Mesquite gets cooking

Tiie Iiardwood Series

For 20 years The Merchant Magazine has regularly covered a wide range ofhardwood topics, and reprints of the original articles are now available.

Domestic and foreign hardwoods are discussed, including individual analysis of all the top commercial species and even a number of lesser known, underutilized woods.

The articles are on Domestic Hardwoods (21 articles, gl2), Soutbeast Asian Hardwoods (nine articles, $7) and South American Hardwoods (eight articles, $6), or all tbree sets, including 38 separate reprints, for $19. Mail your check to The Merchant Magazine,4500 Campus Drive, Suite 480, Newport Beach, Ca.92660.

A LTHOUGH it is most commonly cut lilup into chips for use in barbecuing, mesquite is starting to smoke in a variety of other structural and decorative applications.

A native of the American Southwest, mesquite (Prosopis j uliflora) can be found in both North and South America. Thehardwood, though itlooks more like an oversized shrub, is also knownas ironwood, algaroba andhoney locust. It is often confused with the U.S.' honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthus).

Not lustrous but fragrant, it features a rich, dark reddish brown heartwood with wavy darker lines and distinct growth rings. Grain is straight to wavy, texture medium to coarse.

Timbers are hard, heavy, tough and strong, with high bending and crushing strengths, plus moderate stiffness, resistance to shockloads and steambend-

Wendling Nathan Co.

Quality & Dependable Service in Forest Products since l9l4 Ats) 461-1627 ing classifications. It tends to develop small checks when air dried but little other forms of degradation. There is small movement in service.

Storyat a Glance

Durable, aft ractive hardwood isanativeAmerican . . uses growing yet sizes yielded and defects limit applications.

Mesquite works easily with most hand and machine tools with slight resistance or blunting and finishes smoothly. Pre-boring is necessary for nailing. It glues well, but is difficult to stain and achieve a goqd polish.

The wood is durable, but somewhat susceptible to termite attack and, when freshly felled, pinhole borers. The heartwood is resistant to preservation treatment but the sapwood is permeable.

Uses include heavy structural timber, vehicle bodies, fumiture, cabinetry, joinery, railway sleepers, poles, piles, turnery and sliced for decorative veneers.

Although the trees are fairly fast growing, timber availability is hampered by their yield. Wood can have numerous defects, from ingrown bark to mineral streaks. Additionally, applications remain limited due in part to the small size of boards the woodproducesfrom lO to 24 inches up to never more than 3 feet.

December 1992

BE Names New Chief

Michael Hecht has joined Builders Emporium, Irvine, Ca., as chief executive, after resigning as president of Carter Hawley Hale Sores.

Hecht takes over a company in the middle of a long-term expansion program. The 101-store chain has added seven new stores in the past two years, remodeled at least 30 over the past three years, and plans to continue the pace at least through next yeaf.

Latham Backs Into Ghapter 11

As part of the final stages of liquidation, Latham Lumber Sales, Roseville, Ca., has filed for Chapter I I bankruptcy after the expected sale of 28 acres of company-owned land collapsed.

Though a second buyer reportedly has begun negotiations for the property, Latham's bank pulled the plug on its credit after the initial deal fell through. Latham now owes $1.83 million to Union Bank, which already had extended credit lines two years beyond its original commitment.

Listing $3.61 million in liabilities and $4.1 million in assets, Latham filed for Chapter 1l reorganization rather than Chapter 7 liquidation so that it could continue managing the sale of its assets, to ensure the highest return for crediton.

In 1990, Latham employed about 200 people and reported gross sales of $34.6 million. Hit by the recession and a downturn in the construction and development industries, the 30 year old company closed its doors earlier this year.

Latham's founder and sole owner, Ralph Latham, is helping son George open a building components, manufacturing and wholesale company, which makes walls, doors and windowsi in the more accommodating economic climate of Atlanta, Ga