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Large Mesquite Bowl Blanks
Note : Dimensions given below are Length x Width x Depth of a blank are measured end to end (cut ends), side to side (not corner to corner), and height as cut surface to outer edge of sapwood. Theoretically these numbers provide the dimensions of the largest bowl that might be turned from that piece if no major flaws are encountered. The measurements are to the closest 1/4 inch. Most of these blanks are rough cut - I do not have the time or resources to joint all of the cut surfaces.
The approximate weight (in pounds) were measured at the time that the blanks were photographed and sealed. Some drying will occur and the weights are likely to be less by the time that the blanks are delivered. The descriptions accompanying the photos describe all obvious physical flaws or character features, the good and the bad, such as pith cracks, checks, flame figure, etc.
You can see examples of various bowls and vessels turned from Texas Honey Mesquite and other "exotic" Texas woods on my companion website, www.prairiesend.com.
Please be aware - as with most of the wood on this website (other than the pen blanks), these Mesquite blanks are fresh and green, or only partially air-dried. Unless otherwise noted, they have NOT been kiln-dried and any turning must consider greenwood turning procedures. That said - one of the beauties of Mesquite is its stability - being one of the most stable woods in the world with minimal to no warping and checking due to drying.
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Mesquite Blank M-658
~10" diameter x 5" depth
13 lbs.
This is an interesting and challenging half-log, bowl blank from a large crotch section of Texas Honey Mesquite (the other half of the log that yielded M-657 below). The color is the strong reddish brown of mesquite heartwood, surrounded by a thin band of yellow to grayish-yellow sapwood, with full dark brown bark on the backside. The annotated face is dominated by a large, open, bark-lined crotch gap that extends from edge to edge across the blank.
In a perfect world, this crotch blank would be suitable for a bowl up to 10" in diameter and 4 to 5" deep, with a nice crotch grain pattern (feather or flame figure) in the center. But I do not know if a crotch grain is present because of the large bark-lined crotch gap. The presence of that gap would likely dictate turning of a conventional bowl form rather than a natural-edge form, but then the hollowing-out the interior of the bowl may well reveal a complex, crotch-related grain pattern. Where the bark-line crotch gap is exposed on opposite sides of the blank, it ranges in depth from ~1-1/2" (top photo) to ~1/4" (bottom photo, where it meets the main pith of the log). However, probing with a thin slip of stiff plastic indicates that the gap is as deep as 2" in the central portion. Clearly, portions of the barky crotch gap would remain at and somewhere below the rim on opposite sides of the finished bowl. Reinforcing of that bark and filling of portions of the gap will certainly be required - as I said, a challenge, but possibly with great reward!
I tried to cut the log in half directly thru the two piths of this crotch to produce this blank, but one of those piths did not cooperate. I was successful in removing the pith for the diverging side limb, but wound-up leaving a portion of the pith of the main trunk. You can see that pith in the end-grain side just below the bark-lined gap of the middle photo, and extending upward to "outcrop" on the annotated face (top and bottom photos, just above the 10" annotation in the center of the blank). There is one fairly large and several small radial cracks associated with that pith. The larger radial crack is approximately 2" long, measured from the center of the pith. If I were turning this, I would cut down the top of the blank by 1/2" to 3/4" to remove that pith entirely and reinforce any remaining cracks with thin CA glue. There are also two other, very thin and apparently shallow cracks that appear to be related to the portions of the piths that were removed. These should also be reinforced before or during turning.
As this blank was cut from an older Mesquite log, there are a number of both open and frass-filled borer holes in the sapwood and outer portion of the heartwood. It looks as if all of those borer holes will turn off in a conventional bowl form. There also are several very thin and likely shallow drying checks in the end-grain sides. I consider these to be minor and would just recommend reinforcing them with thin CA glue before turning.
I see no other cracks, checks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-658 |
$45.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-659
~8" diameter x 5" depth
8-3/4 lbs.
This is another interesting half-log, bowl blank of Texas Honey Mesquite. It is the other half of the log section that yielded M-655 below. I believe that it would be suitable for a bowl up to 8" in diameter and 4" to 5" deep, in either conventional or natural-edge form. The color is the strong reddish brown of mesquite heartwood, surrounded by a thin band of yellow to grayish-yellow sapwood, with full dark brown bark on the backside. However, this blank comes from an older log and the bark is not as tight as that from a fresh log, so if you plan a full bark-edge on the "natural" rim, you will need to secure that bark with CA glue while turning.
This section of the log had a large side branch out the side, most of which was cut off and included in the other blank (M-655). That curving brown line on one edge of the annotated face (top and bottom photos) is a bark-lined crotch gap between the main trunk and the side limb. There may well be an interesting crotch-type grain pattern associated with that side limb and barky gap. In a full-depth conventional bowl form, that bark-lined inclusion will certainly intersect the rim and reinforcing with CA glue and possibly filling of a small gap may be in order. If a NE bowl form is planned, all of that bark inclusion will likely turn off.
I cut the log in half pretty much thru the pith to produce this blank. All of the actual pith was removed but there is some very tight radial curvature to the grain pattern in that area and two pith-related radial cracks do remain. One crack is quite small, tight and shallow (top photo, in the center of the tightly-curving grain pattern below the annotated face). The second is larger and extends into the annotated face about 3" from the edge (far side, top photo) and to a depth of ~1-1/2" on that end-grain side (center photo). If a NE bowl or oval hollow-form is planned, most if not all of those cracks should turn off. Regardless, these radial cracks in Mesquite are not dynamic drying features, but are formed by stresses on the tree during growth. They are generally quite stable after the blank is cut from the log.
And, as this is from an older Mesquite log, there are a number of both open and frass-filled borer holes in the sapwood and outer portion of the heartwood. Several of them, one large open hole and several frass-filled holes are located close to the edge of the annotated face (left side, top photo) and will likely be included the rim of a full-depth conventional bowl (if that is planned). With the exception of that rim-edge holes, it looks as if all of the remaining borer holes will turn off in a conventional bowl form. If a NE bowl form is planned, you will also have to consider these classic Mesquite features (ie - natural as open or frass-filled holes, or possibly attractively filled??).
I see no other cracks or significant flaws. There are however several very thin and likely shallow drying checks in the end-grain on one side. I consider these to be minor and would just recommend reinforcing them with thin CA glue before turning.
