flagstaffmitch Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 A family member cut this down. I overheard him talking about putting it on the curb so I asked him to send me photos and dimensions. I suspect its mesquite but I'm not positive as I'm unfamiliar with it. Its 14' long and 41" diameter at the base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 I'm not very familiar with trees in the southwest so I don't really have a guess for you. But I can tell you this: that tree is under a TON of stress...look at the way it's all twisted. I think you're going to find that to be very difficult wood to work with. Maybe turn some bowls with it, but I'd be willing to bet you won't be able to keep a board out of that thing flat for five minutes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPCV_Woodworker Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 So, I've worked with/planted about 3000 mesquite trees, and that looks exactly like one. However, that cut branch looks much paler than the mesquite I worked with in Africa. The species I'm used to is Prosopis juliflora (a tropical mesquite), which has a much redder tone to the wood and to the bark fissures. What you've got is definitely the same genus, probably whatever species is local to you (probably P. glandulosa). Do you know where this was growing? Some species of the Prosopis genus grow naturally with a twist pattern in their bark, but don't necessarily have the internal tension that this would indicate in another species... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flagstaffmitch Posted April 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Its located in the Phoenix area. Most local mills refer to the mesquite found in Az as velvet mesquite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Save the scraps and smoke some barbecue ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Jimerfield Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 Yes mesquite. I lived in Tucson for 27 years and am quite familiar with them. They all grow like that. Dried properly they make great boards. Sent from my KFTHWI using Tapatalk HD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 Is mesquite a member of the juniper family? That cut branch looks very much like the juniper variant we call red or aromatic cedar here in Tennessee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 Juniper is actually in the cypress family and is a softwood. Mesquite is deciduous and therefore a hardwood. That's where my knowledge of mesquite ends, except that the lumber is super-hard stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 Well past my knowledge of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Jimerfield Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 41" diameter? that would be huge for a mesquite. perhaps that's the circumference. it would make more sense given the other items in the picture. it is very hard, and can have nice figure. the color can also vary widely across a board. http://www.rockler.com/how-to/timber-texas/?gclid=CPHyvf_F4b0CFcaCfgodNyQAdA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flagstaffmitch Posted April 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 Yeah, I thought 41" diameter seemed overly huge, thats just what he told me over the phone. Without measuring it myself its hard to say. None the less, I hope it'll yield some useful material. I found a mill in the valley that does urban timber harvesting regularly, then I can haul it up the hill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPCV_Woodworker Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 can't be 41" diameter, look at the basketball underneath it (9" according to google). given the direction of the shadows, i'd say the ball is almost directly beneath the log, giving an approximate diameter of 14-18" (I'm at work early, killing time, please forgive the anal photo analysis) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 Maybe homeboy is confusing diameter with circumference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flagstaffmitch Posted April 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 No worries, I did the same thing. I'm anxious to get down there so I can take a closer look at it. My jaw about hit the floor when he said he was putting it all on the curb to be dumped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flagstaffmitch Posted April 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 It'll be a few weeks before I can get this guy cut. Any suggestions I can relay to my cousin so it stays in good shape? Bug free? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Sink it in a pool of water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calblacksmith Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 There should be some good bowls in there. If you can't keep boards flat from it, no harm done, it is GREAT for smoking meat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flagstaffmitch Posted June 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 Here's a follow up post. I made the trip down with my dad since the rest of my help bailed. It turned into a little adventure...that bastard was heavy and I pretty much manhandled it solo using a dolly. I'm glad my dad came because I really needed the help loading into the back of my tacoma after cutting it in half. By the way, homeboy definitely confused diameter with circumference, it was only 15" or so in diameter. The trip home was uneventful but I had to unload it when we got there because I set up a date with the mill a week later. My truck is a daily driver and having 400lbs of mesquite sticking out the back while picking my daughter up from school every day seemed a bit hazardous. Unloading it meant I got to reload it solo a week later...another little adventure but accomplished with a good dose of redneckgenuity and angry strength. I was late to the sawmill but the owner was cool about it and I tipped him well for wasting his time. I had it cut 6/4 thick and yielded 3 pieces 6' long and and handful of smaller sections. Its all stacked and end painted while it dries out. Being a part of the process from start to finish was a gratifying learning experience. I'll be more prepared the next time I bite of a project like this. I haven't decided what I'll make with the mesquite once its dry but its sure to be interesting no matter the project. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdie Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 That's got some sweet color and figure. I see it as a good accent wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPCV_Woodworker Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 That is fantastic. Great score! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Richardson Posted July 7, 2014 Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 Definitely Mesquite. New guy here, haven't figured how to put my location with my avatar yet, but I live in the west valley near Phoenix. It is most likely a Chilean Mesquite, which are planted widely here by arborist/developers cause they grow fast, get big, and have a thicker canopy. Their wood tends to be lighter in color and less dense than native mesquite. From the wide growth rings on yours, I would guess it was most likely on a drip system. You have some great color in yours, the wood on many of the import mesquite can be rather boring... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flagstaffmitch Posted July 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 Good info Barry, thank you! With the monsoons firing up it'll be a good while longer before these dry up here. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Richardson Posted July 11, 2014 Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 Another thing I forgot to mention is that the wood is very stable, hardly warps or shrinks at all when drying. If your using it to turn, just end seal the chunks, and keep them out of the sun, in your climate they should be fine for quite a while. Don't have any advise about bugs though, there is a grub that loves the sapwood and they can go to work pretty quick after its down... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdjms1 Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 sweet find and in a year or so ( i figure less time for you in AZ) you will be richly rewarded for your efforts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-astragal Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 Cut the sap off or like said above larvae will eat it and the new heart wood. You will see piles of dust all over the stack as it dries. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.