Spalted beech - a few questions...

[PAC]

Hi all,

Got a few questions...I know that spalted beech is caused by a fungal infection in the wood but how could you identify such a piece of wood in the field? Is it usually still attached to the tree or lying on the ground? How do you know when the process of decay has proceeded too far (i.e. wood is too weak)? What's the best way to season this wood - long lengths with bark attached or sawn into bark-free blocks? I'm assuming the latter will dry out too quickly and increase the chance of cracking. Could you create spalted beech by storing unspalted beech in a particular way?

On a separate issue. When turning a goblet, for example, should the centre of the branch never pass through the piece? I've seen a video on the Net where a goblet was turned from a branch only slightly wider than the piece. I guess that the blank was centred so that the pith avoided the stem of the goblet but surely some of the piece had the pith running through it. Would this only crack if the wood wasn't completely dry? Or does wood constantly expand and contract (and split) after it has been seasoned due to changing atmospheric humidity?

Hope you can help.

 

[cornucopia]

hello look here for some help about storage and helping the spalted process along.
splated beech will only occour in dead logs not in the living tree as basically its the first signs of decay, somtimes you get a dead branch in a tree that will spalt.
splating in a log can be recognised by white blotches on the log and a genral look of decay (but not too much!!)
The only way to tel if its gone too far is by trial and error and a bit of experince, genrally from starting with a fresh log spalting takes 18 to 24 months to be good and then if the wood is not dried by 36months it will start to have gone too far. And yes if splating has gone too far you will have a soft corky wood that will not take a clean cut.
I do dry small sections by sealing the ends with old oil based paint and bringing them inside my workshop.

goblet: genrally you do not want the pith in the stem, if you oriantate the blank so that the pith goes through the stem at some point that will be o.k but slightly weaker than if it wasnt there at all.

 

[PAC]

Great link - many thanks! Need to find myself some beech and get spalting!

I've been looking closely at trees recently and noticed there's a lot of dead wood out there, still attached to the tree. Is this a good source of timber or is it better to start with the greener material and spent a few months/years drying it?

 

[cornucopia]

as agenral rule of thumb i prefer to start with green wood- but every now and then i do find a special piece of dead decaying timber that is worth the effort but you must be carfull when turning this material as it can be very unstable.

 

[Bodrighy]

If you are turning spalted wood also be aware that it is full of mould & fungus. Make sure that you have adequate cover for your health.

Pete

 

[cornucopia]

If you are turning spalted wood also be aware that it is full of mould & fungus. Make sure that you have adequate cover for your health.

Pete

a very important issue- the fugus which attacks the wood needs a warm moist place to live, so breathing this dust is very dangerous, I tend to forget because i have been using my dust protection since i started 11 years ago- i use s trend respirator( never remove it inside my workshop) a microclean(constantly running) a fine dust extractor (running whilist sanding).
I use these methods for all wood except really fresh/green wood (the sort that sprays water out as you turn)for this i use a full face visor.

 

[PAC]

If you are turning spalted wood also be aware that it is full of mould & fungus. Make sure that you have adequate cover for your health.

Pete

Good advice! Is spalted timber unsafe for use in fruit/food bowls or does the finish keep the spores/fungi inside?

 

[cornucopia]

as soon as the wood is dry the fungus attack stops. draw your own conclusions about safety