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Mesquite Blank M-659 |
$35.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-654
~9" diameter x 6" depth
10-1/4 lbs.
This is a very nice, round, half-log, bowl blank of Texas Honey Mesquite. It appears to be suitable for a bowl up to 9" in diameter and 4 to 5" deep. The color is the strong reddish brown of mesquite heartwood, surrounded by a thin band of yellow to grayish-yellow sapwood, with full dark brown bark on the backside. It has been roughly trimmed to round and would be suitable for either a conventional bowl or a "barky" natural-edge bowl. However, if you want a full bark edge on the "natural" rim, you will need to secure the bark with CA glue while turning. This blank comes from an older log and the bark is not as tight as that from a fresh log.
I cut the log in half directly thru the pith to produce this blank, so most of the actual pith has been removed. However, several small radial cracks associated with that pith are present at the cut face and exposed at both end-grain faces. These cracks may appear rather ominous on that annotated face, but as you can see on the photos, they are pretty minor (small, shallow and tight) where exposed on the end-grain sides. If a conventional bowl is planned, you should consider reinforcing them with thin CA glue and, if you feel it is necessary, trimming off that upper 1/2" of the annotated face. If a NE bowl or oval hollow-form is planned, all of those cracks should turn off. Regardless, these radial cracks in Mesquite are not dynamic drying features, but are formed by stresses on the tree during growth. They are generally quite stable after the blank is cut from the log.
As this is an older Mesquite log, there are a number of both open and frass-filled borer holes in the outer portion of the sapwood. Most, if not all of these will turn off in a conventional bowl form. If a NE bowl form is planned, you will have consider to these classic Mesquite features (ie - natural as open or frass-filled holes, or possibly attractively filled??).
I see no other cracks, checks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-654 |
$35.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-655
~9" diameter x 6" depth
11 lbs.
This is an interesting half-log, bowl blank of Texas Honey Mesquite. I think that it would be suitable for a bowl up to 9" in diameter and 4" deep, in either conventional or natural-edge form. The color is the strong reddish brown of mesquite heartwood, surrounded by a thin band of yellow to grayish-yellow sapwood, with full dark brown bark on the backside. However, this blank comes from an older log and the bark is not as tight as that from a fresh log, so if you plan a full bark-edge on the "natural" rim, you will need to secure that bark with CA glue while turning.
This section of the log had a large side branch out the side, which resulted in an interesting crotch grain pattern on one side. That brown curving stripe on the annotated face is a narrow, but gappy bark inclusion located between the side limb and the main trunk of the tree. In a full-depth conventional bowl form, that bark inclusion will intersect the rim - reinforcing with CA glue and possibly filling of a small gap may be in order. If a NE bowl form is planned, all of that bark inclusion will likely turn off.
I tried to cut the log in half directly thru the pith to produce this blank, but that pith did not cooperate. So the pith is present, extending from the annotated face on one side (near side, top photo) to a depth of ~3/4" on the opposite side (center photo). And, there are several radial cracks associated with that pith that extend from the annotated face to depths of 1 to 1-1/2" (as exposed at both end-grain faces). If a conventional bowl is planned, you should consider reinforcing them with thin CA glue and, if you feel it is necessary, trimming off that upper 1-1/2" below the annotated face. If a NE bowl or oval hollow-form is planned, most, if not all of those cracks should turn off. Regardless, these radial cracks in Mesquite are not dynamic drying features, but are formed by stresses on the tree during growth. They are generally quite stable after the blank is cut from the log.
And, as this is from an older Mesquite log, there are a number of both open and frass-filled borer holes in the sapwood and outer portion of the heartwood. Two of the larger and prominent borer holes are located close to the edge of the annotated face and will intersect the top of the rim if a full-depth conventional bowl is planned. With the exception of the two rim-edge holes, it looks as if all of the remaining borer holes will turn off in a conventional bowl form. If a NE bowl form is planned, you will also have to consider these classic Mesquite features (ie - natural as open or frass-filled holes, or possibly attractively filled??).
I see no other cracks, checks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-655 |
$35.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-656
~9" diameter x 5" depth
10-1/4 lbs.
This is another interesting half-log, bowl blank of Texas Honey Mesquite that should be suitable for a bowl up to 9" in diameter and 4" deep, in either conventional or natural-edge form. The color is the strong reddish brown of mesquite heartwood, surrounded by a thin band of yellow to grayish-yellow sapwood, with full dark brown bark on the backside. Again, this blank comes from an older log and the bark is not as tight as that from a fresh log, so if you plan a full bark-edge on the "natural" rim, you will need to secure that bark with CA glue while turning.
I cut the log in half directly thru the pith to produce this blank, so most of the actual pith of the main trunk has been removed (note - there is a second small pith visible on the bottom photo, just above that "smiley face". That pith is from a small, secondary branch on the side of the main trunk). Several small radial cracks associated with the pith of the main trunk are present at the cut face and exposed at both end-grain faces. These cracks may appear rather ominous on that annotated face, but as you can see on the photos, they are pretty minor (small, tight and relatively shallow) where exposed on the end-grain sides. If a conventional bowl is planned, you should consider reinforcing them with thin CA glue and, if you feel it is necessary, trimming off that upper 1/2" of the annotated face. If a NE bowl or oval hollow-form is planned, all of those cracks should turn off. Regardless, these radial cracks in Mesquite are not dynamic drying features, but are formed by stresses on the tree during growth. They are generally quite stable after the blank is cut from the log.
And, as this is from an older Mesquite log, there are a number of both open and frass-filled borer holes in the sapwood and outer portion of the heartwood. Two of the larger and prominent borer holes are located close to the edge of the annotated face and will intersect the top of the rim if a full-depth conventional bowl is planned. With the exception of the two rim-edge holes, it looks as if all of the remaining borer holes will turn off in a conventional bowl form. If a NE bowl form is planned, you will also have to consider these classic Mesquite features (ie - natural as open or frass-filled holes, or possibly attractively filled??).
I see no other cracks, checks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-656 |
$35.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-657
~10" diameter x 5" depth
11-1/2 lbs.
