# Eventful Friday



## BertS (May 21, 2004)

helped a buddy cut down a few trees this past Friday, he has a couple of BIG mesquites we will get to as well.......

what kind of drying time should be allowed? these things were close to 14"-16" at the widest part.......


----------



## bill (May 21, 2004)

You got some fine stuff there Bert. Seal the ends and store them off the ground to prevent rot and bugs. I think* it's a year an inch. Just need to check the moisture.


----------



## BertS (May 21, 2004)

a year an inch?!?

heck, I dont' have that kind of patience...........is there a way to speed up the process?

wonder how mad the wife would get if I put them in the microwave...........?


----------



## EndTuition (May 24, 2004)

Thanks for posting the pictures! 

I didn't know Mesquite had three (or four) kinds of wood in it! 
As for the time to dry, get it resawed in to smaller pieces or give me half the wood and I'll wait with you, that ought to cut the time in half if we both wait together.


----------



## Brew (May 21, 2004)

Cut it down to blanks now and it will dry much quicker. Remembar to cut them oversize to compenstae for shrinkage and a little long in case they start to check.

Store them off the ground and with enough space between and around them so there is room for good air movement. If you happen to have someplace like a tin shed that gets good & warm that would be an ideal spot for them. Put a fan in it to improve the air movement and you'll have a poor mans kiln.

Jeff


----------



## BertS (May 21, 2004)

sorry, I should have been more clear in my original post........these pieces are cedar......but I should have some mesquite very soon........but dang, I hate waiting......lol...


----------



## Profish00 (May 21, 2004)

I thaught it was cedar...lol. The purple is awsom.


----------



## 3192 (Dec 30, 2004)

Bert....be very careful with that type of mesquite. It's known in S.Tx as _Whatche' lei_ Wood ('_watch out wood'_ in TxMex). Tell you what, bring it all over here and I will dispose of it properly for you at no charge. gb

ps...that one slabbed section has 'platter' written all over it! Good looking wood!


----------



## bill (May 21, 2004)

my mind has been jumping all over on the things to make, clocks, platters, bowls, desk sets, pen displays...wow

I could not cut it up for pens, just lose too much of the good, it needs to be seen


----------



## BertS (May 21, 2004)

Mr. Jim, 

I better rush it right over.........lol.........maybe bring it by, and do some swapping......some of this wood, for a little more instruction, and some help getting this stuff cut up in to workable sizes?


----------



## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Man...I can just smell that cedar cutting and turning.....Gooooodd Stuff !!!!!

Made a bunch of beautiful pens with cedar.. Tried one with just sanding smooth and not putting any finish on it.. End result...the pen smelled fantastic for about a week...then the great cedar smell was gone....???????


----------



## BertS (May 21, 2004)

Tortuga said:


> Man...I can just smell that cedar cutting and turning.....Gooooodd Stuff !!!!!
> 
> Made a bunch of beautiful pens with cedar.. Tried one with just sanding smooth and not putting any finish on it.. End result...the pen smelled fantastic for about a week...then the great cedar smell was gone....???????


Tortuga, you have to seal cedar on the inside to preserve the smell......:rotfl:


----------



## bill (May 21, 2004)

I got one unfinished, just hit it on the buffer and it smells good again


----------

