I have previously covered the basics of Black Mesquite elsewhere so I won’t repeat that basic information here.
Black Mesquite 1
I just LOVE this wood! It has fantastic swirling figure, especially on the sidewalls, and it cuts so cleanly that sanding is almost an afterthought, but once you have sanded it down to about 800 you will be rewarded with a very fine surface that has its own sheen which is greatly enhanced by a friction polish such as Shellawax.
Black Mesquite 2
Black Mesquite does resemble Walnut (Juglans spp.) but the color is lighter and the figure more easily visible due to the contrast between the darker swirls and the lighter majority of the wood.
Black Mequite 3
I know that sourcing Black Mesquite can be challenging but it is worth the effort in my experience to find a source for this wonderful material.
Black Mesquite Set of 3
All cuts were made using the Easy Wood Tool system on my Robust American Beauty lathe. Forward chucking was in a Nova Chuck, while reverse chucking was done using a Nova Chuck with Cole Jaws. Sanding was with Gold and Green Wave sanding discs from Packard Woodworks. Final finish is Shellawax.
As always, I wish all my readers a great experience in whatever your wood working interests happen to be and to those who like working with lathes especially, do a good turn today!