My First Mesquite Hollow Form

[Steve Schlumpf]

This Mesquite was gifted to me by fellow Creeker and friend, Ed Sandle, who harvested the wood while in Texas this past winter. Thanks Ed! Seeing as how it was my first time turning Mesquite, I figured what better tribute than a southwestern style hollow form! I know – no big surprise there! ;) Love how this wood turns and seriously love all that wild grain and color!

Mesquite HF, 6 ½” diameter x 4” high x 1/8” thick. Sanded to 400 grit and finished with Minwax Antique Oil and Renaissance wax.

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As always – your comments, opinions and critiques are welcomed!

Thanks for looking!

[Steve Mawson]

Another classic. Unique way the grain runs on this HF, do anything special to make it that way. I have one small piece of Mesquite but have made it into nothing so far.

[Dennis Ford]

Great form, nice wood.

[patrick michael stein]

steve,

very nice I like the shape it looks awesome.






patrick

[Baxter Smith]

Very nice shape and finish but the grain and color really make it appear like an old and weathered piece of pottery.

[John Keeton]

With all the talk recently on an artist's unique style - out comes Schlumpf and gives us a prime example! This is so very much your signature, Steve - perfect form, beautiful piece of wood, and done with precision! Nice work.

[Michael James]

Steve,
I just turned a small bowl out of mesquite and agree it's nice to turn. I've still got to figure out where the good stuff is from here. A friend sent me some branches,and yes it's mesquite, but the wood is holly white! ?

That is a very beautiful piece, apparently flawlessly executed. Someday.................:)
mj

[Roger Chandler]

Steve,

I like the way you oriented the grain in this turning. I guess grain orientation to get the best out of a blank is a small art in itself.

Of course, your form is exquisite as usual, and this natural looking finish is a departure from your dyed collection as of late. This is really nice, and hopefully one day I will be able to find some mesquite to turn.....everyone who turns it speaks so highly of its qualities.

You really have hollow forms down to a science, which you seem to execute with little trouble, but of course, I am not there to see you sweat the hollowing process, but I guess the articulated and captured Monster systems do help with that a good bit.

Your work really shines brightly..........you give us all a lot to shoot for :)

[Curt Fuller]

With all the talk recently on an artist's unique style - out comes Schlumpf and gives us a prime example! This is so very much your signature, Steve - perfect form, beautiful piece of wood, and done with precision! Nice work.

I thought the same the second I saw this. John is just much better with words than me.

Just absolutely beautiful Steve!

[David DeCristoforo]

Oh my! Steve, that is really beautiful! I love the way the grain does a kind of "mobius strip" thing around the form. Nailed it!

[gary Zimmel]

Another beautiful piece Steve!

[David E Keller]

In a word... Beautiful!

[Ken Glass]

Steve,
John said it. This is definitely a Steve Schlumpf signature piece. This is one shape of Hollow Form of yours that I never tire of and in Mesquite is it very striking as well. Well done!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Steve that is a great looking piece. Isn't mesquite fun to turn? I love it.

[Alan Trout]

Steve,

That is very nice. I really like the form and finish. Being in mesquite country it is funny I have noticed from different counties around me that I get mesquite from the colors change quite a bit. It will run from the brown to almost red in color. It is just such wonderful stuff to turn and you did it justice.

Alan

[Mark Hubl]

Very nice. A classic S squared shape. I am sure that all mesquite that makes it past the bbq pile is happy to be trimmed up and look so good!

[Mark Cothren]

Steve, this is a dandy. I love Mesquite and you turned your's into a great-looking piece!

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Classical shape and a good looking piece of wood, a good combination to make a beautiful piece, which you did if course :D, well done Steve, much better looking to me, than painted wood :o :eek: :o

[Michelle Rich]

AWE? DELIGHT? reminds me of water at the shoreline..or drifting sands..movement anyway..elegance..beckons to be picked up and caressed..great choice in orientation.. I also feel calm when I view it, which is nice. Thanks for sharing magnificence with us hackers.

