# Hornbeam??



## Paul.J (12 Feb 2011)

I managed to get some Hornbeam logs the other week,but can't seem to find much info regarding turning it and storing it.
I know it spalts nicely but again can't find any info on this.
So just wondered if any one as any experience of turning it and how it turns and finishes. :?:


----------



## gnu (12 Feb 2011)

I have turned it, grown it pruned it and dug it up. It is very hard and cuts and finishes well and produce a stock product made from splated hornbeam and spalts fairly similar to birch in that the black lining can vary in thickness. If I rememer the leaf was very similar to beech and was really tough to prune as young standard sized type trees in the nursery. Also I believe it was used for pattern making due to its hardness and being a very stable wood. Regards LAC


----------



## Finial (12 Feb 2011)

Hornbeam is good stuff, nice to turn, with a fine subtle grain and it spalts well. If anyone is interested I have a spalted hornbeam bowl on my web site http://www.turnedwoodenbowls.com/product/woodenbowlmadeofspaltedhornbeam88.html

at the moment.

Terry


----------



## János (13 Feb 2011)

Hello,

Hornbeam is heavy, 830 kg/m3 (average dried weight), close grained and hard. It is prone to fungal attack, warping and checking. Shrinkage is T: 11,5% R: 6,8% V: 19,7%. It has pronounced ray cells, so it is beautiful if quarter-sawn.

By,

János


----------



## Paul.J (13 Feb 2011)

Thank you for the replies  
Will it be ok to keep stored in log form,for some time,do i treat it like Beech if i want it to spalt??
Nice site Terry and bowl.
Janos-What's T- R -V %s :?


----------



## Finial (13 Feb 2011)

Thanks Paul.

To spalt it, I would leave it in uncut with the ends protected, on the ground, in the shade, in a damp location where there is good plant growth to keep it humid. Timing is tricky because you need to cut it to see progress. Try after 6-12 months perhaps? Just take a couple of inches off one end and see what is happening.

Terry
http://www.turnedwoodenbowls.com


----------



## Paul.J (13 Feb 2011)

Thanks Terry.
Would you compare it more to Sycamore spalting,which is faster i think than Beech,and once it starts goes down hill quickly. :?:


----------



## Finial (13 Feb 2011)

Here is a spalted sycamore vase http://www.turnedwoodenbowls.com/product/spaltedsycamorevase47438.html

The spalted sycamore I have seen has a less distinct patterning than either beech or hornbeam, more cloudy, but still a nice effect. I don't know which would spalt faster, most of my spalted wood is spalted when I find it though I do sometimes try to make it turn. The best seems to come from very shady woodland where dead leaves etc cover the logs.

I have a plain unspalted hornbeam bowl on my bowl pages too, for comparison.

Terry
http://www.turnedwoodenbowls.com


----------



## Paul.J (13 Feb 2011)

Nice little vase Terry with nice colouring for Sycamore.
I have had both Beech and Sycamore when freshly felled and have found the Sycamore to turn/spalt far quicker than the Beech,which took nearly two years.Also the Sycamore goes more punky quicker i found :?: 
I guess i will just have to see how the Hornbeam goes,but from what i've seen it looks promising  
I know my friend Frank had some Hornbeam blanks from Mike Swain a few years ago and it looked a very white colour with very black thick lines through it.He said it turned lovely.


----------



## János (13 Feb 2011)

Hello,

T is for tangential, R is for radial, V is for volumetric shrinkage... I have not spared the typing in the end :wink: 

By,

János


----------



## Paul.J (13 Feb 2011)

Thanks Janos


----------



## Finial (13 Feb 2011)

Glad you like the vase Paul, thanks.


----------



## Paul.J (13 Feb 2011)

No problem Terry.
I like the Burr Acasia bowl best of all.Great and unusual grain pattern with a nice design


----------



## mike s (15 Feb 2011)

is it possible to spalt ash logs with the method terry suggested?


----------



## Paul.J (15 Feb 2011)

mike s":bn8bfgmp said:


> is it possible to spalt ash logs with the method terry suggested?


Which method is this Mike :?: 
Ash will spalt i have turned a lump of it today with some spalt in it.

*Finial wrote*


> To spalt it, I would leave it in uncut with the ends protected, on the ground, in the shade, in a damp location where there is good plant growth to keep it humid. Timing is tricky because you need to cut it to see progress. Try after 6-12 months perhaps? Just take a couple of inches off one end and see what is happening



Sorry Mike just saw what you mean.  
I think spalting is a lot of trial and error with varying timbers.
I have had Sycamore spalt when it as been kept fully in the dry.
Beech i have tried to encourage it to spalt quicker by leaving it on bark chippings outside and covering it with the shavings from previous spalted turnings to try and get the spores into the new wood.
It just a waiting process with it but keep checking it every month or so for signs on the end grain


----------



## Finial (16 Feb 2011)

As far as I'm concerned it's trial and error. I just try to give the log the same conditions it would get in the woods and hope for the best. Can't claim to have done much of this though. I don't have enough space.

I doubt the spores come from the shavings, the log will eventually produce toadstools on the surface and they give off the spores, which are quite likely already all over everything waiting their chance to grow. Seems to me keeping it damp and shaded are good things to do and contact with the soil will probably help. Protect the ends or you will just have spalted matchsticks. 

I don't know how ash looks when spalted, or if it spalts.


----------



## frugal (17 Feb 2011)

Have a look at this Fine Woodworking article. It shows one way to spalt planks, and there should be no problem using a similar technique for larger boards or logs. There is even a spalting blog


----------



## Paul.J (17 Feb 2011)

Good links Frugal.Plenty their to be getting on with


----------

