mesquite ?

[Gil Mitchell]

anyone know a good source for mesquite? how is it to work with. I'm located in Illinois about 40 miles southwest of Chicago

[Chris Padilla]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=22099

Hopefully Mr. KC "Mesquite God" Constable will be along shortly to help you out... :) You can check out all the threads he has started or just do a search on Mesquite...you'll find plenty. :)

It would help to list where you live as well.

[Dave Tinley]

Gil-
Mesquite is wonderful to work with, mills great, sands smooth and has a wonderful color with the finish applied.
The down side is, the trees do not grow very large so clear stock is not common and when found is expensive. In central Texas it runs about $10 per bd ft, and thats #1 common. Farther south it is a little more plentiful.
As was said earlier, KC has done a lot of work with the stuff and it is absolutly beautiful. If you are ever in Texas in the fall there is a mesquite furniture show in Fredricksburg that will amaze you with the pieces.
Dave

[Cecil Arnold]

What Dave said. If you are lucky and live in the area, you might be able to find a farmer or rancher who will let you clear his land of mesquite. Most ranchers think it is a trash tree and many treat them with a hurbiside to get rid of them. The trees spread very fast, mesquite beans and birds you know, and will cover a pasture quickly. Finding one with a trunk in the 12" or larger range is difficult, although I have my eye on one or two.

[Mike Parzych]

I don't know anything personally, but here's a place that seems to have plenty, and some wide stock too.

http://www.mesquitedesign.com/index.htm

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

As I posted on the other site, don't buy it sight unseen from a mill, unless you've done business with them before and they know exactly what you expect. Unlike 'real' wood, when you're dealing with mesquite 'Number 1' means different things to different people...no standard is enforced. I buy only the cleanest I can find, and I throw rocks at some of the stuff some of these guys call 'number 1'. If you ask for 'number 2', you may be very, very upset when you get it.

You might wanna have somebody you know and/or trust go shopping for you since you're so far away.

Also bear in mind that there's 'different' mesquites. Mexican mesquite is a bit different color than Texas mesquite, and South American mesquite won't match either of the other two...so you probably want to get everything from the same seller. Lots of 'backyard' sawyers out there cut up a tree now and then...you want to deal with somebody that has an 'operation'.

KC

[Gil Mitchell]

just want to say thanks to everyone.