HELP! My spalted wood is cracking!

[Brian Effinger]

Hi,
I received a package of some spalted wood blocks on Monday from an ebay purchase. They looked great, but I noticed that they were very wet (and anchorsealed) so I set them out in my home office to start drying. Well, tonight I noticed that 2 of the pieces are starting to destroy themselves.

The first one is cracking down the long axis.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=114826&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1238812638 http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=114827&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1238812638

The second piece is starting to peal on the spalted face.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=114828&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1238812753 http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=114829&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1238812753 http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=114830&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1238812760

I know I can't save what has already cracked and split, but I don't want it to go any further and ruin what I have left. For now, I have boxed them back up and will put them in the basement on the floor to try and slow this down. I would appreciate any advice on this issue. I am really desperate.

Thanks.

Brian

Oh, I wanted to add that I did email the seller before posting here. Since it is Friday night, and I don't know if they'll see it until Monday, I figured I'd post here too.

[Cody Colston]

Even with the Anchorseal coating, the air in your home office was much too dry and resulted in the blanks drying out too quickly, thus cracking.

The problem was very wet blanks introduced to a very dry environment.

You did the right thing by placing them in your basement. About all you can do now is hope they don't crack any more or hope the seller replaces them.

BTW, if the blanks were that wet, the spalting is probably still occurring. Around 20% MC is the minimum for spalting to occur.

[Brian Effinger]

I hadn't figured it would dry too quickly because I had a humidifier installed on the furnace back in December. My wife has asthma, and it helps if I have it cranked up between 35 & 40%. I guess that is still too dry.

As for replacement, I doubt the seller would do that because it's entirely my fault, but it would be really nice :)

One question though - can you feel the wetness of the wood through anchorseal? When I opened it up and felt the dampness, I had assumed that the sealer was recently applied. I don't know why I assumed that though, because I have never had the opportunity to use it (even though I live where the make this, and even drew an addition for them several years ago).

[David G Baker]

I try to keep my humidifier at around 50% druing the Winter months due to the static electricity that is generated by my wall to wall carpet. I frequently get zapped if I don't.

[Scott T Smith]

Brian, what species of wood is it, and what are the approximate dimensions on your blocks?

[Brian Effinger]

I try to keep my humidifier at around 50% druing the Winter months due to the static electricity that is generated by my wall to wall carpet. I frequently get zapped if I don't.

I find that when I get the humidity up around 40% I start seeing condensation on the windows so I'll back it off a little bit. Do you get that on your's? And it is nice to not get zapped by the light switches during the winter. :)


Brian, what species of wood is it, and what are the approximate dimensions on your blocks?

Scott, they are maple blocks. The one in the first photos is 3 x 9-1/2 x 1-7/8, and the second one is -3/4 x 9-1/2 x 2-3/8.

[Scott T Smith]

Brian, for some reason your photo's are not showing up on my computer.

I can provide you with the targeted daily MC% reduction rates that would be used in a kiln - basically a "drying schedule" for your blanks, but I need to know which dimensions are the "end grain".

Also, is the maple hard maple or soft maple? Do you have access to a high quality moisture meter?

Scott