This is an interesting and challenging half-log, bowl blank from a large crotch section of Texas Honey Mesquite. The color is the strong reddish brown of mesquite heartwood, surrounded by a thin band of yellow to grayish-yellow sapwood, with full dark brown bark on the backside. The annotated face is dominated by a large, open, bark-lined crotch gap that extends from edge to edge across the blank.
In a perfect world, this crotch blank would be suitable for a bowl up to 10" in diameter and 4 to 5" deep, with a nice crotch grain pattern (feather or flame figure) in the center. But I do not know if a crotch grain is present because of the large bark-lined crotch gap. The presence of that gap would dictate turning of a conventional bowl form rather than a natural-edge form, and hollowing-out the interior of the bowl is likely to reveal a complex, crotch-related grain pattern. Where the barky gap is exposed on opposite sides of the blank, it ranges in depth from ~1/2" (top photo) to ~1" (bottom photo). However, probing with a thin slip of stiff paper indicates that the gap is as deep as 2" in the central portion. Clearly, portions of the barky crotch gap would remain at and somewhere below the rim on opposite sides of the finished bowl. Reinforcing of that bark and possibly filling of portions of the gap will likely be required - as I said, a challenge, but possibly with great reward!
I tried to cut the log in half directly thru the three piths of this crotch to produce this blank, but those piths did not cooperate. So the pith of the main section as well as the piths of the two branching limbs are present, extending from the surface of the annotated face on one side (near side, top photo) to a depth of ~1/2" on the opposite side(s) (bottom photo). There are several small radial cracks associated with those piths that extend to a maximum visible depth of 1/2" below the annotated face (as exposed at the end-grain faces). The larger radial crack is associated with one limb of the crotch (right side limb, top and bottom photos) and that complex lies at a low angle to the annotated surface at a depth of less than 1/2". I would simply cut down the top of the blank by about 1/2" to remove the piths entirely along with most, if not all, of those radial cracks.
And again, as this is from an older Mesquite log, there are a number of both open and frass-filled borer holes in the sapwood and outer portion of the heartwood. It looks as if all of those borer holes will turn off in a conventional bowl form. I see no other cracks, checks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-657 |
$45.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-620
~9" diameter x 2-3" depth
5-1/2 lbs.
This is a very nice, round, half-log, triple crotch-type bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite with a beautifully complex crotch figure. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood, surrounded by a thin band of yellow sapwood, with full dark brown bark on the backside. It has been roughly trimmed to round and would be suitable for either a "barky" natural-edge bowl or for a conventional bowl. I would go for the natural edge form since that would place that complex figure in the bottom of the finished bowl (as well as remove minor pith-related cracks on the annotated face). However, if you want a natural bark edge on the rim, you will need to secure the bark with CA glue while turning. This blank comes from an older log and the bark is not as tight as that from a fresh log.
Halving the original crotch thru the three piths was difficult. I did remove the pith from both side limbs as well as the main trunk, but in the process, wound up with a fairly shallow blank. As a result, the maximum depth of a finished bowl from this blank will be on the order of 2" or so. And, while the piths themselves are gone - pith related cracking is not. There is a zone of two thin and shallow radial cracks associated with one limb of the crotch (top photo, just to left of the annotations; bottom photo, center of lower edge). If a conventional bowl is planned, those cracks should be reinforced and possibly filled with CA glue or epoxy before turning. In a natural-edge bowl form, they will likely turn off completely.
I see no other cracks, checks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-620 |
$30.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-621
~10" diameter x 5" depth
10 lbs.
This is another very nice, round, half-log, triple crotch-type, Texas Honey Mesquite bowl blank - the half-brother to M-620 above. This half also displays a beautifully complex crotch figure. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood, surrounded by a thin band of yellow sapwood, with full dark brown bark on the backside. It has been roughly trimmed to round and would be suitable for either a "barky" natural-edge bowl or for a conventional bowl. I would go for the natural edge form since that would place that complex figure in the bottom of the finished bowl. However, if you want a full bark edge on the "natural" rim, you will need to secure the bark with CA glue while turning. This blank comes from an older log and the bark is not as tight as that from a fresh log.
In this case, all three piths - from both limbs as well as the main trunk - are present at depths of 3/8" to 1" below the annotated face (all three photos). And, radial cracks are associated with the pith exposed at both ends of the main trunk pith. At one end, three thin but long radial pith cracks, apparent from the side (sorry - not visible in these photos), merge at the pith to be visible as a single zone on the annotated face (top photo, just left of the annotations). Two larger pith-related cracks radiate out from the main pith at the other side of the blank (top photo, end-grain face). Regardless of planned bowl form, you will have to contend with these classic Mesquite features! However, these radial cracks in Mesquite are formed by stresses on the tree during growth, and are generally quite stable after the blank is cut from the log. Again, I would go for a natural-edge bowl, reinforcing and, if necessary filling, any pith-related cracks that may remain. Fast curing CA glue does wonders in this application.
I see no other cracks, checks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-621 |
$45.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-622
~12" diameter x 6-7" depth
19-1/4 lbs.
This is another very nice, round, half-log, bowl blank of Texas Honey Mesquite. It appears to be suitable for a bowl up to 11" in diameter and 4 to 4-1/2" deep. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood, surrounded by a thin band of yellow sapwood, with full dark brown bark on the backside. It has been roughly trimmed to round and would be suitable for a conventional bowl or for a "barky" natural-edge bowl. However, if you want a full bark edge on the "natural" rim, you will need to secure the bark with CA glue while turning. This blank comes from an older log and the bark is not as tight as that from a fresh log.
I cut the log in half directly thru the pith to produce this blank, so the actual pith is not present. However, radial cracks associated with the pith are present at that cut face and exposed at both end-grain faces (small and insignificant (?) at one end and larger and ~2" deep at the opposite end). Regardless of your planned bowl form, you will have to contend with these classic Mesquite features at some point! If a conventional bowl is planned and you do not want to trim that face, you will have to work with one fairly large (~1/4" wide) crack at the rim. However, these radial cracks in Mesquite are not dynamic drying features, but are formed by stresses on the tree during growth. They are generally quite stable after the blank is cut from the log. Were I turning this, my objective would be a natural-edge bowl, reinforcing and, if necessary filling, any pith-related cracks that may remain.
I see no other cracks, checks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-622 |
$50.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Lot M-485
13" diameter and 6-7" depth
30 lbs.
