years ago I made a dining table for someone here in Tucson, Arizona, and thought some sapwood streaks would really highlight the table. I delivered it to him in November, and about April, he said bugs were burrowing out of the table and flying around in his dining room. They left little dust piles where they emerged from.
About a month ago, I split a burl stump that was pulled out of the ground sometime in the 60's. Within minutes of surfacing the stump halves, cracks appeared, and they are now about 1/16" wide and over 6" long radiating out from the center growth ring. Also, two bugs making a home in the stump survived the chain saw and router I used to surface the 2 havles.
This stump had been dead, lying on the ground for 50 years, and it still reacts like it's new wood..... Humidity here averages about 30% yearly, -10% most of the time, and up to 70-80% during the monsoons. Mesquite is one of the most stable wood in the world.
The bore holes Ed mentioned are one of the beautiful characteristics of mesquite. I usually fill the holes with either black or clear resin, and surface sand it, and then put on whatever finish my customer specified.....
Baxter, that piece you turned is a beauty.. It tuff to get a piece of mesquite here without bugholes, or even as clear as that piece you made the bowl from.... Good job.. Thanks for sharing.....
If anyone would like to see pics of the stump and a couple tables I made from mesquite, let me know and I'll post them.......Jerry (in Tucson)

[Baxter Smith]

What a beautiful bowl! I love mesquite and the sapwood gives it a little extra personality. But my favorite feature is the rim design. Just an all around beautiful bowl.
Thanks Curt. I did add another coat of the semigloss tung oil with no visible change in shine, so I added the 2nd coat of pure gloss this morning. I would hardly call it glossy but it has more sheen to it and I think it looks a little nicer. Other than perhaps buffing later, its done.:)


If anyone would like to see pics of the stump and a couple tables I made from mesquite, let me know and I'll post them.......Jerry (in Tucson)
Thanks for all the additional info Jerry and I would like to see a picture of the stump and tables. I just turned a cherrry burl that looked like it had been down for a long time yet was quite nice on the inside.

[Jerry Marcantel]

Baxter, as soon as I can figure out how to post pictures, I'll post them. 148719Here I am in all my glory.... Picture was taken at Fredericksburg, Texas, early in the morning.. Sorry about the bad hair day..148716 This is the stump the day I got itout of the desert. I have permission from a rancher to take old stumps, and the best thing he's not charging me for them..... can't beat that. 148717 Another shot of the stump. It weighs about 350 lbs....148718 I got this stump near here. What you see on the ridgeline is Kitt Peak National observatory, about 3.5 miles as the crow flies....148720This next picture is the mesquite pedestal for a table I'm making for a relative. 148721This last picture is the dry fit of the legs, arms and pedestal..... I'm having trouble uploading more pictures. When I figure it out, I'll post more. As you can see, Most of the pictures didn't load..... ....Jerry