[Jeff Nicol]

Steve, I have been wanting to get some mesquite for a while now, I have a couple of friends in Texas, but they are computer geeks and have no Idea or desire to go out and get me some! I may have to take the trip down south and get some myself, this peice is beartiful and the shape lets all the grain and color of the mesquite show through!

Another great one,

Jeff

[Aaron Wingert]

Steve that is a really great piece. Those Texas boys don't know how lucky they are to have all that mesquite to turn! Love the grain orientation.

[steven carter]

Steve,

Great looking hollow form! If you are like me, after turning your first turning mesquite you'll wish you had more. I love the grain and the smell and the way it turns and finishes. You did this piece of wood justice.

Steve

[Jon Lanier]

Sweet! Beautiful as usual. I've got to get me some of the Mesquite.

[Rob Cunningham]

Really nice HF Steve. A great shape with amazing grain and color.

[Jerry Marcantel]

Nice piece there, Schlumpf.... I does look like an old piece of pottery.... Did you go from bark to pith? I'm just now getting the hang of oreintation... Also, did you have to fill any voids and cracks?
Alan's right about the different shades in Mesquite. Location, species and the time from tree death to turning will vary the color also. ........ Jerry (in Tucson)

[Cody Colston]

Nice HF, Steve. Mesquite defines the Southwest to me and it's a great wood to work. That particular form is almost a rite of passage for your first Mesquite vessel. Nice job.

[Tim Rinehart]

Very nice piece. How did mesquite compare to other woods you've turned?

Great piece again, and good tribute with the 'correct' form to wood's origin.

Have you thought about effect of dye with mesquite?

[George Guadiane]

Mesquite (kiawe) is pretty wood... You make it look even better!

[Dwight VanSickle]

Steve, Another beautiful hollow form. Now you can take the shavings from the form and put into the grill for BBQ, that is awesome too.
Dwight

[charlie knighton]

very nice, Steve, don't you dare paint mesquite :D

[Pete Jordan]

Another Classic Steve!

I have a piece of Mesquite but have been afraid to touch it.

[Chris Padilla]

Mesquite so rules... I wish it wasn't so darn expensive.

Nice work there, fellow Mod! :)

[William Hutchinson]

Very nice indeed. The surface looks flawless along with finish. I used my homemade Fibonacci gauge on your bowl photo and it was amazing to find all aspects are perfectly proportioned. Height to width, foot to lip and side to top transition. Actually I shouldn't have been amazed, your work is consistently outstanding.

[George Morris]

Steve very nice! Form and finish are excellent! Well done!

[Steve Schlumpf]

I sure appreciate all the kind words everyone - just happy that everyone liked it!

I was very impressed with this piece of Mesquite and seeing as how it was my first - I have no idea if it was the norm or I was gifted a great blank of wood! All I can say is that if you have a chance to turn this wood - do it! You'll love it!

[David DeCristoforo]

"...I have no idea if it was the norm or I was gifted a great blank of wood! All I can say is that if you have a chance to turn this wood - do it..."

Well here's one way to find out. You get in touch with this guy and have him send us all a chunk of mesquite. Then we can all turn it and compare. With any luck we will all find as fine a form and as nice a figure as your's hiding inside our respective pieces.

Humm??? ;)

[Harvey Schneider]

I am at a loss for superlatives. That is awesome.
Harvey in Southbury, CT

[James Roberts]

Steve, absolutely beautiful. The grain and figure in the wood give it a look of something ancient. Well done.

[Tom Sherman]

Steve another wonderful turning. I like El Guapo's suggestion also great way to find out.

[neil mackay]

Hmm I have some mesquite but its way darker, must get around to making something of it.

Well done Steve? I like the form.

[David Woodruff]

Steve, beautiiful form with continuous un-broken curves. I purchased a book 12 or so years ago titled, Pottery of the Southwest. A nice reference work. The nice thing about Mesquite other than beautiful grain is the fact it is has practically zero ratio of radial to tangential shrinkage with 3 - 5% bilaterally. This means if you turn a good size HF it is still going to be round in 6 months.

[Dennis Peacock]

You gonna sand out those tool marks??
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Ah-Ha...!!!! Made ya look.!!! :p

Pretty piece and the form looks good to me. Nicely done Steve. :cool: