Moldy, Cracky Beech

[Prashun Patel]

A glutton for punishment, I'm working through a pile of beech from a tree in my yard. My rough outs are simultaneously prone to cracking AND molding.

If I wax the roughouts it too quickly and thoroughly, it molds. If I wait, I risk cracks. So, my question is what do you guys do here?

I've misted a couple with diluted bleach before waxing. Is there a better way?

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Prashun,
Let it mold. Mold will turn away and if it does not, it will add character to a boring wood. Cracks will not usually turn away. Too bad you didn't leave the tree in log form until you were ready to rough turn. Savor any crotch wood you get. The grain is wonderful in the crotch. Don't seal the grain until you cut away the cracks.
faust

[Robert Henrickson]

Turn it to finish, rather than roughing out.

[Scott Hackler]

Soak it in Dna prior to waxing. The alcohol "should" kill any mold spores. (at least I would think)

[Bernie Weishapl]

Mold will turn away and I soak in DNA before I anchorseal.

[Reed Gray]

I have had little opportunity to turn beech. I have heard it is crack prone, and considering how my blanks cracked, I agree. Make sure to round over your rims. I use stretch plastic film over the rim, wrap it around a couple of times, a little over on the inside, and most of the rest over the outside of the bowl. Start them out on the concrete floor, out of any wind or light. I do turn to final thickness, 1/4 to 1/2 inch max. I like warped bowls.

I did hear of one turner who would sink his rough turned bowls in a clear water creek behind his shop for 2 weeks or so, and that solved his cracking problems. Boiling is another option.

robo hippy

[Pat Scott]

For really wet rough outs, I'll bury the piece in the pile of wet shavings overnight or for several days until I wax them. The shavings will slow air movement and slowly absorb some of the excess moisture. A couple of times I've left pieces overnight and forgot about them, then a week later I remember. When I uncover them I'm expecting the worst, but to my surprise the shavings in the middle of the pile are still wet and the bowls are fine with no cracks.

[Baxter Smith]

Spalted beech can be very pretty Prashun. It would also take some of the rush out of getting it all turned right away as well.

[Prashun Patel]

Thanks for all the recommendations.
I guess I'll err on the side of mold. Fortunately, these latest cut offs are from the trunk and quite close to the bark. After a week, I'm not seeing the same type of initial movement that I did on some of the branchier cut offs that I did last fall, which were much closer to the pith.

Baxter, thanks for the spalting recommendation. I set a few of the remaining blanks in my back yard yesterday in a moist bed of leaves, earth, and a little 'turkey tail' I found on a decaying log.