Woodsense: Spotlight on Mesquite. In some cases, the knots, checks, and blemishes that would cause stock to be shunned upon by those "classical" era furniture builders can be celebrated and shown off as design features. The one big concern with mesquite is that it tends to twist, but working with seasoned mesquite rather than uncured stock will minimize the risk of twisting. Freshly cut mesquite is medium tan and ages to a reddish sun-baked sandstone color. There, this hard, heavy wood has been employed for railroad ties, fence posts, pilings, and structural timbers. and 20 pieces per case. When finishing mesquite, most builders tend to choose a clear coat finish that protects the wood rather than a stained finish that would cover up the color and features unique to this species of stock. A challenging wood that’s worth the extra work. Approximately 39.6 lb. To be safe, equip your machinery with dust collection and wear a dust mask. Mesquite trees are short, twisted Sonoran desert plants and the resulting lumber reflects the intense hard life they endure. Glues, turns, and finishes well. The twisted and irregular branches can be cumbersome to work with and the wood is very hard which can prematurely dull your chainsaw blade. In addition to its hardness, mesquite’s figure and interlocking grain pose a real challenge for chisels and planes, although the wood scrapes well. Expect a surprise collection of knots, splits, worm holes and bark pockets you can feature in your own one-of-a-kind custom projects. Although the trees are hardy once established, and propagate quickly, they’re slow growing and seldom surpass a 20-foot height. Home Warp and bow appears the instant an improperly dried board is cut. Mesquite is a hard, heavy and tough wood with high bending and crushing strengths. Can't decide what to get the woodworker in your life? 700 Via Miramonte. These mesquite logs have also been treated to be insect-free. When power jointing and thicknessing, monitor the edges of steel knives because mesquite will quickly dull them, inviting chipping and tearout. I remember being surprised to see mesquite slabs large enough for coffee tables, because I was under the impression that it was a twisty wood that did not yield good boards. Grilling with wood can add a delicious flavor to meats, vegetables, and other food cooked on the grill. Mesquite trees are short, twisted Sonoran desert plants and the resulting lumber reflects the intense hard life they endure. Woodworking. Considered by many to be an invasive species, mesquite used to be free for the asking and hauling. A prime example is the Southwestern style of furniture developed and becoming increasingly popular in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and other parts of the desert region of the United States. Of course it’s always smart to test any finish on scrap first. However, the trees are a common sight across much of the American Southwest and Mexico, where the growing range spans nearly 100 million acres. Overall, I would say the extra effort needed to harvest mesquite is worth it. I am building furniture out of mesquite and find no problems with movement after the wood is properly dried. Working mesquite in the shop. Next week, I plan to cut down another, then I have to figure out how to get it milled. How mar resistant is it. Mesquite that is clear and free from defects is easy to work with hand and machine tools, but irregular grain or knots can be challenging. See more ideas about mesquite, wood, mesquite wood. Selecting the correct grain direction when feeding the jointer should pose little problem, but chipping can occur. Consequently, small boards and turning blanks are plentiful, if pricey. With patience and good stores of sandpaper, mesquite can be brought to a high pre-finish polish. Log In. Mesquite is a hardwood indigenous to Texas and the desert southwest of the United States. Workability isn't a consideration. Highly figured stock and larger slabs can cost 2 to 3 times that amount. Keep Woodworking Tools Sharp Working with mesquite requires a bit of patience, and the wood … Get DIY project ideas and easy-to-follow crafts to help you spruce up your space. The stock is prone to cracks and checks in the grain of the wood along with voids that occur naturally from the growth of the tree, which can be filled with an epoxy wood filler mixed with mesquite sawdust that will help to blend in the repair with the surrounding wood. POWERMATIC MACHINES & ACCESSORIES SAVE 10% + FREE SHIPPING. (972) 686-4490. Truth be told, it's hard to consider mesquite a wood, considering that the mesquite tree is more like a bush or an overgrown weed than a tree in the normal sense of the word. In particularly arid regions, they remain shrub-like, but along creeks and river bottoms, they may reach heights of 50 feet. Mesquite that is clear and free from defects is easy to