I would like to know what your experiences have been working with mesquite. My only experience has been as a BBQ wood, for which it excels. I’ve found a great source for mesquite lumber, and want to make a matching pair of end tables. Mesquite is very dense and very hard. I want to know what your experiences have been machining it–jointing and planing, cutting dados, mortices, etc. How does it finish? It makes gorgeous furniture, and has beautiful color and grain. I’ve seen several pieces of furniture on the web and on Norm’s show, but have never worked it myself. Appreciate any feedback. Tom
“Notice that at no time do my fingers leave my hand”
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cts, I have worked with Hawaiian kiawe (ke-ahv-eh) which is a Hawaiian cousin of mesquite. They are very similar, if not identical in most respects, especially working and finishing. I's mostly used for fence posts and firewood in Hawaii. As I was splitting some, I was stunned by the gorgeous color (reds, yellows, browns) and grain. I could only get small logs, 4-6" diameter from which I bandsawed 1/8" veneer. It is very, very hard. Like iron. Very heavy. It dulls tools very fast, but works and polishes beautifully. It seems to be ALL reaction wood. A friend was cutting a tree limb and the limb flexed as he was cutting, knocking him out! It polishes like stone. I finished with both oil/varnish and lacquer. No particular finishing problems. Rich
Thanks. My mother grew up in Abeline, TX and mesquite trees grow huge there--30-35" in diameter is not unusual. There is a lumber dealer there that cuts boards up to 29" wide. My hope is that the larger trees will yield straighter grained boards. Tom"Notice that at no time do my fingers leave my hand"
I have several boards I've been saving for a special project (most around 6-8" wide) so wont be able to tell you about the working properties just yet. Bt one thing I found out after I bought it - Once the wood has been dried, it's supposedly one of the most stable woods you can get with little if any movement.
If you build it he will come.
That's what I've heard, too. It doesn't move much and is very stable. As dense as it is, I can understand why. The lumber dealer I've found has a web site mesquite-lumber.com Don't know anything about them other than what I've seen on the website. Tom"Notice that at no time do my fingers leave my hand"
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