# Big mesquite form



## barry richardson (Feb 19, 2021)

So I posted here a few weeks ago about roughing out this piece; https://woodbarter.com/threads/what-did-you-do-in-your-shop-today.9770/page-400
Now its finished, I'm pretty happy with it, the biggest thing I have hollowed to date, 16"x 13.5" 3 views, has stuff going on all around it...

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 11 | Way Cool 8


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## Gdurfey (Feb 19, 2021)

Wow Barry, what a stunning piece. "has stuff going on all around it..." is an understatement!!! Just an additional specific comment, I like that treatment around the top. That really grabbed my eye; not to the extent of being distracting, but complimentary.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## barry richardson (Feb 19, 2021)

Thanks Garry!, Yea, I got lucky finding that piece of wood!


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## DKMD (Feb 19, 2021)

That’s a beauty, Barry! My shoulder is a little sore just thinking about hogging out the inside of something that big.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Feb 19, 2021)

Another exquisite piece! Well done

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 3


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## Tom Smart (Feb 19, 2021)

"We" knew this was going to be a great piece when you first showed the blank and rough out. "We" were right! Way cool, Barry.

How did you finish it with all those inclusions? You seem to often use a spray can. Did you spray this?

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Mike Hill (Feb 19, 2021)

That is one beautiful piece!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Karl_TN (Feb 19, 2021)

Looks great, but consider filling in all those holes with crushed Turquoise. Just need to sneak into some of those Turquoise mines around AZ. At least COVID gives you an excuse for a disguise.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Steve in VA (Feb 19, 2021)

Absolutely Spectacular!!!!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## DLJeffs (Feb 19, 2021)

Incredible! I don't know how you turners can keep those things together, especially one that big. The momentum when it's turning is huge. Very impressed.


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## barry richardson (Feb 19, 2021)

Tom Smart said:


> "We" knew this was going to be a great piece when you first showed the blank and rough out. "We" were right! Way cool, Barry.
> 
> How did you finish it with all those inclusions? You seem to often use a spray can. Did you spray this?


Thanks Tom, I just gave it a good soaking with wipe on Polly a couple of times, sanded that smooth with a 600 grit sponge, then the final coat was
Minwax semi-gloss poly

Reactions: Like 1 | Useful 2


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## barry richardson (Feb 19, 2021)

Karl_TN said:


> Looks great, but consider filling in all those holes with crushed Turquoise. Just need to sneak into some of those Turquoise mines around AZ. At least COVID gives you an excuse for a disguise.


Yea that would take a fortune in turquoise! I was thinking it would have been cool to cast all the voids and cracks with colored resin, but I don't have any experience with such things...


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## trc65 (Feb 20, 2021)

Fantastic piece! Great looking form. The crisp, clean lines of the collar contrast the curves beautifully and take this one to the next level.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Nature Man (Feb 20, 2021)

Stunning to say the least! Congrats on taking it over the finish line! Chuck

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Barb (Feb 20, 2021)

Spectacular!


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## 2feathers Creative Making (Feb 20, 2021)

barry richardson said:


> Yea that would take a fortune in turquoise! I was thinking it would have been cool to cast all the voids and cracks with colored resin, but I don't have any experience with such things...


Try inserting a piece of painter's drop plastic then inflating a balloon inside the hollow form to seal the inside and keep you from losing epoxy into the form. Pour the voids individually between the rough in stage and before final turning (after it dries below 10 %) then wait 7 days for full cure and turn final. This will save a lot of money in epoxy. Obviously you dont need the epoxy to hold it together while turning.

Reactions: Useful 2


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## barry richardson (Feb 20, 2021)

2feathers Creative Making said:


> Try inserting a piece of painter's drop plastic then inflating a balloon inside the hollow form to seal the inside and keep you from losing epoxy into the form. Pour the voids individually between the rough in stage and before final turning (after it dries below 10 %) then wait 7 days for full cure and turn final. This will save a lot of money in epoxy. Obviously you dont need the epoxy to hold it together while turning.


Yea I read somewhere that you can use a heavy duty trashbag, filled with sand, for the same purpose,. That would be a lot of individual pours on something like this though...

Reactions: Useful 1


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## 2feathers Creative Making (Feb 20, 2021)

Yes. It is. Would take 3 different pours, likely 3 days. Other method requires submerging entire block in epoxy but to do that requires the block to be dry and then it has to be roughed in as a much more difficult piece.


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## Joker9 (Feb 20, 2021)

Man, really nice work! I can only hope........


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## 2feathers Creative Making (Feb 21, 2021)

barry richardson said:


> Yea I read somewhere that you can use a heavy duty trashbag, filled with sand, for the same purpose,. That would be a lot of individual pours on something like this though...


Should work. Just watch for the sand shifting. Dont need epoxy migrating to a lower hole where it could drip away. There are several methods that will work each one has its pros and cons.


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## Jolie0708 (Feb 21, 2021)

Gorgeous!


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## ScoutDog (Feb 21, 2021)

Simply amazing! Two questions: 

1) Where do you find such pieces of wood? 
2) Do you ever / Might you consider removing the bark on such a piece? 
While I don't do turnings, I love mesquite, and I find the bark just doesn't hold on worth a flip. The sooner I remove it all, the sooner I get over it and pursue the project. 
Thanks for sharing!


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## barry richardson (Feb 21, 2021)

Thanks JB. There is a large green recycle operation near me where arborist drop off all their waste. The owner let's me pick through his yard, it's over 40 acres of wood piles...
If mesquite is turned not too long after being cut, the bark stays on nicely, after its been down a while it gets loose. I took some loose bark off this one but left the secure stuff for the visual effect...

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | Informative 1


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## Bean_counter (Feb 21, 2021)

Wow Barry that is an awesome piece! I like it just the way it is

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## T. Ben (Mar 3, 2021)

WOW! That is a fantastic piece.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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