Working with Mesquite Burl

[Ptolemy]

I turned my first piece of mesquite burl last night and it was like turning a rock. The wood was so dense I wasn't getting shavings off the wood I was getting dust. My tools were sharp, or at least they were with the last pen I turned, so I don't think that was the issue. So, my question is, is this typical of mesquite burl? I'm just making sure I know what I'm getting into with this wood for the next time. Thanks.

 

[alamocdc]

Brad, Mesquite is extremenly hard and dense. I always sharpen my tools before I start on it just to make sure they are sharp enough.

 

[ilikewood]

Absolutely beautiful wood....absolutely hard on tools. You'll definitely have to resharpen them when your done.

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

Originally posted by ilikewood
<br />Absolutely beautiful wood....absolutely hard on tools. You'll definitely have to resharpen them when your done.

Before, during, and after. []

 

[Dario]

I wonder...I turn mesquite and treat it just like any other wood. haven't used much mesquite burl though since they are hard to come by but used a lot of figured pieces.

I sharpen my tools very seldom (about once every 25-40 pens) and they are the cheap HF set...and encounter no problems.

Note that the dryer the wood...the more it tend to produce "dust".

 

[ilikewood]

I have a root burl that a friend gave me, and it was hard as rock. It was absolutely beautiful though.

 

[bob393]

Originally posted by ilikewood
<br />Absolutely beautiful wood....absolutely hard on tools. You'll definitely have to resharpen them when your done.

You got that right!

 

[GBusardo]

Brad, I have turned some mesquite I got from Dario and not only did it look great, it turned easily. I have gotten mesquite from Arizona Silhouette and it was like turning diamonds, go figure. Neither of them were burls though. For me, the hardness or density of the wood makes no difference in my turnings, but figure or a bias cut can kick my a**

 

[TellicoTurning]

Mesquite is hard... sharpen before, during and after turning.

 

[MesquiteMan]

I have turned a LOT of mesquite and have worked strictly with mesquite in my flat work. I harvest my own and even have a sawmill for my own mesquite production. That said, I have not found mesquite to be a problem at all. Now granted, most of the stuff that I have as well as what Dario has I would guess, is air dried and not kiln dried. Maybe that is the difference.

 

[KC]

Like Dario and Curtis, I've never made any concessions for working mesquite. Sometimes a crotch piece will be difficult to turn, but it's the exception rather than the rule.

KC

 

[wayneis]

You should get in the habbit of sharpening your tools before each turning. You need sharp tools no matter if the wood is hard or soft. Shap tools slice the wood, not tear at the fibers and using sharp tools allows you to start sanding with a finner grit of paper. Even though you think when ending one pen that the tool is pretty sharp it is no really sharp.

Wayne

 

[chigdon]

Some of my favorite woods turn dust instead of ribbons -- and are hard as ^$(*. Just be glad you have some Mesquite Burl, I am wanting more of it! You will have to sharpen more often once you get into these harder woods. One thing that can help is the steel in your tool. I have started moving to Glaser tools and they hold an edge a lot longer (but cost a lot more).

 

[wudnhed]

My husband, Ray, picked up some old, old, mesquite branches in the desert the other day. We cut up some blanks and they are hard as rocks so I don't think the kiln makes a difference. I'm wondering if it's because they are from different regions? I had to sharpen before, during, during, during and after[]

 

[desert1pocket]

There are many varieties of mesquite, and some are more dense than others. Velvet mesquite for example is one of the harder ones, while honey mesquite is one of the softer. I have found most mesquite to be not much harder than most other hardwoods. A few of the burl creating diseases can make woods extremely hard, and that may be what you have.