This blank was inadvertently marked as "SOLD" sometime in the past and I did not catch that error until recently. When I cut it (at least a year or so ago), it was essentially a "perfect" large and deep, trimmed half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. I say perfect because it was cut well away from the pith of a large log such that there are absolutely none of the pith-related ring and radial cracks typically found in Mesquite. There also were no drying checks or other significant flaws that I could see (note - those small black lines on the side of the blank are just felt-tip marker lines, saw-cut line and saw blade burnish marks related to my trimming - not cracks or checks). The only limitation to this blank was that it would not be suitable for a "barky" natural edge bowl due to the absence of a portion of the bark. But it was ideal for a 12" to 13" diameter X 6" to 7" depth conventional bowl.
However, it is no longer a "perfect" bowl blank - just a pretty good one! Going for a long hot, Texas summer in my barn wood-room, it did dry to the point where several drying checks opened-up on one end-grain face. The bottom photo is recent (3/1/2013) and shows all of those new checks. All are quite thin to tight and all but one appear to be shallow. The longest one, clearly visible in that new photo, is long - extending from the annotated face to the back side (in two overlapping portions) but exhibits a depth of less than 1/2" where it intersects the annotated face. The only one clearly cutting significantly deep into the annotated face is just to the left of that long check. That check extends ~3" into the annotated face and ~1-1/2" down the end-grain side. Were I turning this blank, I would reinforce all of those checks with thin CA glue and then fill any open gaps with something attractive such as black epoxy. I would not expect any further problems with those checks.
Otherwise, my original description still stands - the primary color is the rich reddish-brown of Mesquite heartwood. The yellow sapwood is present but it is somewhat grayish-tinged due to the age of the log. The sapwood also does include the occasional beetle hole, so if I were turning this blank, both the incomplete bark and the sapwood would be turned off when roughing-out of the overall form. I have trimmed this half-log blank to rough-round to reduce the shipping weight and to better reveal the internal quality.
This is still a very nice bowl blank, but the price below reflects the presence of the end-grain described above.
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Mesquite Lot M-485 |
$75.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-450
10" diameter x 5" depth
21-1/4 lbs.
This is a large, fresh, near-perfect half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. The colors include the rich reddish-brown of Mesquite heartwood, the bright golden yellow of the sapwood and the dark brown of bark. With full bark on the backside it would be suitable for a natural edge bowl as well as a conventional bowl.
The log was halved almost precisely along the pith, and portions of that pith lie at or very close to the top face. Several prominent pith-related radial cracks are present at that cut face. Where these cracks intersect the end-grain faces of the blank they are tight and appear to extend into the blank less than 1". If this block was turned as a natural-edge bowl most if not all of these cracks will turn off.
I see no other cracks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-450 |
$60.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-451
10" diameter x 4-1/2" depth
20-1/2 lbs.
This is another large, fresh, near-perfect half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. The colors include the rich reddish-brown of Mesquite heartwood, the bright golden yellow of the sapwood and the dark brown of bark. With full bark on the backside it would be suitable for a natural edge bowl as well as a conventional bowl.
The pith has been cut out of this blank completely; however several small pith-related radial cracks are present at that cut face. Those cracks do not extend to the end-grain face on one end of the blank (bottom photo) but one is present at the opposite end (top photo). That one crack extends to a diagonal depth of ~1-1/4" but is very tight. I would just reinforce these cracks with thin CA glue. Turned as a natural-edge bowl, most if not all of these cracks will turn off.
I see no other cracks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-451 |
$60.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-452
~12" diameter x 4" depth
18-1/2 lbs.
This is a very nice, round, half-log, crotch-type bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite with a beautiful Mesquite crotch-type feather figure in the center. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood. [Sorry - the color is off on the middle photo; the other two are color-correct.] It has been roughly trimmed to round and has full, tight bark on the backside. It would be suitable for either a "barky" natural-edge bowl or for a conventional bowl. I would go for the natural edge form since that would avoid losing the feather figure and would place it in the bottom of the finished bowl. There is an interesting, elongated and partially open bark inclusion within that feather figure on the cut face. That will likely wind-up in the bottom of a NE bowl form and should be reinforced and filled at an early stage of the turning.
Halving the original crotch log thru the pith was difficult - the three piths (main trunk and the two crotch limbs) lay at odd angles. As a result, two of the three were cut completely out of this blank, but the third (right hand limb, top photo) remains at a depth of 0" to 1/2" below the face. Several pith-related radial cracks remain in the upper portion of the blank: that right limb includes one thin crack that appears quite shallow and, while it extends to one end-grain sides (middle and bottom photos), it exhibits less than 1/8" depth. The left hand limb exhibits a zone of three radial cracks that overlap in an echelon pattern. Where that zone intersects the end-grain side, the main crack extends to a depth of 1-1/4". There are several other very thin and shallower cracks within this zone at that end-grain face. (not readily visible on the photo). In a conventional bowl is planned, those crack should be reinforced and possibly filled with CA glue or epoxy before turning. In a natural-edge bowl form, they will likely turn off completely.
I see no other cracks, checks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-452 |
$65.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-453
~12" diameter x 5" depth
21 lbs.
This is another round, half-log, crotch-type bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite - the other half of the crotch-log that yielded #M-452 above. The grain pattern also includes a beautiful feather figure in the center. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood. [Sorry - the color is off on the middle photo; the other two are color-correct.] It has also been roughly trimmed to round and has full, tight bark on the backside. While it may be suitable for either a "barky" natural-edge bowl or for a conventional bowl, I would go for the natural edge form to avoid losing the feather figure. A NE form would place that figure in the bottom of the finished bowl.
Due to the three piths (main trunk and the two crotch limbs) lying at odd angles in this crotch, I had difficulty halving the original log thru those piths. As a result, one pith (left side, top and middle photos) remains in the blank at a depth of 0" to ~3/4" below the face, and several prominent pith-related ring and radial cracks remain in the upper portion of the blank. As you can see in the top photo, a number of significant cracks radiate out from the pith - one extends to as deep as 4". This is another reason for my recommendation that the blank be turned for a NE bowl - most of those cracks will turn off as the bottom of the bowl is roughed-out. I would follow-up with CA glue to reinforce and, if necessary fill, any that remain. As you can also see from the bottom photo, the opposite end-grain side is completely free of cracks. Note - the price for this blank reflects the challenge of these pith-related flaws.
