The up's and downs of home spalting!!

[cornucopia]

Hello folks
I thought i'd share with you some pictures from two beech logs which have been/meant to be spalting in my log stash


this is the 1st log i dug out its about 22" long by 18/20" diameter

the weathered end not giving away many clues- could it be stunning??

the view after docking a couple of inch of (both ends)
its not plain old beech but its not zonal line spalting either

marked out for two vase blanks and two bowl blanks

the resulting blanks

next log (fingers crossed)

the end view
as before its not what i was hoping for but they will make interesting pieces and you cant win them all.
I cut this log in a similar way to the first, giving me 4 blanks

all the blanks together

the resulting shaving's to clean up!!
3 bin bags full

 

[Bodrighy]

Spalting is generally hit and miss isn't it. I have had some with the black lines some with fantastic blue and red markings...just never know until it's cut open. Even then it can often surprise you deeper into the wood.

Pete

 

[loz]

Might not be what you were looking for George,....

but i know theres be 8 more inspiring photos from you in the near future, and that i look forward to

Loz

ps - did you say Bowls ? - you mean wide rim hollow forms surley ?

 

[Paul.J]

Looks interesting George.
The first seems it will have some nice brown colouring to it.
Will you start turning them straight away now :?:
Is that a new chainsaw :?:

 

[cornucopia]

yep bowls loz- i rough them out and season them and sell the rough outs-somtime's i'll make one.

yep i'lll work them this weekend paul and no my chainsaw's a few years old, i bought it when i was doing my tree surgeon training.

 

[Dalboy]

Just out of interest how long did you leave the logs for

 

[cornucopia]

this batch has been left for 12 months- a cut a couple of them last week and they were great.

 

[OldWood]

I do realise after reading this thread that beginner's luck does apply here in that I have access to a whole fallen beech tree that is spalting. The trouble is that I have the material but absolutely zero level skill to be able to use this bonanza !!

The thing that has surprised me is that I put up a note on the wood turning club notice board about this beech, and no one has contacted me.

OW

 

[Oakbear]

Never mind George, you've never know what lurking inside, so it may be a pleasant surprise! It looks like something interesting is going on at least...

OW - Surprised there's no interest! If i was nearer i'd happily help you out. :lol:
Means more for you to play on though!

 

[Bodrighy]

I know of someone who called their local woodturning club about a walnut tree that had been felled and they had no-one get back to them. I think some people just don't bother. Me...I grab what I can when I can :lol:

Pete

 

[cornucopia]

I find theres a number of reasons why allot of woodturners aren't interested in fallen tree's etc:

lack of understanding about wet wood and using logs instead of boards/blanks.

lack of room to store them- my log area is 15'x9'

no acess to a vechile to collect them-my van can carry 450kg, i put 5 or 6 of these size beech logs in the van- i estimate each log weighs between 60 and 80 kg (when fresh)

lack of conversion equipment

all of these pieces came from the same batch

as did these two

sometimes one log can be great and the log next to it plain- there from the same tree etc and have been stored in the same way, i find its part of the magic, if you got great spalting every time it would soon get boring :roll:

 

[Jonzjob]

The only spalted wood I've turned was 'aquired' fron my neighbours fire wood pile before we moved over. She drove a hard bargain and wanted log for log! I have never tried to DIY, don't really see the point?

 

[wizer]

I love the idea of using fallen trees in my turning. But for all the reasons George stated, it's hard for me to do. It's so labour and time intensive. I completely agree that it's worth it. At least it is if you survive

The main attraction for me in fallen trees is size. I'd like to make some over sized bowls and even HF's in the future. That is if my little lathe can handle it :^o :lol: