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Re: Mesquite turners.

Wayne

As a frequent turner of Mesquite, I can assure you that this is the most stable wood I have ever encountered. You can turn it green today and put it out for display without fear of cracking or moving. Plus it is beautiful - if you look closely, you will see fantastic patterns of golden flakes throughout the wood - just beautiful!

Enjoy

Ray

A neighbor just had a large mesquite tree cut down. I snagged a bunch of it > and assured SWMBO I would make her many lovely things with it. What kind of > prep does mesquite require? I know it is very dense with a low moisture > content. I read a post awhile back saying you could turn it green and it > would dry with almost no movement. Any words of wisdom? > > Wayne in Phoenix > >
Reply to
Ray Sandusky
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Sort of the antithesis of the apple I acquired over the weekend, it would seem. :-(

Max

Reply to
Maxprop

beautiful -

How large mesquite blanks can be had, Ray? I really don't know anything about the wood, except that it doesn't grow around here. Are the tree trunk boles fairly sizeable?

Max

Reply to
Maxprop

Steve is dead on with all his remarks. I would add that it is not "low moisture" In fact it is very heavy and will lose half its weight as it dries. I often rough turn items within 1/4 inch of the final thickness and microwave until they lose all the weight they are going to. Then I remount and do a final shaping and sanding. You won't have to do much but if it is a lidded, end grain box it will have just a little movement. From green log to table in two days. The voids can be very attractive in some things. They can be left open or filled with epoxy adding soft metal, stone or sawdust. Also almost any finish is possible. I use a lot of lacqure but oils are very nice. If I were you I would drag as much of that tree home as I could. Have a look here (

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)andHave a Happy Bob Edwards, San Antonio

Reply to
Bob Edwards

In other words, some of it is huge. Too bad we don't have it around here. I love the appearance. I have a mesquite bowl turned by an unknown turner circa 1950. It's as beautiful today as it was when I was a child.

Max

Reply to
Maxprop

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