Mesquite

[Bernie Weishapl]

I got some mesquite from Texas. A friend of mine sent me a nice hunk that will make about a 7" bowl. It has some nice bark on it so thought I would make a NE out of it. I have turned what was called honey mesquite but never any from Texas that is a dark brown color and green as in wet. The honey mesquite I turned right down from green to finish and it did not warp or move. Can I do the same thing with this mesquite or do I have to DNA it then finish turning it after it is dry? I have turned some of this mesquite before but it was kiln dried stock. Don't want to ruin it as it is a awful nice piece.

[Tom Jones III]

You can turn it dripping wet and it will be fine. FYI, Texas mesquite generally has a crack running through the center, sometimes you can ignore it, sometimes a little CA and sawdust will stabilize it, and sometimes you have to work around it.

[Bill Boehme]

Texas mesquite is quite stable. It may have some wind shake and pith cracks, but they will not grow as it dries. My favorite filling for cracks is dried coffee grounds and CA or epoxy. I put some glue into the crack and then sprinkle a generous helping of grounds on top of it. Sometimes I pack the grounds into the glue and then turn it flush to the surface after it dries. Other times when it is part of a natural void, I do not fill it flush to the surface and do not pack the grounds down, but just let them rest on top of the glue. After the glue dries, I brush off the loose stuff and it will have a texture that blends in very well with the surrounding void.

I like to turn mesquite to final dimensions all in one session, let it dry -- when I turn it thin, it can dry in a couple days -- then apply a finish. I have tried several different finishes and they all look good, but produce strikingly different results. CA is the most difficult, but gives beautiful results and really pops the chatoyance. Pure tung oil is very easy, but gives a very nice and slightly dark matte finish. Linseed oil also produces a dark finish, but with much less chatoyance. Lacquer is quick and easy and leaves the wood with a lighter color.

If you have any of the sapwood in the piece, it gives a very strong contrast in color, but the sapwood does shrink as it dries. Sometimes that can give a nice surface texture that you may want to leave and other times you may want to let it thoroughly dry and then turn the surface smooth all over. The yellow sapwood usually takes several weeks to stop shrinking.

Bill

[Neal Addy]

Bernie, be aware that Mesquite is notorious for voids, inclusions, even rocks. They can pop up out of nowhere and surprise you as you are turning so be ready for anything!

It is gorgeous wood, easy to turn (aside from the rocks), and takes a beautiful finish. I love to turn it!

We look forward to your pics!

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

Because of it stability, mesquite is one of my favorite woods for segmentation, especially if large segment pieces are needed. If you study the work of Ray Allen, many of his large vessels were constructed from mesquite, mostly for that reason.

[Bill Boehme]

The good news --
I have about a ton of mesquite on my driveway -- some of it more than 24" diameter.
The bad news --
My lathe is broken (Delta 1440 -- need I say more?).
Should I:

___Burn the mesquite in the fireplace
___Start raising borers as fishing bait
___Stick a sign in the front yard that says “Free Mesquite”
___Grind up the mesquite for mulch
___Cobble together my lathe with duct tape and bailing wire and get busy turning
___Find a less expensive hobby
___Get a new, much bigger, more powerful, fire-breathing earth-shaking lathe



The fine print: This will be graded - Do your own work - No looking on Andy's paper.

Bill

[Neal Addy]

Or,

__ Sell all that Messkeet to all them Mesquite-deprived turners on either coast and use the money to buy a bigger lathe (do I hear Stubby?).

;)

[Barry Stratton]

I'll second Neal's suggestion......:D

[Bill Boehme]

Or,

__ Sell all that Messkeet to all them Mesquite-deprived turners on either coast and use the money to buy a bigger lathe (do I hear Stubby?).

;)

Nah, that wouldn't work -- nobody in their right mind would actually pay cold hard cash money for mesquite -- would they? I mean the stuff grows on trees -- all that you have to do is pick it.

Our back yard adjoins a park and there are several nice mesquites just across the fence -- they might frown on someone cutting down trees in the park ....... BUT I could volunteer to prune the trees up a bit to make them more tidy.

Bill

[Dario Octaviano]

I was just talking to my wife the other day and mentioned that I need to love this wood more...since I can get it very cheaply. I've sold some mesquite to other turners...seems like they love it.

I'll second the stability of it drying wise and know that it is also a fact that some may have stress cracks inside so watch for those.

I turned a green bowl once hoping that it will warp like madrone would...and it dried to almost perfect shape...I was so disappointed. :D

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Congrats Bernie! I've only turned a couple of pens from mesquite. It turned fine.


Now about Bill's flamethrowing lathe....can you connect a supercharged engine to a lathe................

[Andy Hoyt]

Psssst. Hey Bud. Wanna see Andy's paper?

___ Ship a mess o' mesquite to Andy

[Richard Madison]

Yo Bill,
You should:
1. Order the new lathe.
2. Fix the old lathe while awaiting the new one.
3. Put some beer on ice, cause I'll be there in about 3 hours to get some mesquite. Will bring you some of my beloved post oak to trade. Guaranteed to split, crack, and warp, no matter what you do to it. Am batting one for four (maybe), and will probably leave the other half of the dead tree for the new owner.

[Bill Boehme]

Yo Bill,
You should:
1. Order the new lathe.
2. Fix the old lathe while awaiting the new one.
3. Put some beer on ice, cause I'll be there in about 3 hours to get some mesquite. Will bring you some of my beloved post oak to trade. Guaranteed to split, crack, and warp, no matter what you do to it. Am batting one for four (maybe), and will probably leave the other half of the dead tree for the new owner.
Never mind the post oak -- save it for SWAT -- I'm sure that someone from an area where post oak does not gow will be there to take it off your hands. I went to Wal-Mart to get a beer, but they told me that I had to buy a whole six-pack. Sorry, stop at a QT on the way and pick up one -- I will supply the ice. Beware, Mr. Squeak is guarding my mesquite. He doesn't particularly like stranges who take an abnormal interest in his wood.

Bill

[Bernie Weishapl]

Thanks guys for the info. Bill if you can't turn it all I will help. Wouldn't want that wood to go to waste. :p