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Mesquite bentwood table-Here's a picture of a large mesquite table that has a bentwood base and bookmatched top with turquiose inlayed. The yellow in the top is the sapwood that we left to enhance the piece even more. This was a custom design for a Texas customer. They wanted the bentwood look but with an open southwest concept. So a few sketches later, we came up with this. Wish I would have been able to have professional pictures made of it though.

See other tables:

Barrell Stave Table http://www.lumberjocks.com/projects/4070
Mesquite Pedistal Table http://www.lumberjocks.com/projects/1535
Wooden Hinge Pedistal Table http://www.lumberjocks.com/projects/3461
Walnut Hemisphere Bentwood table http://www.lumberjocks.com/projects/4071

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Wow. The design is wonderful. I really love the top.
 

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Scott,
that is a beatutiful table! How thick is the table top? You have really done a fantastic job on this one. I love your use of mesquite. It's amazing that many people down in texas see mesquite as nothing more than trashwood, to be burned as soon as they can cut it up into small pieces. it makes me sick, especially when i see such peices as yours out of this supposed "trashwood" that is way to nice to burn or even bar-b-que with, although that last comment may get me in trouble with blue stingray boots. how did you do the bent stretcher? is it thin laminated strips of mesquite or did you steam and bend it?
 

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Yeah everytime I drive thru Texas and see all these large piles of mesquite bulldozed up on ranchers lands to be burned it makes me wish I had a saw mill and a way to pick it up.I just don't understand why it's so expensive!!! I guess it's hard to get a decent size.Yes the bending was done by laminating 1/8" strips in a bending form and urea resin glue. Top isn't real thick about 1 1/4 with stretchers underneath for stability
 

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539 Posts
Who ever said mesquite was T-wood was obviously not a woodcrafter, and had far too much mesquite to know what to do with. Woodchips, can I send you a box of firewood?lol

Awesome Scott, I just ordered a biscuit joiner, I'll try to match you. How do you get it flat or true? Is it 100% true?
I see that and think "Texas picnic" on the ranch. Big stars, flowers, beautiful dresses and thourobreds….

Thanks Scott for sharing.
 

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158 Posts
I thought you would have something to say about that 5 letter dirty "T" word.I use a local cabinet shop that has a huge 38" drum sander that makes my tops dead flat ,on this one we did the two glued up halves seperatly since overall table was 5ft wide then I only had the one glue line to take care of when put together.If you can find a shop in your area that will do that for you it's great only takes 20 min or so and this guy charged me $35.
 

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Blue,
feel free to send me a box of "firewood" anytime you want to! :D Seriously though i haven't got a real good set up yet for re-sawing small logs, yet. next year a bandsaw will be joining the ranks of my somewhat sparse tool arsenal. until then i'll just have to salivate over all those piles of beautiful furniture in log form.

Scott,
there's a sawmill that deals exclusively in mesquite, pecan and one other kind of wood that i can't remember right now, but point is they are in my old hometown of Bastrop, TX. and i'll try to look them up and see if they'll be able to supply wood by shipping it cheaper than you can get it. how much do you pay per BF? that way i'll have an idea of what the price to beat is.
 

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187 Posts
Gorgeous table Scott. I don't know which got my attention more, the legs/stretchers or that inredible top.
 

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That is a great table, Scott. I just like all of it.
 

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I really like the design and the execution and craftsmanships. Nice work.
 

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beautiful table.. beautiful design.

shame to hear about the "firewood" loss.. you'd think we'd be more respectful, with all of our talk about caring for the environment… sheesh
 

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215 Posts
Absolutely stunning. Mesquite is a wood that you just do not see on the east coast. At least I have never seen any of it.

Great job. My wife loves it too.
 

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56 Posts
Beautiful job. I never new that mesquite got that big. I thought it was more of a bush.

The bookmatch turned out great. How did you do the inlay?

Bill
 

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9,141 Posts
Great table the curved wood really sets it off.

A truly great table.
 

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Beautiful table! Love the design!
 

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How did i miss this one? Great lines. All around wonderful.
 

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That's why mesquite is so expensive as lumber, Dollar. In most parts of Texas, it does grow much as a bush and is considered parasitic to most ranchers. It grows fairly quickly, but in mostly twisted knarly shapes, so it's difficult to get boards longer than 5 ft and / or wider than 5 inches. Larger boards tend to have voids that need to be filled. And there are variations in color by region. West Texas mesquite tends to yellows and south Texas mesquite tends to reddish browns. It does chap me to see it being burned and I wish I was set up to mill it myself when I see especially thick straight logs. Many ranchers are starting to see mesquite as an asset though and are thinning instead of bulldozing and burning it. Even the stunted, twisted pieces make great firewood and smoking wood. When I thickness plane mesquite I save the shavings in plastic zip-lock bags. A couple handfuls thrown on the coals really makes chicken taste great and makes a rib-eye sing…............
 

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Exceptional! I echo everyone's comments on the design. I'm from West Texas originally and didn't often get to see the reddish variety or large trees either. LJ.com has given me a new-found respect for it.
 

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1,122 Posts
I missed this baby too. This table just seems to flow. Excellent.
 

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Scott, I missed this on the first time by! This is to your usual standard.
 
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