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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 Lot M-485
13" diameter and 6-7" depth
30 lbs.
This is an essentially 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 are also no drying checks or other significant flaws that I can see. Those small black lines on the side of the blank in the middle and bottom photos are just felt-tip marker lines related to my trimming - they are not cracks or checks. The only limitation to this blank is that it would not be suitable for a "barky" natural edge bowl due to the absence of a portion of the bark. But it is ideal for a 12" to 13" diameter X 6" to 7" depth conventional bowl.
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 a very nice bowl blank.
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Mesquite Lot M-485 |
$85.00 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 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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click to enlarge
click to enlarge
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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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click to enlarge
click to enlarge
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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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click to enlarge
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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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click to enlarge
click to enlarge
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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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click to enlarge
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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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click to enlarge
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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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click to enlarge
click to enlarge
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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 25 January 2012
Nothing here that suits your needs?
Then send me an email at: l.stahl@maroon.com
or a telephone call at: 281-392-5336
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.
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