work with hand and machine tools, but irregular grain or knots can be challenging. Mesquite tends to be short-grained wood, which means you'll encounter less variation in expansion and contraction due to seasonal humidity fluctuations than other, longer-grained woods. Unfortunately for woodworkers, this doesn’t translate to an abundance of lumber. Working with mesquite requires a bit of patience, and the wood can be a bit rough on the cutting edges of tools. Mesquite wood is not ideal for long cooks since it burns very quickly. Its steam bending classification is … Figure on paying $10-14 per board foot. Mesquite produces a stronger flavor than other hardwoods, so it works best with meat, but … Tooling this dense, heavy lumber that is roughly twice as hard as oak and hard maple might seem more akin to working brass than wood. As for burning, well, it just produced trees more tenacious than their forbears. Rot Resistance: Honey Mesquite is considered very durable regarding decay resistance. In fact, in the late 1800s, San Antonio paved the streets leading to the Alamo with mesquite slabs. I’ve been experimenting with mesquite lumber, here are photos of my first efforts. Freshly sawn or air-dried mesquite also offers advantages to turners and carvers because it’s easier to work and its dimensional stability makes it far less likely to distort or crack as the stock acclimates. Some might argue that mesquite is more of a weed than a wood, but those who have embraced its unique qualities would likely beg to differ. According to the Janka scale, Mesquite is probably one of the hardest of the domestics. Interestingly, despite its hardness when dry, the wood can be easily bent when green, contributing to its use by chairmakers and bowyers. Working properties are largely dictated by the quality of the wood itself. But the Janka scale is used primarily as a test to determine suitability for flooring. The choice wood of Longhorn Mesquite Works is Mesquite as it is very stable, when it shifts, it does not buckle or split. Attached are photos of two small and one medium size project. Fine woodworking is often equated with classical pieces from various periods of furniture design using hardwoods such as cherry, oak, black walnut or maple, but there are plenty of options for woodworkers who wish to develop a medium with hardwoods that don't have the pristine characteristics of the classics. The color and grain characteristics are enhanced with defects, ingrown bark & mineral streaks. To lessen the problem, feed the wood at a slight angle and take light passes that only remove about 1⁄32\" at a time. These mesquite wood logs are ideal for smoking red meat, duck, lamb, and poultry. Fence posts, flooring, turned objects, cabinetry, and furniture. In addition to its hardness, mesquite’s figure and interlocking grain pose a real challenge for chisels and planes, although the wood scrapes well. Therefore, minor defects can be left alone for visual interest or filled with black epoxy. Most commercially available mesquite lumber comes from Texas. Be aware that sanding mesquite produces a fine dust that can trigger an allergic reaction. This native wood has survived on the rugged Texas landscape since before the Spanish Conquistadors set foot on North America. Today, mesquite wood remains a popular fire fuel for barbecue. But if not fully dried, the wood is impossible to use. This style of furniture doesn't pretend to have the pristine lines of the "classical era" Americana furniture styles, but instead is more pragmatic and filled with character, mirroring an attitude prevalent among the early, hearty inhabitants of the region. Working Properties. Ask any East Coast woodworker about their experience with mesquite (Prosopis julifora), and it’s likely to involve a grill and a choice cut of meat. Mesquite will overpower milder fruit woods such as cherry or apple wood, while maintaining a hint of the desired sweet flavor. Mesquite’s multi-chromatic heartwood—often accentuated with dramatic figure resulting from its harsh growing environment—puts this wood on par with the most coveted exotics. Hickory and Pecan are just a bit less hard. Ranchers have spent millions trying to eradicate it from cattle land, burning it, spraying it, and snapping trunks with chains dragged between a pair of bulldozes. BBB Rating: A+ 14 … Family-owned since 1954. – Dave Croxton Tucson, Arizona We now have a pile of smaller stuff that was cut live several months ago and on a calm day you can hear the borers working from ten feet away. Chris is a freelance writer who specializes in woodworking, designs his own projects, and is experienced in commercial carpentry. Chadd Green, who works at W.W. Wood, Inc., a wood-product company in Pleasanton … We have cut a big Mesquite that had been standing dead for over twenty years and the wood was fine other than a little color degrade.