Salvaged Wood

[David Fried]

Found a small piece of Spalted Maple at the dump - it was in their firewood pile. Another turner had the piece split while attempting a small bowl. Looks like I can get four pen blanks out of it. Strange where you find wood.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Ain't Spalted Maple beautiful..................when done?

You Bet!!!!!!!!!!!11

Bruce

[Alan Ryalls]

hi david,nice pen.
i always think,when you find something,for nothing,it makes it extra special and if you keep one the history remains with you
regards alan...............

[Keith Cope]

David,

I'm with Bruce--that's not spalted maple. Looks more like ziricote. Whatever it is, though, you did turn it into a great looking pen!

Keith

[Jeff Sudmeier]

That is a great looking pen! Always nice to have to wood be free too!

[Joe Melton]

Nice work, David.

I've been wondering about the best way to find spalted wood. Do you look for tree stumps to cut down, or for fallen logs? How do you assess the condition of the wood before going to the trouble of hauling it home and cutting it up?
Of course, there are those who spalt their own wood, but that is too much trouble for me.
Joe

[David Fried]

Ain't Spalted Maple beautiful..................when done?

You Bet!!!!!!!!!!!11

Bruce

Since I can't even identify trees half of the time I don't suppose I stand much of a chance of identifying little pieces of wood.

I looked at some pictures of Ziricote online but those pictures didn't look like what I have. I found some pictures that are supposed to be Spalted Maple and they do look more like what I have.

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/maple,%20spalted.htm

I have attached a picture of all the pieces from the broken bowl. This picture was taken outside in natural light so perhaps it will give folks a better idea of what the wood really looks like.

I guess my question is how do I go about identifying this wood? I love a good mystery and apparently wood identification is something I need to learn. Is this a question for a different forum? Surely the creek has some identification experts!

Thanks in advance.

[David Fried]

Nice work, David.

I've been wondering about the best way to find spalted wood. Do you look for tree stumps to cut down, or for fallen logs? How do you assess the condition of the wood before going to the trouble of hauling it home and cutting it up?
Of course, there are those who spalt their own wood, but that is too much trouble for me.
Joe

So far I've just been lucky. The guy at the dump saw me throwing away the box my lathe came in and volunteered that they had a broken bowl in their firewood pile.

I showed the pen I made to a woman at the general store and she told me she had found some splated wood in her firewood pile. She thought it was too nice to burn so she set it aside but didn't know what to do with it. I assured her that the thing to do was to give it to me! I'll keep my fingers crossed.

The town cuts down trees that are in the way or sick and piles them up at the dump so that is the next place I'll be looking. The few spalted pieces I saw there were too far gone. (sneeze and you have sawdust).

I am tempted to try the spalt-it-yourself method, just as an experiement but that will have to wait for summer because I'm not bringing the bag in the house!

I do check folks wood piles, with permission, every chance I get but so far all I've come home with is some Birch and Apple. Still, the price was right!