Bookmark Accounts
Home Articles Forums Gallery Marketplace Videos
Reach the woodworkers who ACTUALLY BUY

WoodCentral Forums

Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998

A natural, durable finish with minimal coats and fuss popular among woodworkers, flooring professionals, and furniture makers

Can I turn mesquite and leave the pith in.

Posts

Can I turn mesquite and leave the pith in.

#1

Can I turn mesquite and leave the pith in.

john lucas

My Dad has decided it's time to die and wants me to make a box or urn for his burial. the only wood I have that is dry enough is a piece of mesquite. It's probably not dry (cut about 3 years ago) but my understanding of mesquite is that it doesn't move much. It's a log and is large enough if I leave the pith in. It has very few checks in the ends right now and was never coated with any sealer. If this won't work I've got to either dig through my pile more or do a glue up. I don't think I have time to make a segmented urn simply because I have to spend time with the family in Atlanta and won't be near my tools. I can turn an urn in a few hours and finish it in a few days.

Re: Can I turn mesquite and leave the pith in.

#2

George Taylor

Re: Can I turn mesquite and leave the pith in.

George Taylor

So sorry to hear about your dad; it must be bittersweet to work on this urn. I would go for it with the Mesquite; maybe use a CA or epoxy like finish as extra protection.

Re: Can I turn mesquite and leave the pith in.

#3

Re: Can I turn mesquite and leave the pith in.

john lucas

Thanks George. I figure I cut the pith out of the bottom and fill that back in with a plug. The top of course will have a large opening and won't have the pith.

Re: Can I turn mesquite and leave the pith in.

#4

Re: Can I turn mesquite and leave the pith in.

Doug Ladendorf

Sorry to hear about your dad John. I went through that last year. Enjoy time with him while you can. Sending prayers.

Doug

Re: Can I turn mesquite and leave the pith in.

#5

Re: Can I turn mesquite and leave the pith in.

John Veerkamp

I turn a fair amount of mesquite. I never remove the pith. Turning an urn for a loved one causes me a lot of reflections and memories. Well worth it.

Re: Can I turn mesquite and leave the pith in.

#6

Never mind, the log had defects

john lucas

There was ring shake about 2" deep that traveled almost all the way to the top. By the time I cut it away I had a vessel about 4 to 4 1/2" in diameter with a slightly larger top. Not nearly big enough to make this urn. So now I'm back to plan B which is probably build a flat wood box.

Re: Can I turn mesquite and leave the pith in.

#7

John, I will say prayer for Dad and your family


Re: Can I turn mesquite and leave the pith in.

#8

When I leave the pith,

Keith Newton

I think it is best to have some cupping turned into the bottom, rather than have a flat bottom. Since all woods have a different ratio between tangental and radial, this gives the wood a way to relieve that stress by deforming across the thin cross-section, as the wood dries and contracts.

I have even found this works, even if there is a star checking already in the pith like is common in some really large trees, that those checks will close up when it is dry. I did one big walnut piece that had a star checking large enough to stick a pencil into the base of each of about 5 prongs, that I figured I would deal with after it was dry. However, when it was dry, everything was closed tight. I could still see lines where it was open, but they look tight enough to hold water.