Mesquite coloring! Pics

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

So a fella goes to one of his regular mesquite suppliers and picks up some material...and it all looks the same rough...nice orangy-reddish brown like it's supposed to. And after it's milled and made into little tops, they look like this:







Now, I know this is mesquite...but if I didn't know that, I woulda thought it was exceptional tight grained walnut. I've come to accept the color variation, but I'm not at all sure this is gonna be acceptable even for my house. I may have to build a walnut base for it...I think it would pass.

For comparision, the next pic shows a piece of known South American mesquite (not Mexican) laying across the other two. The grain of the South American is much like African mahogny, so I know I didn't get some of that by mistake. What worries me is that you really can't tell from the 'outside'...and I dropped a load on 6/4 material for a dining table at the same time.

[Chris Padilla]

Gee, Kirk, that is pretty bad! Have you ever messed with coloring mesquite? I wonder if you bleach the darker stuff if it would lighten up and match better? You da mesquite king 'round these here parts....

[chris toomey]

hey kirk

ever try to bend mesquite? i bought some last week on a trip to texas and brought back tp ny. thought about bending a few shaker boxes. i know its not traditional , but thought it would look good. read that it is brittle and not great for bending. any experience?

[Don Henthorn Smithville, TX]

Heck, Kirk, I think I would make another top rather than another base. You can check for color as you make it. Perhaps you can think of a small shelf unit or perhaps a mantel clock that the wood in the dark top would be good for.

[Dan Mages]

Regardless of the colour, mesquite is beautiful wood. I wish it was available in the Chicagoland area.

Dan

[Eric Murphy]

You wouldn't care to share the name of your mesquite suppliers would you?

[Charlie Woods]

Amazing how much mesquite has taken off as a building material. I grew up on a large farm and ranch around Mission, La Joya, and Rio Grane City, and can remeber clearing some old mesquites trees( killed a number of chainsaw blades cutting the stuff) that were so large and had roots so deep that it required a demolitons person using C-4 to blow the trunk and roots out before a the D-8 cat could clear it. Had I known then that it would be such a highly prized wood for furniture making I would have cut it and kept it. I could be rich and already retired!!!!! ( I know I personally helped clear atleast 50-60 acres of land filled with mesquite).
Have yet to work with it myself( other than clearing it). What are some of the quirks, and techniques you use when working with mesquite? Does it dull your blades faster?

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

Answers...Chris T...I've not tried to steam bend any mesquite (or anything, for that matter), but I do 'dry' bent laminations from 3/16" or so stock with good results. I suspect it would steam bend quite well.

Chris P...no coloring (or uncoloring) allowed!

Don...cutting it up wood be an excellent idea, 'cept for the biscuits...and it's six pieces, so there's a lot of biscuits. I'll either live with it as is or make another top.

Charlie...nothing special about it really. A lot of what's out there for sale isn't dried properly, which can cause problems...and the grading 'standards' don't really apply to mesquite...so you never really know what you've got until you've been around it awhile. Obviously, being around it awhile doesn't mean that you don't still get fooled now and then. I hate fiddling with epoxy, so I shop for the best...filling all the cracks and such can be quite tedious. I don't think it's any harder on cutters than any other hardwood unless you get into a nail, and not as bad as cherry.

Eric...check you private messages.

[Norman Hitt]

Kirk, I know the two tables won't fly together, but as a stand alone, Or if you had more of this stuff, I really Love the contrast between the base and the top of the one with the drawers. Same effect but with less Contrast than a piece using a combination of Maple and Cherry or Walnut. I think Mesquite is like Girls Hair, some fine, some coarse, some blonde, some redheads and some brunettes, and you're sure right about not knowing what you really have til you mill it.

Beautiful tables, both.