Mesquite Scales??

panch0

panch0

Joined
Jun 16, 2008
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I have some pieces of mesquite that Rey Garza gave me a while back they are dry and have no cracks. I have not used this wood yet. What I wanted to know was if it needs to be stabelized. I have heard from Rey and another member here that it is a pretty stable wood. What have your experiences been with mesquite other than smoking some pork ribs with it.

I ordered a block of stabelized wood just to see how they both turn out. Thanks.
 
Mesquite is said to be the most stable wood in the world. I don't know if this is true or not but it is certainly stable enough to not need impregnation. I would apply multiple coats of a good oil finish and not bother with stabilization.

Gary
 
I've heard it doesn't really need stabilization. I'd agree to coat it multiple times with a finishing oil, and I've seen some really nice mesquite handles that were burnished with a brass rod.

--nathan
 
I was going to say in a pinch you'd have some emergency mesquite for the smoker on hand when you had your knife. :p
 
I think it is the second most stable in the world after teak, and is harder than hard maple. If there is a wood that doesn't need stabilizing, mesquite is it. Looks great too. I use a teak oil finish, but whatever you do wear a mask, if not a respirator, because the dust is not good.
 
Ive got a nice block of stabilized mesquite 4x8x8 hope its pretty inside when i cut it.
 
As a woodworker, I have used mesquite for all kinds of things over the years, including ribs!

I have made tool handles, cutting boards, chisel handles, gift items etc. out of the wood without worrying about distortion of cracking.

Since it is commonly used as firewood around here, there is lots to play with. The best tool use I saw made from mesquite was a hammer handle on a framing hammer. I was a helluva lot harder than the hickory handle from the factory.

And a word about stability. It's incredibly stable. During the "boom" my buddy with a custom furniture shop had a guy that sold heavy mesquite. He made rustic fireplace mantles, rustic coffee tables, rustic end tables, etc. Some of them he even finished with polyurethane.

He cut the wood on his ranch, milled it with his Woodmizer and was using it in less than a month. Try that with any other wood! I think read somewhere that mesquite has an average tangential movement of less than 3%.

A nice oil based finished on dry mesquite gives a lovely deep cherry red on our most prevalent local species of the wood.

http://www.woodsthebest.com/Flooring/hardwoodflooringSpecies/mesquite-Flooring-TechSheet.htm

Robert
 
Sweet! I gonna be doing some mesquite scales then in the near future. Thanks for the feedback!
 
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