[gdonham1]

I cut down a 100 year old mesquite tree about 2 years ago and milled it into to 2" slabs. That lumber is about ready to be made into dimensional lumber. I had a lot of scraps left over from the milling process and put it all into a 30 gallon trash can. I was a little bored today and it was over cast so I got out my SCM S400P 16" bandsaw and trimmed up the left overs. The bigger pieces are about 2" thick and the smaller is about 3/4" squarish. Cant wait to make some pens. The mesquite is so beautiful. The tree blew over in a wind storm and was still alive when I cut it down. The bigger slabs are just waiting for me to cut up and make a lot of things.

 

[gdonham1]

I have watched several videos on youtube about making a vacuum chamber out of a Harbor Freight paint pressure pot. They also have a cheap vacuum pump and with a few fittings you can stabalize pen blanks. I already bought some turquoise powder from Craft Supply USA and will most likely get to the pens after I get all of my unfinished projects in the shop finished. I have 5 mantle clocks 90T done and two chess/checker boards to finish as well as turn a set of chess men on a PSI lathe duplicator I have. I have already turned the pawns and have the blanks all cut and rounded for the rest of the pieces.

I am trying to clear the decks before I start any new projects.

 

[gdonham1]

I made the first pen from the above mesquite. I have two more blanks cut out and drilled but need to glue them up and turn.