Huisache Bottle Stopper

[Edgar]

One of my favorite Texas woods - Acacia farnesiana/Vachellia farnesiana or Huisache got a mention in George's Bits of Timber current Mr. Anonymous Game #16.

I wanted to show an example of the wood, but I didn't want to hijack the game thread, so here's a bottle stopper that I made from Huisache a couple of months ago.

It's just an iPhone photo and the angle isn't the greatest, but the coloration is pretty accurate.

This just shows that nice stuff can sometimes be found hiding in the most worthless of scrub brush.

Edgar

 

[TonyL]

Very nice! I just made two Acacia pens for my Bible study friends. That is one hard wood. Very nice finish!

 

[Edgar]

Thanks Tony - the wood is quite hard and does take a great finish. I just used one coat of Myland's sanding sealer & one coat of Myland's friction polish on this one.

Do you know what variety of acacia you used for your pens? Most American acacias are quite thorny & Huisache is certainly no exception. Great for wildlife habitation, but not much else.

 

[wyone]

Ok.. so I stand WAY corrected on my guess! LOL.. that is a GORGEOUS piece of wood and a great stopper. I love it! You have those growing in your yard? cool. We have Aspen... not so cool. lol

And now I have to go do more research on George's contest! LOL

 

[Cmiles1985]

My neighbors cut down a large Huisache tree last year. I harvested a few of the logs for myself
It checks and warps badly, so bowls and vases usually take an interesting shape.

 

[BocoteMark]

I am also a big fan of huisache. I'm lucky to have inlaws that let me harvest huisache and mesquite from their property in south Texas.

I have lots of exotic woods to turn pens out of but the pen that I made for myself and am carrying in my pocket right now is huisache.

 

[Cmiles1985]

I'm not a huge fan of mesquite...other than for cooking dinner
The other Texas wood I love the look of is Texas ebony. I need to mill the huisache I have into some blanks (bowl and pen/stopper).

 

[Cmiles1985]

Woody wood wood. Here's some of that huisache:

 

[wyone]

WOW.. I like that a lot! I guess I need to investigate more.

 

[Edgar]

Nice chunk of wood there, Clark.
Personally, I think mesquite is highly overrated - both for woodwork & for cooking. I much prefer pecan for my smoking. Mesquite is great for tool handles though.
Ebony is one wood that I haven't found on our property yet, but I keep looking - we're a little north of its general range.

 

[BocoteMark]

Hi Clark,

May I ask where you source your Texas Ebony? I've been wanting to get my hands on some of that. My local Woodcraft has a few small pieces but I'm not really interested in paying what they want for it.

Thanks!
Mark

 

[Cmiles1985]

With mesquite, a little bit goes a looooong way on the flavor. I usually mix a little mesquite in with my pecan on the pit. I have yet to come across any TX Ebony. I'm a little north, and too coastal, for it. One of the local club members uses it quite often. She has it near her mill. Also, a little closer to the border, a fellow woodworker harvests a bit from felled trees. I just don't want to pay the premium for bowl turning yet. It's just like starting on pens and jumping into an Amboyna Burl blank. I'll practice on my free Huisache eventually!

Where is your property at Edgar? P.S. I think I'll be visiting the Houston area for work during the first/second week of February.

 

[Edgar]

With mesquite, a little bit goes a looooong way on the flavor. I usually mix a little mesquite in with my pecan on the pit. I have yet to come across any TX Ebony. I'm a little north, and too coastal, for it. One of the local club members uses it quite often. She has it near her mill. Also, a little closer to the border, a fellow woodworker harvests a bit from felled trees. I just don't want to pay the premium for bowl turning yet. It's just like starting on pens and jumping into an Amboyna Burl blank. I'll practice on my free Huisache eventually!

Where is your property at Edgar? P.S. I think I'll be visiting the Houston area for work during the first/second week of February.

Drop me a note when you're going to be in the Houston area & we'll see if we can get together. I work in Sugar Land.

I live outside of Alvin on a rural tract and we have family farms in DeWitt, Goliad & Colorado Counties. My family has been in Texas since it was an independent nation.

Edgar

 

[TonyL]

Acacia

Thanks Tony - the wood is quite hard and does take a great finish. I just used one coat of Myland's sanding sealer & one coat of Myland's friction polish on this one.

Do you know what variety of acacia you used for your pens? Most American acacias are quite thorny & Huisache is certainly no exception. Great for wildlife habitation, but not much else.

Hi Ed:

No, I don't know. I obtained it from another IAP member. Sorry.