Mesguite for salad bowls

Re: Mesguite for salad bowls (long)

JL work

>I might think of going for a more durable finish than the "salad bowl" finish. Mesquite is fairly aromatic. I am not aware of any allergic reactions to the wood, but it wouldn't surprise me if there were some. Most of the aromatic woods have some sort of compounds that people may develop an allergenic sensitivity to. My wife has a sensitivity to cedar. I have to thoroughly clean the sawdust off of my clothes when I work with it. I don't think the residence time in a salad bowl is enough to leach any of the compounds though. As I said, give it a fairly durable finish.

BTW - save the shavings and chips. If you have a smoker or know of someone who does, it imparts a nice tang to the meat. I have had the mesquite smoked ribs and they were pretty good.

Re: Mesguite for salad bowls (long)

Phil Joines Krum, Texas

>Mesquite's probably the most popular wood for turning around here. A number of the local turners have developed a sensivity to it that causes skin rashes. I think I'll use pecan instead. Of course some people are alergic to it too.

I would use the mesquite.

Dave Smith, Longview, WA

>Hi Phil,

With all the mesquite smoked foods being sold in Texas I don't think a mesquite salad bowl will pose a health threat. Pecan has large pores that will need to be filled IMHO before use. The few pecan bowls I have turned would not have held soup due to the pore holes running all the way through the sides. Big leaf maple would work for a salad bowl. You should have gotten a bigger piece. BWG

How did the cascara work for your wife? I am delivering a bowl this afternoon to the lady who gave me the logs. It is a light brown wood with subtle figure. It should contrast beautifully with the wonderful painting she does.

Dave Smith

Turning square plates today in Longview, WA.

Re: Mesguite for salad bowls

Rusty Miller

>Phil,

I haven't had any trouble with touching mesquite, but I sure have trouble when turning it. Spent last Easter morning in the emergency room because of turning mesquite the day before.

I don't think you would have any trouble making a salad bowl with it.

Rusty-Tye,TX

Re: Mesguite for salad bowls

JL work

>Go ahead and use the wood. Just be careful so that you wear a dust mask or respirator. As I said, the residence time in the bowl for salad is minimal. Little chance of compounds "leaching" into the salad. To get technical, the diffusion coefficient of any aromatic compounds at the point of contact is so small it can't be easily calculated and that is for an unfinished salad bowl. I would be more worried about the walnut oil finish than I would about the mesquite (after all, people have nut allergies).

Re: Mesguite for salad bowls

Wood Spinner

>I have turned many many salad bowls and serving bowls made from mesquite and I have never had any problems. I have used spar varnish, urithane and walnut oil as a finish and all work well.

Good turning and be safe

Bill