Mesquite - sources in NM?

[Roger Wilmot]

Turners from the southern States seem to talk about mesquite a lot.
As you might guess, we don't see it much in the UK, so I was wondering
what makes it a good wood for turning. What size does the tree grow
to / what size blanks are typical? How do you pronounce the name?

The reason for asking is that I shall be visiting New Mexico at the
end of March and would like to obtain some examples of local woods.
Are there any others I should be looking for? Since I can't get a
chainsaw in the luggage, the key question is where can I get blanks in
NM (Albuquerque, Carlsbad, Santa Fe, Taos etc.)?

Also, I would like to take advantage if I can of cheaper tools in the
US. Any recommendations for tool suppliers? Can I get the Proforme
tools from sources other than Craft Supplies?

Thanks and regards

Roger

[Leon]

This is a desert tolerant tree. Long narrow leaves and the branches have
thorns. Many of the younger trees look like wild brush. The trees can grow
to be 20+ feet tall but mostly are shorter. Trunks tend to be short and
finding long Mesquite boards is a rare find.

Pronounced Mes-keet.

Check Out this site for more info and pics.

http://www.mesquitewoods.com/lumber/lumber.htm

"Roger Wilmot" <roger....@dial.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:1e012ab0.02021...@posting.google.com...

[Andrew Barss]

Roger Wilmot <roger....@dial.pipex.com> wrote:
: Turners from the southern States seem to talk about mesquite a lot.

: As you might guess, we don't see it much in the UK, so I was wondering
: what makes it a good wood for turning. What size does the tree grow
: to / what size blanks are typical? How do you pronounce the name?

It can get pretty big in diameter, although the inside of the trunk tends
to get hollow and/or decayed. It's very hard (more like a dense exotic
than a typical North American hardwood), so it turns nicely, and it's an
exceptionally stable wood.

: Also, I would like to take advantage if I can of cheaper tools in the

: US. Any recommendations for tool suppliers? Can I get the Proforme
: tools from sources other than Craft Supplies?

You can purchase them from the manufacturer by mail order from Australia,
which would likely be cheaper.

-- Andy BArss

[Leif O. Thorvaldson]

There's a wood smuggling operation going on between Texas and Seattle
Washington. Apparently they deal in mesquite and bois d'arc. If you get to
Seattle, ask for "Molly" at any wood dealer and tell her Leif sent you. *G*

Leif

"Roger Wilmot" <roger....@dial.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:1e012ab0.02021...@posting.google.com...

[Jeremy Goodwin]

Have a bunch of Mesquite in Texas too, I am going to
visit a burl harvester later this week. What size blanks
do you prefer?
JJ

[Spyda Man]

Too bad you're not heading my way, Hawaii has the largest Mesquite trees
in the US, and plenty of it. We call it Kiawe here.

Spy in Hawaii

[George Tanty]

Hi Roger,

I live in NM and just took a walk outside to confirm what I was going to
tell you. Yup, there are no trees in the entire state. Some of the
older folks around these parts seem to remember one, but that was a long
long time ago. So here are the cruel realities of turning in NM. There
is mesquite naturally growing in southern NM, but more of it grows in SW
Texas and southern Arizona. I buy my stock from places in Tempe and
Yuma, AZ. Not cheap. It is wonderful wood to turn though. Very hard,
very stable. Lots of natural inclusions. Finishes wonderfully. Very
slow to grow and ranchers apparently hate the stuff because it takes a
toll on cattle who wander through stands of it. All the rest of the
indigenous trees in the state are either very soft, like Cottonwood, or
coniferous. We have the largest stand of Cottonwoods in the world
growing along a stretch of the Rio Grande. Very popular with carvers.
I've also turned many of the coniferous trees. Very pitchy. I have a
number of dead standing pinon trees on my property that probably died 20
years ago or more. That is great to turn producing a beautiful
butterscotch color. It is rare to find a tree with a trunk bigger than
12" diameter. There is the occasional hardwood tree that is felled. I
live near Santa Fe. During the summer, the firewood lots have them and
I've picked up apricot, elm and poplar . But you won't find any of
those around this time of year, because no one is cutting until spring.
So I rely on road trips to AZ and CO for most of my wood.

More bad news. There isn't anything good around for tools either.
There's a store in Albuquerque called Woodworkers Supply but there carry
only a small amount of turning tools and accessories. They just came
out with their own lathe in the Woodtek brand. You can pick that bad
boy up for only $7,200 and it's a real ugly green and yellow. I get all
my tools and accessories either mail order or by driving up to the
Colorado Springs, CO Woodcraft store, a quick 4 1/2 hours up the
Interstate.

Good news. It's drop dead gorgeous here with big skies, soaring
mountain ranges, no traffic, very little air pollution. Oh yea, the
best and hottest chilies in the U S of A. Send me an email off group if
you need tourist type info.

--
George L. Tanty
President
TRMS, Inc.
Serving the Alarm Industry Since 1975
505.995.8686 voice
505.995.0891 fax

[Bob Ivey]

George Tanty mentions that he buys stock from places in Tempe and Yuma
Arizona. I am going to Arizona next week and would really appreciate names,
addresses and any other information on the Tempe and Yuma sources.
Thanks ---- Bob Ivey
bea...@ix.netcom.com

"George Tanty" <gta...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
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[Leon]

I would never have believed you until I did a search on the Kiawe. Found a
comment referring to Kiawe BBQ Beef. That made me a believer along with a
picture of a Kiawe tree. You cannot beat Mesquite or Kiawe for BBQ'n. ;~)

"Spyda Man" <Spy_D...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:29510-3C7...@storefull-161.iap.bryant.webtv.net...

[Roger Wilmot]

I'm disappointed, but perhaps not surprised, at the paucity of
suppliers in NM. I had looked around when I was there some years ago
and found Woodworkers Supply but thought I might be missing somewhere
else. Maybe I will have to travel east to Arizona where I gather
mesquite is more readily found (I only wanted a couple of small blanks
as souvenirs!).

Regards

Roger

George Tanty <gta...@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:<3C72906D...@earthlink.net>...

[Michael Mastin]

Texas has the best Honey Mesquite anywhere in the US! Give us a call if
you want quality Mesquite. Everyone knows that the biggest and best always
comes from Texas :-)

--
Best regards,

Michael Mastin
Curly Woods
Fine North American Figured Hardwood Lumber
Web Site: http://www.curlywoods.com
McKinney, Texas
(972)346-3404

[George Tanty]

Hi Bob,

In Yuma is the lumber lady. The web site is lumberlady.com. I was only
there once and their stock changes, but they do have turning blanks.
But, on several occasions I have hit mesquite stumps at the Woodcraft
store in Tempe. They usually have stock of various woods that aren't
planed blanks. They will have the odd stump or burl and I've usually
been lucky with them. If you are in the Phoenix area you will also want
to check out a store called woodworkers source. They have two or three
locations in the Phoenix metro area. They are particularly heavy in
burl with large boxes out in front loaded with the stuff. They probably
have the largest supply of turning stock in AZ, but no mesquite the last
time i was there.

Hope that helps

--
George L. Tanty