Mesquite Block M1198
3" x 3" x 10.3"
3.5 lbs.
This is a complex block of Texas Honey Mesquite that is full of potential. As you can see, it has a lot of cracks. These were cracks that formed while the tree was standing, not drying cracks formed in our care -- you can see this by the character of the cracks, the oxidation along them, and the fact that some are bark-filled. These cracks likely formed due to stress from high the winds we get down here in South Texas (hurricanes blow through Mesquite-country every few years, and Mesquite can be a particularly brittle hardwood). This block carries the history of what the tree experienced while growing in a challenging environment.
The block is almost entirely Mesquite heartwood, a deep reddish-brown. There are very pretty swirling patterns in the grain. There is a LOT of material that is crack-free, so you could purchase this to work with the "clean" parts of the block. Or you could choose to fill the cracks with epoxy -- a black resin epoxy is gorgeous with Mesquite.
This board has been air-dried to 10-12% moisture content. It was heat-treated to kill off any hungry critters that may have been burrowing inside.
I've taken lots of photos of this piece. I hope you find joy in this one; it's got uniqueness and character aplenty! This one is best suited for an experienced turner.
About the Tree
This Texas-grown Honey Mesquite tree was harvested in El Campo, Texas in July of 2022. It was cut down by the city for reasons unknown to us, and we were happy to help save the tree from a burn pile. It is possible that this tree was damaged by the Valentine's Day Freeze that Texas suffered in February 2021, which is when our state lost a lot of beautiful trees in an unusually deep and long freeze. |
|