I see no other cracks, checks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-453 |
$50.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Lot M-412
10" diameter and 4-1/2" depth
12-1/4 lbs.
This is a large and deep, trimmed half-log Texas Honey Mesquite bowl blank. The colors include the rich reddish-brown of Mesquite heartwood, the bright golden yellow of our Mesquite sapwood and the dark brown of Mesquite bark. I have trimmed it to rough-round to reduce weight and to better reveal the internal quality. With that full bark on the backside it would be suitable for a natural edge bowl as well as a conventional bowl.
The pith is present at the upper face and does have associated radial cracks. On that upper face, the cracks are open and prominent. But probing with a slip of stiff paper indicates that the cracks are deeper on one outer side (with portions may extend to a depth of 1" or more) and thin and shallow on the opposite side. The cracks are only visible in the end-grain face of that one side, where they are tight but can be traced as deep as 3" into the blank. They are not evident on the opposite side. Were I turning this, I would reverse it and go for a barky, natural-edge bowl. That would remove most, if not all, of the cracks. I would then reinforce any remaining portion with thin CA glue. The price reflects the complications of these cracks.
I see no other cracks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Lot M-412 |
$35.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Lot M-414
9" x 10" x 5-1/2"
17-3/4 lbs.
This is a very nice large and deep, half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. The colors include the rich reddish-brown of Mesquite heartwood, the bright golden yellow of our Mesquite sapwood and the dark brown of Mesquite bark. With full bark on the backside it would be suitable for a natural edge bowl as well as a conventional bowl (or even a hollow-form), close to a diameter of 9" and a depth of 4-1/2 to 5".
The pith is present in this blank at a depth of ~1/8" (end-grain face, top photo) to ~3/8" (end-grain face, bottom photo). A narrow zone of pith-related cracks cross the annotated face and appear to be quite significant (top photo), but they are certainly not very significant where they intersect the end-grain faces. Two very thin and tight cracks are present to a depth of less than 3/4" on the end grain face shown on the top photo, but are too thin to be visible on that photo. And, two thin and tight cracks (and maybe a 3rd tiny one) radiate out from the pith to a maximum depth of 1-1/8" on the end-grain face at the opposite end. These are faintly visible on the bottom photo. Were I turning this as a conventional bowl, I would mount it on the lathe and trim off the pith portion (say 1/2") when roughing it to round, and then reinforce and if necessary fill any remaining cracks with CA glue. If this block was turned as a natural-edge bowl most if not all of these cracks will turn off and the only crack reinforcement might be for the tenon. I see no other cracks or significant flaws.
Note - there are several small but prominent, beetle holes in the bark, sapwood and outer heartwood and are visible on the end-grain faces. Most of these will turn off as the blank is roughed to round but more are likely present under the full-bark backside and will have to be addressed as the turning nears completion.
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Mesquite Lot M-414 |
$55.00 |
SOLD
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Mesquite Lot M-415
9" x 10" x 3-1/2"
10-3/4 lbs.
This is a larger half-log Texas Honey Mesquite bowl blank. The colors include the rich reddish-brown of Mesquite heartwood, the bright golden yellow of our Mesquite sapwood and the dark brown of Mesquite bark. With full bark on the backside it would be suitable for a natural edge bowl as well as a conventional bowl.
The pith has been cut completely out of this blank, but several small pith-associated ring and radial cracks are prominent in the center of the face (top photo). Where these cracks intersect the end-grain side of the blank they small and tight, and appear to extend into the blank less than 1/2". If this block was turned as a natural-edge bowl most if not all of these cracks will turn off.
I see no other cracks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Lot M-415 |
$45.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Lot M-416
11" x 13" x 7"
29 lbs.
This is another very nice large and deep, half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. The colors include the rich reddish-brown of Mesquite heartwood, the golden to grayish yellow of Mesquite sapwood and the dark brown of Mesquite bark. With full bark on the backside it would also be suitable for a natural edge bowl as well as a conventional bowl (or even a hollow-form), with a potential diameter of 10" to 11" and a depth of 6" to 6-1/2".
The pith was cut out of this blank but three zones of pith-related radial cracks remain and cross the annotated face (top photo).
One of these, indistinct but visible in the lower left quadrant on the top photo, can be seen to be very low angle relative to the annotated face where it intersects the end-grain face (faintly visible on the top photo). It ends at a depth of less than 1/2" on that end-grain face. The other two zones are at a much greater angle and extend to depths of 1" and 1-1/2" where they intersect the end-grain face on the opposite end (faintly visible on the bottom photo). Were I turning this, I would probably go for a natural-edge bowl or an oval hollow form. That would place the tenon in sound, apparently crack-free wood and would remove all of those cracks. For a conventional bowl, I would reinforce those radial cracks with thin CA glue. I see no other cracks or significant flaws.
Note - those two dark brown oval features on the lower portion of the annotated face are juvenile branches imbedded in the heartwood. Depending on the final form chosen, they could make interesting character features. There are several small but prominent, beetle holes in the bark, sapwood and outer heartwood and are visible on the end-grain faces. Most of these will turn off as the blank is roughed to round but more are likely present under the full-bark backside and will have to be addressed as the turning nears completion.
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Mesquite Lot M-416 |
$65.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-417
~9" diameter x 2-1/2" depth
4-1/2 lbs.
This is a very nice crotch-type bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. The grain pattern is classic Mesquite crotch with a beautiful feather figure in the center. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood. It has been trimmed to round and has full, tight bark on the backside. It would be suitable for either a "barky" natural-edge bowl or for a conventional bowl; however I would go for the natural edge form since that would avoid losing the feather figure and would place it in the bottom of the finished bowl.
While the pith was cut completely out of this blank, a small radial pith crack remains in one limb of the crotch - in center of the upper right-hand limb (top photo), although it is not readily visible on either photo. If a conventional bowl is planned, that crack should be reinforced and possibly filled with CA glue or epoxy before turning. In a natural-edge bowl form, that crack will likely turn off as the bottom of the bowl is roughed-out. I see no other cracks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-417 |
35.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-418
~9" diameter x 2-1/2 to 3" depth
5 lbs.
