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Larger Mesquite Bowl Blanks and Other Interesting Pieces
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.
NEW LISTINGS - 11/01/09
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Mesquite Blank 186
13" x 14" x ~5"
37 lbs.
This is a very large and deep, nearly perfect half-log bowl blank in Texas Honey Mesquite. There was fairly large radial pith crack in the log (a classic growth feature in Mesquite), but I carefully cut it out to produce this blank. You can see the point where the pith and that crack "daylights" on the face (dark area on the right side, top and middle photos). The only remaining cracks that I see are minor and very tight (in the end grain of the middle photo).
The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood. The grain pattern is strong and linear. I can see it developed for a large, conventional salad bowl or a pretty sizeable hollow-form.
The bark on the back side is almost complete, but there is a patch where the outer portion has been abraded away (lower right portion, bottom photo), so this would not be suitable for a full-bark natural-edge bowl. 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 or inlace to add character to the finished piece!
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Mesquite Blank 187
13" x 14" x ~5"
37 lbs.
This is another very large and deep half-log Mesquite bowl blank, the other half of the log that produced blank #186 above. The color is the deep reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood. The grain pattern is strong and linear. If I were turning it - the form would be a large, conventional salad bowl. The bark on the back side is full and complete, so this would be suitable for a full-bark natural-edge bowl if you like.
Most of the pith and a prominent radial pith crack (a classic growth feature in Mesquite) are present in this piece You can see both ends of that crack on the top photo - the dark area on the right side of the face and the narrow, pith-radiating openings on the end grain. Any form turned from this blank will have to consider this crack. I would typically reinforce the crack with CA glue and then rough-out the bowl. At that point I would mask-off the crack and fill it with coal-black epoxy before finish-turning. Coal-black epoxy goes very nicely with the reddish brown of Texas Mesquite. You can see a number of examples of this combination on my companion website (http://www.prairiesend.com/turnings/bowls.asp).
The only remaining cracks that I see are minor and very tight. In my shop, they would just be reinforced with thin CA glue as I was 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 or inlace to add character to the finished piece!
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END OF NEWEST LISTINGS
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Mesquite Blank 109
6" diameter x 2-1/2"
3 lbs.
This is a small rounded, half-log blank of Texas Honey Mesquite. It has full bark on the back side and would be suitable for a small, natural-edge bowl. The color is the reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood.
This half-log piece was cut thru the pith and one very thin but open radial crack is present at the cut face and on one side (faintly visible on the top photo). Most if not all of this would turn off in a natural-edge bowl form. For a conventional bowl, I would reinforce/fill it with CA glue and turn with confidence. There are several large and open bugholes in the sapwood and outer heartwood to add character to the finished piece!
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Mesquite Blank 109 |
$10.00 |
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Mesquite Blank 110
6" diameter x 3"
3-3/4 lbs.
This is another small rounded, half-log blank of Texas Honey Mesquite. It has full bark on the back side and would be suitable for a small, natural-edge bowl. The color is the reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood.
This half-log piece was cut thru the pith and a single very thin but open, curving radial crack is present on the cut face and one side (top photo). Most if not all of this would turn off in a natural-edge bowl form. For a conventional bowl, I would reinforce/fill it with CA glue and turn with confidence. There are several large and open bugholes in the sapwood and outer heartwood to add character to the finished piece!
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Mesquite Blank 110 |
$10.00 |
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Mesquite Blank 111
6" diameter x 2"
2-1/2 lbs.
This is another small rounded, half-log blank of Texas Honey Mesquite. It has full bark on the back side and would be suitable for a small, natural-edge bowl. The color is the reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood.
This half-log piece was cut thru the pith and two small and thin but open radial cracks are present on the cut face and sides (top photo). Most if not all of these would turn off in a natural-edge bowl form, but the orientation of one crack, parallel to the cut face, would be difficult to handle in a conventional bowl form. There are also several large and open bugholes in the sapwood and outer heartwood to add character to the finished piece!
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Mesquite Blank 112
6" diameter x 2"
2-1/2 lbs.
This is another small rounded, half-log blank of Texas Honey Mesquite. It has full bark on the back side and would be suitable for a small, natural-edge bowl. The color is the reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood.
This half-log piece was cut close to the pith and a portion of the pith is present i one side. Several small and tight radial cracks are present on the cut face and sides (top photo). It appears that all of these would turn off in a natural-edge bowl form. For a conventional bowl, I would reinforce them with CA glue and turn with confidence. There are also several large and open bugholes in the sapwood and outer heartwood to add character to the finished piece!
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Mesquite Blank 113
6" diameter x 2"
2-1/2 lbs.
This is another small rounded, half-log blank of Texas Honey Mesquite. It has full bark on the back side and would be suitable for a small, natural-edge bowl. The color is the reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood.
