Planet Mesquite: Some observations on Honey Mesquite

[John Tisdale]

As I've been shaping and hollowing PLANET MESQUITE, I've had to get familiar with some datapoints and made some calculations that some may find interesting. To refresh, PLANET MESQUITE is a 32.5" diameter globe of mistletoe-burl mesquite - there are a few pics on the forum.
All comments, corrections and critiques are welcome:

• The circumference is 102" which yields a diameter a bit over 32" - volume is about 10-cu ft
  
• With the current internal radius of 14", the air-volume is 6.65-cu ft
• Mesquite has an "avg dry weight of 51-lbs/cu ft and the specific gravity is .82 @ 12% MC (wood database)
• Hollowing has produced 330-gal of shavings (six 55-gal trash cans)
  
• 7.48-gal / cu. ft. calculates to 49.74 cu.ft of shavings (330-gal)
• Conclusion: 6.65 cu ft of solid mesquite = 49.74 cu ft of shavings (about 7.5X) - other species that produce longer shavings would be much more - probably 10X the solid volume or greater.
  
• QUESTION: Knowing mesquite is 51-lbs/cu-ft @ 12%MC, what would it be at 30%MC? (30% is a guess based on the the bound-water content). I'm assuming 65-lbs/cu-ft @ 30%MC
  
• I realize that's a guess on top of a guess - YOUR THOUGHTS?????
• At 2" thickness (3.28 cu-ft of wood), the piece weighs about 215-lbs (30%MC)
• At the 1" thickness (1.75 cu-ft) and 12%MC it should weigh approx 93-lbs. Considering the number of large openings, it should be in the 70-lb to 75-lb range

To my thinking, this piece is much too large and heavy for a table - I plan to utilize a metal stand that will display it at the same 23.4-degrees as our earth. While I'd like to get it a bit below 1" thickness, to be honest, I'm getting scared as I go from 2" to 1". By the time this is done I will have gone through a few hundred yards of filament tape.

 

[Bill Boehme]

That's an incredible undertaking. I would also be worried about hidden surprises. Sometimes mesquite is like a three dimensional jigsaw puzzle with a bunch of pieces interlocked together appearing to be solid, but just waiting for that last little shaving that had been holding it together to be removed.

 

[John Torchick]

That is an amazing piece of turning! I get excited over turning a pen blank!

 

[Paul Gilbert]

I was in Okla. City over last week end and called Keith at the Spin Doctor about his steady rest. I went to his shop Monday for a hands on look at his product. I was debating between his product (Mack Truck) or a Carter (finely tuned sports car). In the show & tell process he showed me a cell phone photo/video? of your Planet Mesquite in which his steady was an integral part. Upon seeing the pics. I exclaimed, that's John Tisdale from DAW of which I am a member.

Long story short - I ordered his Sherman Tank for my 3520b configured so that I could use it as a conventional hollowing rest, and also as a bowl steady.

The point of this is that I know that there exists out there pics. and videos that I entreate you to share with this forum. I know that all of us have taken the bait and anxiously await details of how this project is progressing. I, myself, would like to know your thoughts on the Rolly Mundo (sp?) cutter head vs. the Hunter style cutter for hollowing.

Thanks

 

[John Tisdale]

Bill,
You are so correct - sometimes it's the bark holding that three-dimensional jigsaw together. That's why I'm turning at about 150-rpm. With a piece like this I turn with my ears - just like when you hear a rattlesnake, the sound of something about to come loose is unmistakable. Hopefully with a bit of luck, and not just a little filament tape, it will stay together.
Turning at 150-rpm is a challenge - you have to go reeeaaal slow - I call it the Catatonic School of turning.

Paul,
Good choice on the Keith Clark steady rest - I've found that when you get into this class of tools/equipment, you buy the maker along with the tool. Keith has become a good friend and he's a problem solver - while you paid money for it, he still has his name on it and will provide the support you will need, especially if you turn idiot and get into the big stuff.
Regarding the Rolly Munro, it's a love/hate. I'm not familiar with the Hunter except for the carbide cutters and limited variation of shafts - if he has a shielded cutter system, I'm not aware of it.
I went over a fitful learning curve to get the Rolle Munro to work - it's counter-intuitive. Common sense says to keep it from clogging you open it up - wrong - it clogs like crazy with an aggressive opening. The opening I'm using is probably less than 1/64" which seems to work - I never get clogs.
Currently I'm using the HSS cutters, now sharpened on a Tormek - I'll be switching to Hunter carbide for the cutting from 2" thickness to 1" thickness. A pristine edge and unaggressive cut minimizes shock as the cut goes from wood to air to wood.....
Come on by the shop - I'm in the White Rock Lake area - be happy to introduce you to the Catatonic School.