spalting

[Paul.J]

I was carrying on with getting some pieces prepped for meths drying,when i noticed that all the pieces on the bottom of the pile had this green stuff on.
I planed some of the top surface off and noticed that it was deep in the wood.
Is this the start of spalting :?: If so would it be worth holding fire and leaving these blocks to go their course :?:





Paul.J.

 

[wood yew believe it !]

by the looks of the pics m8 it was already in the wood, but yes if i were you i'd leave it for a little longer and see what happens, you could end up with some realy nice green streaks through the wood!! you may find u will actualy have fungus growing on the outside as well if left long enough!!

atb dave :wink:

 

[Paul.J]

Thanks Dave.
Is it best to leave the blanks as is,just concerned about the pith on some of the blanks and splitting.
Paul.J.

 

[Bob Chapman]

Hi Paul,

You don't say what the timber is but looking at the photos, I wonder whether the line across the timber could be the central pith of the log. The piece to the left (in the top photo) has a similar line and I wondered whether that was the other half. If so, then I would plane it all away before using the blanks (or turn it away once its mounted on the lathe). It's hardly ever a good idea to include the centre of the log in your turning.

The pale areas in the planed photo do look like spalting.

Bob

 

[Paul.J]

Hello Bob and welcome.
Thanks for your reply.
Bob Chapman wrote
You don't say what the timber is
No Bob i don't know what the timber is. :? I have got several woods and don't know what any of them are :roll:
It was given a few weeks back from freshly felled trees.
Cut it up split it and left it and was going to start part turning when i noticed the green colour on all that i have.
I was going to remove all the pith area but now just wonder if it would be o.k to leave beacause of the spalting process.
Paul.J.

 

[Bob Chapman]

I'd still remove the pith. Did you know you can encourage spalting? Soak it overnight in water with some ordinary fertiliser added, then wrap it in cling film and leave it for a few weeks. I've only tried it once, but it does work. Anyway good luck with it, whatever.

Bob

 

[Scrums]

They look like Sycamore to me and one is showing spalting - problem with Sycamore ( If it is! ) is that it gets a dirty, weathered, grey look at times - if not kilned, apparently the tree is supposed to be felled when the sap is 'down'.....or maybe up, ....no, down :?

I've got 10 cube 'air' drying in the workshop at the mo'......and I'm very hesitant to look at it.

....no help at all really......

Chris.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Bob

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Bob Chapman]

Thanks Neil, nice to be here.

Bob

 

[Mark Hancock]

Hi Paul

I'd agree with Chris, the timber certainly looks like sycamore with that characteristic brown streak across it. Sycamore also developes green specks as it starts to weather. These then turn very quickly into a greyish colour making the timber look rather dirty. If you turn it whilst the green is present you may be able to keep that colour in the finished piece.

As I understand it this isn't referred to as spalting but weathering and is to do with something that is already in the timber when the tree is living which reacts with the air( :?: )when the tree is dead/cut down. Sycamore is the only timber I know of that has to be end reared when seasoning ie you put the boards upright and not horizontally in stick in order to prevent this weathering effect and to get the nice clean white/cream colour. This effect is also reduced by harvesting the timber when the sap is down ie at the back end of the year. If you get Sycamore when the sap is rising/high the timber deteriorates very quickly. If discolouration occurs it's sold as weathered Sycamore.

 

[Paul.J]

Thanks Chris/Mark.
I think i will carry on with it.
Paul.J.

 

[Paul.J]

Part turned the blank in the piccy above,went in about 3"-4",and the green specks were still there,deep inside.
Paul.J.