For years had problems with wood Beatles tearing through a lot of hard work, but found out if you cut mesquite during a new moon it prevents the bugs. An old ranch hand told me its worked his whole life. So starting on a new moon you have a 15 day period to harvest.

I think the old ranch had did some trolling

You're seriously worried about insects in wood you are going to burn?

Log: not so much the wood but the posts for fencing. If mesquite wood gets infested by these Beatles, it can rot and fall apart in as little as 6 months. This could be beneficial for people who don't BBQ often, and would like to store their BBQ wood for long periods.

[This message has been edited by Wilsonag12 (edited 12/26/2012 4:33p).]

This works with bar sloots too.

Lungblood:

Going to have to give your theory a shot.

This only works if it's the first new moon of the year.

That may be true but I would be suspicious. I've worked with mesquite a lot and the lamp is the only piece of wood that I have ever seen where they have really attacked the interior and this was a long time dead tree....rotted in the center.


What I see...and I've been told that they are about a dozen varities or so.... that attack just inside the bark edge. You can see all of the epoxy filled worm holes. If you don't gas them they will keep on munching.

I read an old woodworking book ( before electricity). It said to cut all your wood on the full moon in February. It said the sap is the least on that day. Said they would cut a years worth on that day/ week.

Another crazy but awesome fact in the book. The first project of a wood smith is his table. Since it is custom, the working height is made to fit each worker. The correct height of a table is halfway butween your elbow and wrist. It will get rid of back pain.

Good stuff trip!

Reviving the old post. I've heard variations and theories that supposedly come from old caballeros. Plan to test this theory this winter with a few variations.

Not sure, but I think castrating calves falls under this same general rule.