This is another very nice crotch-type bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite - the "half-brother" of blank M-417. The grain pattern is also classic Mesquite crotch with a beautiful feather figure in the center. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood. It has been trimmed to round and has full, tight bark on the backside. It would be suitable for either a "barky" natural-edge bowl or for a conventional bowl; however I would go for the natural edge form since that would avoid losing the feather figure and would place it in the bottom of the finished bowl.
The central pith is present in both limbs and the main trunk at a depth of 1-8th to 1/2 inch below the face of this blank. Small radial cracks are associated with each pith and two are visible in the top photo (main trunk pith and that of the left-hand limb). If a conventional bowl is planned, those cracks should be reinforced and possibly filled with CA glue or epoxy before turning. In a natural-edge bowl form, most of those three piths and associated cracks will turn off as the bottom of the bowl is roughed-out. Any that remain can be reinforced and filled before the final turning. I see no other cracks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-418 |
35.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Lot M-419
11-3/4" x 13" x 6-7"
31 lbs.
This is another very nice large and deep, half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. The colors include the rich reddish-brown of Mesquite heartwood, the golden to grayish yellow of Mesquite sapwood and the dark brown of Mesquite bark. In this case, some of the bark was abraded and came off, so it is probably not suitable for a "barky" natural-edge bowl. However, it would be suitable for a deep conventional bowl as well as a large hollow-form, with a potential diameter of 11" to 12" and a depth of 6" to 6-1/2".
The pith was cut out of this blank but a prominent zone of pith-related cracking is present and visible on the annotated face (top photo). In this case, the main crack is a ring-type with the main element located in the central portion of what would be the open top of a conventional bowl. That main element looks like it is about to pop out at any time! A lesser, tail end of that ring crack does extend to the near edge of the blank (top photo) and is visible on that end-grain face. There also is one thin radial crack to the left of that ring crack and a second one directly below. They extends to a depth of about 1" below the annotated face and are faintly visible on the end-grain face of the top photo. I see no indications of ring or radial cracks on the opposite end-grain face (bottom photo). I see no other cracks or significant flaws. As far as the structural flaws so common in Mesquite (ring and radial cracks, etc.) go, this block is nearly perfect.
There are several other of Mesquite's common character features visible in this blank. 1) A pair of close-spaced older limbs are imbedded within the outer portion of the heartwood on one end (left side, bottom photo). 2) A single irregular-shaped and gappy bark inclusion is present beside those older branches and probably represents the old bark-lined crotch between the branches and the main trunk, and imbedded along with the branches as the tree grew. Located where they are, those features may (unfortunately) turn off as the blank is rounded to shape a conventional bowl or hollow form. 3) There are also a number of small beetle holes in the bark and sapwood (and likely the outer heartwood). Most of these will turn off as the blank is roughed to round and the bark removed, but some may remain and will have to be addressed as the turning nears completion.
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Mesquite Lot M-419 |
$65.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-420
~7" diameter x 3" depth
4-1/2 lbs.
This is a near-perfect Texas Honey Mesquite bowl bowl blank that has been trimmed to round. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood with a patch of bright yellow sapwood on the edge of one face (top photo). This blank would be suitable for a medium-sized conventional bowl or a nice oval hollow form.
The pith has been cut completely out of this blank but the tail end of one pith-related radial crack is still present on the edge of the back side (bottom Photo). If the blank is mounted such that the side with the crack is to be the bottom of the bowl, that crack will turn off completely. Likewise, I think that it will also turn off if the form is to be a hollow form. I see no other cracks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-420 |
35.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-365
15" x 12" x 7"
40 lbs.
This is a very nice large half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. It should be suitable for a bowl of up to +12" diameter and 6" to 7" depth. It has full bark on the back and can be turned for either a conventional bowl or a "barky" natural-edge bowl. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood, with a strong and linear grain pattern.
The pith is present within this blank, at a depth of ~1" below the face, along with several pith-related radial cracks. These cracks are mainly between that 1" pith depth and the main face. If a completely pith-free (and hopefully a crack-free) bowl is desired, you will have to cut off, or turn-off, that upper 1" or so, leaving a maximum final bowl depth of 6" or less. I turn a lot of bowls from similar Mesquite blanks and reinforce such cracks with CA glue and, when necessary, fill any remaining cracks with colored epoxy or some type of inlace. There is also a very fine network of tiny drying checks on one end-grain face (middle photo, but the checks so small that you cannot see them). As is typical of Mesquite (due its unique stability), these checks are tight and very shallow. They will not pose a structural problem and will turn off easily.
Other classic Mesquite features include a small pocket of imbedded bark on the face (top and middle photos) and a number of small open and frass-filled beetle holes in the sapwood. Some of these holes are likely to remain if a natural-edge bowl is planned.
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Mesquite Blank M-365 |
55.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-366
15" x 12" x 7"
35 lbs.
This is a nearly perfect, large half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. It should be suitable for a bowl of up to +12" diameter and 6" to 7" depth. It has full bark on the back and can be turned for either a conventional bowl or a "barky" natural-edge bowl. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood, with a strong and linear grain pattern.
I did cut the pith out of this blank and I see no pith-related radial cracks. As with the other half of this log section (number M-365 above), there is also a very fine network of tiny drying checks on one end-grain face (bottom photo, but those checks so small that you cannot see them). As is typical of Mesquite (due its unique stability), these checks are tight and very shallow. They will not pose a structural problem and will turn off easily.
A number of small open and frass-filled beetle holes in the sapwood. Again, some are likely to remain if a natural-edge bowl is planned. I see no cracks or other significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-366 |
65.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-367
15" (14-1/2" inside the bark) x 15" x 6 to 7"
49 lbs.
This is another nice, but somewhat challenging, very large half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. It also has full bark on the back and can be turned for either a conventional bowl or a "barky" natural-edge bowl. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood, with a strong and linear grain pattern.
I did cut the pith out of this blank, but the tail ends of several radial cracks related to that absent pith are present at the cut face (top and middle photos). However, those cracks are not visible at either end-grain face and I suspect that these remaining portions visible in the center of the face are shallow, and will likely not reduce the potential depth of the bowl by more than 1/2". Note - that curving line on the left side of the end-grain face on the middle photo is a chainsaw mark - not a crack.
