Mesquite

[Greg Kaldor]

Hellow All,
First Post. I have some friends driving to Arizona next month and have offered to get some mesquite for me. Question is where would they go? How much would I expect to pay and is this a very good wood for Salad Bowls.
Greg :D

[PAH1]

You may find replies a bit thin on the ground as this is an aussie site. However there are from memory two mesquite suppliers in arizona. One is in Yuma, I came accross the site doing a google something like "woodturning arizona". They supply blanks and all sorts of stabilised wood for pen turning. The other one is a womans name and I can not think of the site name at the moment. As far as I know mesquite is as good as any to make salad bowls from.

[Greg Kaldor]

Thanks Pah1,
I actually had no idea where where this site primarilly was. So I am grateful for you setting me straight before I embarressed myself further.
Greg :eek:

[PAH1]

Thats alright greg, you were just lucky that you got somebody who had actually lived in Arizona to give you a reply. I went back for a conference last year and thought about trying to get some mesquite etc for myself, however Yuma was just a bit too far for the day drive I wanted.

Anyway have a good day and welcome to the board.

[bsrlee]

I was hopeing you were going to offer some around here. I believe Weatherby make, or used to make, the gunstocks for their top of the line hand cannons from the stuff, so it should be available in decent sized bits too.

[PAH1]

If you really want some in Aus it is a declared weed (as far as I know) and a contact was given in one of the back issues of a supplier in QLD. It was a G. Hatfield article on turning a bowl and had a major error in the article.

[Jeff]

I've turned a little mesquite. I've found it to be brittle and hard to turn into anything before it breaks up. It is probably fine for bowls as far as toxicity is concerned. I would reccomend trying to get some that is still green, and turn it before it dries. It may still check out or break apart, but it is worth a try. I think the best way is just to go there. It's gotta be a nice break from your winter weather! I'm up in Washington. My conclusion so far is that it's great for the smoker and the barbeque! :D