Spalting Birch Question

[John Altberg]

I scored four large pieces of freshly cut birch from a tree that was taken down due to rot. The sections that I got are solid, from the lower trunk, 12-16" in diameter and length and are showing some early signs of spalting. If I leave these in log form with the ends sealed, what are the storage conditions that will most likely allow the spalting to continue?

John

[Donny Lawson]

1st I would not seal the ends.Find a moist or damp place where the sun doesn't hit very much.Lay the log on the ground and if there is any oak leaves around pack leaves on each end to where it covers the ends of the log.You don't have to use oak leaves but they work best.Then wait. Your spalting will not begin until the temp. gets around 70 and above.The fungus thrives in warmer temps. and makes spalting faster.The main thing is to keep the log out of sunlight if possible.It can take as long as 4-8 months depending on the conditions.Google How to spalt trees and you will find all kinds of info.
Donny

[Jeff Nicol]

I have turned tons of this wood and if you let it go to long it will turn to powder. I would seal it for now and get it inside to dry and stabilize. It will continue to spalt some as it is still wet. But for me the faster I can get it rough turned and then sealed the better. Birch is not a very forgiving wood when it rots it goes fast.

Jeff

[Steve Schlumpf]

John - at our turning club meeting this past Tuesday evening we were lucky to have an actual expert in the field of spalting wood come and share her knowledge about the process. We were all amazed at her knowledge and even though I have spalted White Birch a few times - learned that I just lucked out as I had no understanding of what really was going on.

The speaker, Sara Robinson, is just about ready to graduate with her PHD from Michigan Technological University on the process of inducing and stimulating spalting - so is truly an expert in the field of spalting! The cool thing is, Sara is also a turner!

I am still trying to absorb as much as I can from that meeting's flood of information - but here's some online info from Sara.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesArticle.aspx?id=32484
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spalting

And here is her website: http://web.mac.com/kaysa_gabriel//Northern_Spalting/artist.html

[Baxter Smith]

Interesting post. Thanks for the links Steve. Lots to read. Anyone think of a reason why if you rough turned a bowl and it was pretty bland, you couldn't then place it in a plastic bin to let spalt like they did with the lumber in the FWW article? Then check it on the same schedule as described.
Would miss out on the discovery part though which is half the fun!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Baxter - you can spalt a roughed out bowl - I have. The key is to control the climate - you want moist, but not wet, and dark conditions for things to take place. Plus - you have to introduce fungi to the wood because that is what caused the spalting. Nice thing with spalting a rough out is that the wood is thinner than a log - so it doesn't take as long to get the desired results.

I sent Sara an invitation to check out (and hopefully join) Sawmill Creek. Her knowledge on this subject is vast and it would take away any of the guessing most of us do when it comes to trying to spalt green wood.

[John Altberg]

As usual, SMC has proven to be a treasure trove of knowledge! Thanks, Steve, for the links. I won't have time 'til later today to take a look. It is a shame when the need to make a living interferes with my desire to explore my hobby!

John

[Bernie Weishapl]

Thanks for the links Steve. Lots of good info for sure.

[Roger Wilson]

...what are the storage conditions that will most likely allow the spalting to continue?...


Check out this website. The woman is a scientist and has gotten spalting down to a science. There are articles on the web about her work as well.

http://www.northernspalting.com/

[Seri Robinson]

I sent Sara an invitation to check out (and hopefully join) Sawmill Creek. Her knowledge on this subject is vast and it would take away any of the guessing most of us do when it comes to trying to spalt green wood.

Thanks for the invite, and sorry it took so long to get on! Per the original question, I would not recommend sealing the ends unless you are putting the wood in a very dry place. Otherwise, leave it unsealed, keep it moist and dark, and spalting will happen relatively quickly. And try to keep it above 70 degrees if at all possible.

Best of luck!

[Cody Colston]

The speaker, Sara Robinson, is just about ready to graduate with her PHD from Michigan Technological University on the process of inducing and stimulating spalting - so is truly an expert in the field of spalting! The cool thing is, Sara is also a turner!

I read Sara's FWW articles when they were published but somehow I missed that she is also a turner. That's pretty neat.

In addition to telling how to induce and control spalting, Sara also corrects some of the misinformation about spalting that is prevalent on the net, especially among turners!

There's a saying, "Where facts are few, experts are many."

I hope Sara joins and participates at SMC so that we can have a real expert to turn to on the subject of spalting.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Cody - Sara joined today - actual name is Seri Robinson. I look forward to having her become an active participant!

[Seri Robinson]

I hope Sara joins and participates at SMC so that we can have a real expert to turn to on the subject of spalting.

Hey Cody, thanks for the welcome! I'll be lurking on the forum in case anyone has any burning spalting questions.

[Cody Colston]

Hey Cody, thanks for the welcome! I'll be lurking on the forum in case anyone has any burning spalting questions.

Woo Hoo. Welcome and thank you for joining SMC.

[David E Keller]

Welcome aboard, Seri! Looks like I've found somebody who is crazier about spalted stuff than I am.:D

Lots of good info in the links, and some very nice turnings in her gallery.

[Stephan Larson]

Seri,

Welcome, welcome I think you will find this to be a great bunch of people always willing to help and gladly give praise and tips. Your addition to the site can only increase our enjoyment of the craft and more of a slippery slope into the VORTEX.

Steve

[Seri Robinson]

thanks for such a warm welcome everyone!

[Joe Scarfo]

I hope Seri reads this....

I live in WI and just scored a 3520b and love the look of spalted wood...

Given winter is coming and we need to keep the wood above 70 for the desired outcome...

What if I stuck some wood in containers full of dirt... in the basement? Although the temp may not be 70, it'll be a who lot warmer than what's outside...

Do you think I'll have success? Or is about 70 the threshold for the fungi to take hold?

Thanks again...

Joe

[Ken Glass]

Seri,
Welcome. I hope we can all draw on your experience with Spalting, which by the way, does not seem to be a word that spell check likes very much, but we all know better.

Steve,
Thanks for your invite to Seri. I am sure she will feel at home here at the Turners forum.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Seri,

Welcome and I really enjoyed reading about spalted wood and the fungi that make it happen. I look forward to more information. And thanks to Steve, yet again, for introducing Seri to all of us at SMC.
fmr

[Seri Robinson]

And indeed, I did read it. The e-mail helped that though.

In answer to your question - the basement is better than nothing, and the soil will help insulate. I'd still recommend your bathroom or someplace near a heater, but I understand that not everyone has as forgiving a spouse as I do :eek:.

Fungi can grow well below 70, they just don't like it and are therefore a little pokey.

Good luck!


I hope Seri reads this....

I live in WI and just scored a 3520b and love the look of spalted wood...

Given winter is coming and we need to keep the wood above 70 for the desired outcome...

What if I stuck some wood in containers full of dirt... in the basement? Although the temp may not be 70, it'll be a who lot warmer than what's outside...

Do you think I'll have success? Or is about 70 the threshold for the fungi to take hold?

Thanks again...

Joe