At first glance, this large blank should be suitable for a bowl of up to 14" diameter and 6" to 7" depth. The challenge is that there was a small, assymetrical crotch (a side limb) in the log from which this blank was cut, and the remains of a large old imbedded limb and a good-sized, bark-filled crotch gap/bark inclusion are exposed in one end-grain face (middle photo, the imbedded limb is on the left). The imbedded limb is partially decayed with several open holes and my probing indicates that one hole extends at least 3-1/2" into the blank. Complete removal of that imbedded branch would likely reduce the length of this blank to 11" or less and the maximum bowl diameter to less than 11". The positive side of this "flaw" is that Mesquite crotches frequently exhibit a very nice flame/feather crotch figure. If I were turning this, the bark inclusion and imbedded limb would be reinforced and stabilized with thin epoxy or CA glue before mounting on the lathe and then once the bowl was roughed-out, any remaining gaps would be filled with something nice ("liquid gold" epoxy, inlace, turquoise, etc). I would hope for a nice crotch figure to show up on the side of the finished bowl!
This blank also includes a very fine network of thin drying checks on one end-grain face and to a lesser amount on the opposite face (somebody left this fresh-cut log section out in direct sunlight for several days!) Again, these checks so small that they are not apparent in the photos, and as is typical of Mesquite (due its unique stability), they are tight and very shallow. They will not pose a structural problem and should turn off easily with minimal loss of potential bowl diameter. I see no other significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-367 |
65.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank M-368
15" (14-1/2" inside the bark) x 15" x 7 to 8-1/2"
48 lbs.
This is a nice, but challenging, very large half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. This large blank should be suitable for a bowl of up to 14" diameter and 6-1/2" to 7-1/2" depth. It also has full bark on the back and could be turned for either a conventional bowl or a "barky" natural-edge bowl. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood, with a strong and linear grain pattern.
The pith is present within this blank, extending from the cut face on one end (middle photo) to a depth of ~1-1/4" below the face on the opposite end (bottom photo). There are several pith-related radial cracks that appear to mainly lie between that 0 to 1-1/4" pith depth and the main face. If a completely pith-free (and hopefully a crack-free) bowl is required, that upper 1-1/4" may have to be cut off, or turned-off, leaving a maximum final bowl depth of 7" or less. I turn a lot of bowls from similar Mesquite blanks and typically reinforce such cracks with CA glue and, when necessary, fill any remaining open cracks with colored epoxy or some type of inlace.
This blank also includes a very fine network of thin drying checks on one end-grain face and to a lesser amount on the opposite face (again, someone left this fresh-cut log section out in direct sunlight for several days!) These checks so small that they are not apparent in the photos, and as is typical of Mesquite (due its unique stability), they are tight and very shallow. They should not pose a structural problem and should turn off easily with minimal loss of potential bowl diameter. I see no other significant flaws.
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Mesquite Blank M-368 |
75.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Lot M-369
9" diameter and 4" depth
8-3/4 lbs.
This is a near-perfect half-log Texas Honey Mesquite bowl blank. The colors include the rich reddish-brown of Mesquite heartwood, the bright golden yellow of our Mesquite sapwood and the dark brown of Mesquite bark. I have trimmed it to rough-round to reduce weight and to better reveal the internal quality. With that full bark on the backside it would be suitable for a natural edge bowl as well as a conventional bowl, or for a larger oval hollow-form.
I say "near-perfect" because it appears to have absolutely none of the ring and radial cracks that are so common in Mesquite. The only "flaws" that I recognize are several small open and frass-filled beetle holes. These appear to be confined to the sapwood and outer heartwood. Note - that odd pattern of parallel lines on the annotated face are just blade marks from my bandsaw.
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Mesquite Lot M-369 |
$40.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Lot M-404
7"x 7" x 4"
7-1/2 lbs.
This is a very nice half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. The colors include the rich reddish-brown of Mesquite heartwood, the bright golden yellow of sapwood and the dark brown of fresh bark. With that full bark on the backside it would be suitable for a natural edge bowl as well as a conventional bowl.
The pith is still present in this blank, at an approximate depth of 0 to 1/4" below the cut face. There are several very small and tight radial cracks associated with the pith. In general, these extend to a depth of less than 1" below the cut face where visible on the end-grain faces, but one very small crack may extend to 2-1/2". I would just reinforce this with thin CA glue before turning. I see no other cracks, checks or significant flaws.
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Mesquite Lot M-404 |
$20.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank 294
11" x 11" x 3-1/2"
17-1/2 lbs.
This is a very nice larger size half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood, with a strong and linear grain pattern. It has full bark on the back and can be turned for either a conventional bowl or a "barky" natural-edge bowl, and is thick enough for a reasonably deep bowl.
The pith was cut out of this piece and it is free of any visible ring or radial pith cracks.
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Mesquite Blank 294 |
40.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank 295
10" x 10" x 2-3"
9-1/2 lbs.
This is a nice slab-type Honey Mesquite bowl blank. It is as thick as 3 inches on one end but tapers to 2 inches or so on the opposite end, making it suitable for a shallow bowl or platter. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood, with a strong and linear grain pattern. It has full bark on the back and can be turned for either a conventional bowl or a "barky" natural-edge bowl.
The pith was also cut out of this piece and it is free of any visible ring or radial cracks.
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Mesquite Blank 295 |
24.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank 296
10" x 10" x 3-4"
16-1/2 lbs.
This is another very nice larger size half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood, with a strong and linear grain pattern. It has pretty full bark on the back and can be turned for either a conventional bowl or a "barky" natural-edge bowl. It also has a bit of taper to the thickness (3 to 4" across the length) but ought to be thick enough for a 3-1/2" deep bowl.
The pith was cut out of this piece but the tail ends of several small radial pith cracks do remain. These are classic Mesquite growth cracks, not active drying checks, and appears to be shallow and tight. I would reinforce them with CA glue before turning and, if any remain, fill with something attractive (colored epoxy, inlace, etc.).
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Mesquite Blank 296 |
35.00 |
SOLD
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Mesquite Blank 297
10-1/2" x 10-1/2" x 3-1/4 to 4-1/4"
17 lbs.
