Spalted Box Elder

[Prashun Patel]

I came into some logs from a neighbor and have been turning it for a couple days. Wow, it turns so wonderfully. However, it has this sweet, pungent stink to it. Is it just my wood, or have any of you experienced this? I'm going to let this dry and warp b4 putting a finish on it.

[Michael Ginsberg]

I just recently worked on a similar piece. I did not notice any odor at all.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Prashun - I've turned some Box Elder and never noticed any particular smell. Just a suggestion when you go to finish it, if you use a finish with UV protection, it should help the red in the wood from fading into a brown. I haven't tried it yet because I turn Box Elder so seldom but have been told that it works.

[Jon Nuckles]

I have some newly cut box elder and it has a distinctive smell, but it is more like freshly cut grass or hay. Mine is not spalted, nor does it have much of the red (unfortunately), so maybe that has something to do with the stink?

[Gordon Thompson]

i've turned manybox elder pieces, and every one of them smelled like skunk!

[kenneth walker]

Here in TN we call box elder fish wood because it stinks like dead fish.

[Kathy Marshall]

Very nice Prashun and a nice chunk of wood. It's going to look even better once you get a finish on.

[charlie knighton]

like your form, looking forward to the finish

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really nice piece. Looking forward to seeing it with finish. I have never had a smell with the box elder I have turned.

[Dale Miner]

Just about every piece of box elder that has been on my lathe had an unpleasant smell. They tell me that if the tree grows over a septic field...

[Jamie Donaldson]

The smell is often caused by the red spalting, which is actually decay in the wood, and not lightfast. There is no known way to save the red color with finish, but it can be enhanced by painting red pigment dye over the original red color with a small brush, then when the spalting fades the dye pigment will remain, and if artfully done will appear natural.

[Chris Barnett]

Beautiful wood, and looking forward to seeing a picture when finished. Remember, if you cut off the waste with a saw, you can perhaps use the cutoffs for breathtaking pens with the red, or even just uncolored burl.

[Jeff Fagen]

I turn a bit of Box Elder and it always smells like a wet army blanket to me.

[Prashun Patel]

About how long does it take for the red spalting to fade? Sad. Here's another rough turned bowl I've got drying right now.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Depends on the amount of exposure to light, but while it's fresh like that, start painting with some diluted (H2O or alcohol) acrylic red paint, and follow the original patterns to save the color. That is a wonderful piece of ambrosia maple, and you'll be thankful that you "enhanced" the permanence of the color a year from now when the original red is gone, and the painted on red remains.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Prashun,
That's a spectacular piece of Box Elder. It will be a shame to see the red fade. However, it ultimately will. How soon depends on where the bowl lives. I think, though I may be wrong, UV rays fade the red color. Finishing it with UV protection will help buy the finish itself may affect the overall color of the bowl. Enjoy it while the color remains and get ready to turn another one when the red goes away.
faust

[Jon Nuckles]

Prashun, I just went back to my sweet smelling stack of box elder after going through some walnut that was starting to crack and had to get roughed out quick. The first piece I turned stunk! It had a decent amount of the red staining along with a punky knot or two. Empirical evidence that Jamie is correct that it is the staining that causes the smell. More experiments to follow.:)

[Prashun Patel]

Shellac and wax.
I really love the way this wood turned, dried, sanded and finished. I can't wait to start on the rest of the blanks.
Comments/critiques welcome.

[Bill Bolen]

I've never turned it but always hope to stumble across some big stuff one day. Very "artsie" form. Looking good.

[Baxter Smith]

Beautiful piece of wood. Just bring it out for company and it should be bright for a long time!;):)