Huisache HF

[Scott Hackler]

When Steve Mawson stopped by a while back, on his way home, he gave me a chuck of the Huisache he got from south Texas. Wow was that wood heavy! The first HF decided to allow me to hollow right through the side of it! This is the second piece. I liked working with this super hard and dense wood. It reminded my of Osage Orange, but this stuff packed HARD, inside the form. I hard to stop often and blow it out.

My plan was to center the pith and hope. Lots of CA glue later, it developed a 2" crack up the back side (that I didn't show ya!). A large non-pith chuck of this would make for some nice material for bead work.

Anyway, here is is and thanks for the wood Steve.



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[Harry Robinette]

Scott
Can't open the attachment

[Dennis Nagle]

That is beautiful. I've never heard of that wood. Must be a southern thing.

[Thomas Canfield]

Scott,

What size and finish? Sorry to hear about the split but they say that checks and splits occcur more frequently in Huisache. Still a nice looking piece. I remember Steve saying that the wood was freshly cut and that might have added to weight. I did my first piece of Huisache recently that came off a dozed up brush pile that had been down several months. The bark fell off and the grubs were active in the sap wood, but the density seemed to be about 75% of Mesquite and the wood softer, but had much the same appearance. Most of the local turners here familiar with Mesquite thought that the Huisache was Mesquite.

[Scott Hackler]

Ooops. I its 4 1/2" tall and 4" wide. Tung Oil finish

[John M. Smith]

Beautiful form once again. Too bad about the crack. I really need to do more hollow forms. Only way I am going to get better at shapes.

[robert baccus]

Really nice piece--wood and work. This will bring incoming but I really think a larger opening would look better balanced. Just an observation. Charge extra for the character on the back.

[Steve Mawson]

Looks good Scott, no problem dropping off. I tried one of the crotches however was using a recess to hold on the chuck and went through the bottom. Gave that to my neighbor and he smoked chickens last weekend, they were really tasty! Perhaps smokes like mesquite.

[Thomas Canfield]

Looks good Scott, no problem dropping off. I tried one of the crotches however was using a recess to hold on the chuck and went through the bottom. Gave that to my neighbor and he smoked chickens last weekend, they were really tasty! Perhaps smokes like mesquite.

You can always use a chunk of walnut or other wood to make a footed base. You don't have to use it for smoking. Of course you need a donut chuck or similar to level off an area for the new foot. I have a NE elm bowl that became a funnel and it is sitting aside with that in mind possibly, but then there is a lot of easier pieces waiting also.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great piece Scott and the wood is really nice as is the form.

[jwjerry w kowalski]

Scott,

I never heard of Huisache, but your form sure is nice, I like the harmony of the gentle flowing curves.

[Fred Belknap]

Scott I always like your HF. Never heard of Huisache and never seen any misquite.