This half-log piece was cut thru the pith and several small and tight radial cracks are present on the cut face and upper sides (top photo). It appears that all of these would turn off in a natural-edge bowl form. Again, for a conventional bowl, I would reinforce them with CA glue and turn with confidence. There are also several large and open bugholes in the sapwood and outer heartwood to add character to the finished piece!
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Mesquite Blank 114
6" diameter x 2-1/2"
3-3/4 lbs.
This is another small rounded, half-log blank of Texas Honey Mesquite. It has full bark on the back side and would be suitable for a small, natural-edge bowl. The color is the reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood.
This half-log piece was cut close to the pith and a portion of that pith is present (lower photo). Several small and thin but open radial cracks are present on the cut face and sides (both photos). Most if not all of these cracks would turn off in a natural-edge bowl form. The presence of the pith high on one side may pose a problem for the turning of a conventional bowl. There are also several large and open bugholes in the sapwood and outer heartwood to add character to the finished piece!
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Mesquite Blank 115
5" diameter x 2-1/2"
3-1/2 lbs.
This is a small half-log blank of Texas Honey Mesquite. It has full bark on the back side and would be suitable for a small, natural-edge bowl. The color is the reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood.
This half-log piece was cut thru the pith and several small but open radial cracks are present on the cut face and one side (both photos). It appears that most if not all of these cracks would turn off in a natural-edge bowl form. I do not recommend this blank for the turning of a conventional bowl. There are also many large and open bugholes in the sapwood and outer heartwood to add character to the finished piece!
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Mesquite Blank 116
5 to 6" diameter x 2-1/2"
3-1/2 lbs.
This is another small half-log blank of Texas Honey Mesquite. It has full bark on the back side and would be suitable for a small, natural-edge bowl. The color is the reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood.
This half-log piece was also cut thru the pith and several small but open radial cracks are present on the cut face and one side (both photos). It appears that most if not all of these cracks would turn off in a natural-edge bowl form. I do not recommend this blank for the turning of a conventional bowl. There are also many large and open bugholes in the sapwood and outer heartwood to add character to the finished piece!
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Mesquite Blank 117
5 to 6" diameter x 2-1/2"
4 lbs.
This is a very nice small half-log blank of Texas Honey Mesquite. It has full bark on the back side and would be suitable for a small, natural-edge bowl. The color is the reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood.
This half-log piece was cut close to the pith but appears essentially free of radial cracks (one very tiny shallow crack at the cut face on one end - nearest edge, top photo). This blank would be suitable for a conventional bowl as well as a NE bowl. As with all of these smaller blanks - the beetles have had a feast and there are many open to partially frass-filed bugholes in the sapwood and outer heartwood. These will certainly add character to the finished piece!
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Mesquite Blank 117 |
$10.00 |
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Mesquite Blank 118
5 to 6" diameter x 2-1/2 to 3"
4-1/2 lbs.
This is another very nice small half-log blank of Texas Honey Mesquite. It has full bark on the back side and would be suitable for a small, natural-edge bowl. The color is the reddish brown of mesquite heartwood and bright yellow sapwood.
This half-log piece was cut close to the pith but is free of radial cracks, and would be suitable for a conventional bowl as well as a NE bowl. As with all of these smaller blanks - the beetles have had a feast here and there are many open to partially frass-filed bugholes in the sapwood and outer heartwood. These will certainly add character to the finished piece!
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Mesquite Blank 118 |
$10.00 |
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Mesquite Lot 260
11" diameter x 4" deep
14 lbs.
This is another very nice, half-log bowl blank from a compound crotch - the other side of the Lot 259 crotch. Before I halved it, I counted four separate limbs in this piece, and the grain pattern will be influenced by more than just the two major limbs. That is a beautiful feather figure between the main branches and should look really nice in the bottom of a natural-edge bowl. I say "natural-edge" because a broad depression in the back side make it really too thin for a worthwhile conventional bowl. However, the back does not contain full bark due to an unfortunately close-trim of one branch - so the final rim would not be full "natural edge" (the price reflects this).
The crotch was cut off-center and most of the pith has been removed. The only potential "flaw" that I recognize is the bark-included crotch gap between the two major limbs. It is partially open on the cut face will result in a barky gap in the finished natural-edge bowl. It does not appear to be a structural flaw and I would not hesitate to turn it - and address the gap as it appears, either leaving it as an artistic "character feature" or filling it with my usual coal-black epoxy. However - I know that some people would shy-off at this so I have reduced the price accordingly.
This blank was also roughly-rounded to reduce shipping weight and reveal some of the internal figure. It is ready to mount on your lathe and begin turning.
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Lot 767
4"x6.5"x2"
2.5 lbs.
A nice small half-log (or half-branch) bowl blank with the bark-on. It appears sound with no visible cracks.
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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 10 February 2010
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 good chance that I have more, either cut into blocks or in the rough log,
so I may be able to meet your specific requirements.
© 2008, Texas Woodcrafts
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