This is another very nice larger size half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood, with a strong and linear grain pattern. It has pretty full bark on the back and can be turned for either a conventional bowl or a "barky" natural-edge bowl. It also has a bit of taper to the thickness but ought to be thick enough for a 4" deep bowl.
This blank was cut thru a portion of the pith and one prominent radial pith crack remains on the upper side of the face (top photo). On the end-grain face (bottom photo) the crack is open to a depth of 1-1/2". This is a classic Mesquite growth crack, not an active drying check; I would reinforce it with CA glue before turning and, if any remains once the bowl has been roughed-out, fill it with something attractive (colored epoxy, inlace, etc.).
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Mesquite Blank 297 |
35.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank 291
13" x 15" x 4-1/2"
26 lbs.
This is a large, near-perfect, slab-type bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. The color is the deep reddish-brown of mesquite heartwood and creamy-yellow sapwood. The grain pattern is strong and linear.
I see this blank as ideal for a fairly large (12 inch) shallow bowl or platter in either conventional or natural edge form. The bark on the backside is nearly complete, with only a single small patch of tear-out (bottom photo) - that extra length will allow that bark-gap to be trimmed off for a full-bark natural-edge bowl.
The blank was cut from the outer portion of a large log, well clear of the pith area, so this piece is sound with absolutely none of the ring and radial cracks common in Mesquite. It also is a fresh-cut with no end-grain checking and no sign of any of the beetle-holes that are common in Mesquite.
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Mesquite Blank 291 |
55.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank 292
12-1/2" x 16" x 4"
24-1/2 lbs.
This is another large, near-perfect, slab-type bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. The color is the deep reddish-brown of mesquite heartwood and creamy-yellow sapwood. The grain pattern is strong and linear.
I also see this blank as ideal for a large shallow bowl or platter in either conventional or natural edge form. The bark on the backside is complete and will allow for a full-bark natural-edge bowl.
The blank was also cut from the outer portion of a large log, well clear of the pith area, so it is sound with absolutely none of the ring and radial cracks that are common in Mesquite. It also is a fresh-cut with no end-grain checking and no sign of any of the beetle-holes that are common in Mesquite.
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Mesquite Blank 292 |
55.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank 225
8" x 9" x 3-1/2"
9-1/2 lbs.
This is a medium size half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. There is essentially full bark on the back but it is not tight and will take some serious glue work to make a "barky" natural-edge bowl. I recommend a conventional bowl form.
The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood, with a strong and linear grain pattern. The pith is present on this piece and does include the classic growth features of Mesquite - small but tight cracks that radiate out from the center of that pith.
I would reinforce, and if necessary fill, these with CA glue before and during turning.
As with most half-log blanks of Mesquite, there are several large and open bugholes in the sapwood and outer heartwood. These can be left "natural" or filled with colored epoxy, inlace or turquoise to add character to the finished piece!
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Mesquite Blank 225 |
25.00 |
SOLD
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Mesquite Blank 227
7" x 9" x 3 to 3-1/2"
7 lbs.
This is a very nice medium size half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood, with a strong and linear grain pattern. It has full bark on the back and can be turned for either a conventional bowl or a "barky" natural-edge bowl.
The pith was cut out of this piece and it is free of any visible ring or radial pith cracks. As with most half-log blanks of Mesquite, this piece has several open and frass-filled bugholes in the sapwood and likely also in the outer heartwood. These that do not turn off can be left "natural" or filled with colored epoxy, inlace or turquoise to add character to the finished piece!
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Mesquite Blank 127 |
30.00 |
Sold
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Mesquite Blank 229
8" x 10" x 3"
10 lbs.
This is another medium size half-log, crotch-type bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood, with a strong and linear grain pattern. Most of the bark is gone from the backside (bottom photo). It would be fine for either a non-barky NE bowl or for a conventional bowl. If this crotch produced a prominent "feather figure in this blank, it is below the plane of the cut face and not obvious.
A portion of the pith is present in this piece (left limb, top photo) and results in several prominent radial pith cracks in the diverging limbs (both photos). If a conventional bowl is planned, these cracks should be reinforced and possibly filled with CA glue before turning. In a NE bowl form, some if not all of those cracks will turn off as the bottom of the NE bowl is roughed-out. I see no other cracks or structural flaws.
As with most half-log blanks of Mesquite, this piece has a number of large, open and/or frass-filled bugholes in the sapwood and the outer heartwood. Some will turn off completely and those that do not may provide a "filling" design opportunity ... left "natural" or filled with colored epoxy, inlace or turquoise to add character to the finished piece!
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Mesquite Blank 229 |
20.00 |
Sold
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Lot 144
14"x15"x4"
52 lbs.
This is another nice, very large and deep half-log Mesquite blank - the half brother to Lot 143. It also has full bark on the back side and is suitable for either a conventional bowl or for a natural edge bowl. The color is the rich reddish brown of mesquite heartwood, but it also includes portions of the bright yellow Mesquite sapwood along portions of the rim and certainly beneath the bark on the back side.
As shown on the photo, a 14" bowl with a touch of sapwood is possible from this blank. If you employ a bowl coring device, there is a good chance that you can get 2 to 3 additional nested bowls out of a blank of this size.
This blank is generally sound but there is one prominent radial crack - that eye-catching crack across the cut face. That crack would not slow me down - I would seal and stabilize the crack with CA glue as I turned. However, because of this crack and the additional effort required, I have reduced the price.
There are also minor drying cracks at one end due to the log being left without end-grain sealer for several months (note the mesquite stability - these minor checks are all that resulted from excessive drying of the log!). These drying cracks should be less than 1" deep and should not interfere with turning of that larger, 14-inch bowl. The exposed end-grain was wax-sealed immediately after cutting the blank from the log.
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Listing last updated 18 April 2013
Nothing here that suits your needs?
Then send me an email at: l.stahl@maroon.com
or a telephone call at:
281-392-5336 (home/shop w/ans. machine)
281-782-0185 (cell, but w/o voice mail or texting)
There is a possibility that I have more, either cut into blocks or in the rough log,
so I may be able to meet your specific requirements.
If not - send an email with your requirements and I will put it into my
"wood requested by species"
files and
see if I can cut it next time I have a log of that species up on the mill.
© 2000 to 2011, Texas Woodcrafts
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