Spalted Wood? or Chainsaw Fun?

[Mike Cutler]

I have a question, What exactly makes wood spalted?

I was having a little fun with the chainsaw this morning, on a load of hickory logs I've had laying around.
I had read an article, a few years back on "making" spalted maple, so I figured I'd try it out with these hickory logs.

Here are the pics for comments. Is the wood worth keeping, or should I send it up the chimney this winter?

[David Fried]

Certainly looks spalted - I would use it.

If you decide to send it up the chimney set a log aside for me! :D

[Brett Baldwin]

I agree. Looks like it would make interesting door panels or boxes or something like that.

[Chris Barton]

Is spalted. Spalting is the early stages of fungal decay of the wood. The trick is to stop the spalting prior to turning all the wood to rot. All you have to do to acomplish that is dry it and keep it dry.

And by the way, the wood is worthless. Send it to me so I can make sure it is disposed of in a environmentally friendly way.

[Mike Cutler]

I
And by the way, the wood is worthless. Send it to me so I can make sure it is disposed of in a environmentally friendly way.

Yeah, it probably doesn't have much BTU value for the wood stove:rolleyes:. If I could just figure out how to ship you these logs in an monetarily friendly way, we'd all be set.;)

In all seriousness though. I've never been a big fan of the spalted wood look, maybe for small stuff, but not furniture. Just a personal preference here. This was kind of an experiment
I've been considering having this wood sent to the sawyer up the road, but in all honesty, I don't know what I would do with it once I got it back. I have 8 logs 7' long and 14" to 20" in diameter. I would hate to just burn it, if it had value.
Any thoughts?

David, you are more than welcome to one of the logs, but they are heavy bro':eek:

[Andy Hoyt]

Yikes Mike!

That be turning stock.

I might just have to come down to the banana belt and take it off your hands.

[Chris Barton]

What Andy said... Check in with your local turners club and I bet you find plenty of takers...

[Fred Voorhees]

Mike, I had a very similar situation a number of years ago. I was chopping up some firewood and got into some maple and came across some spalting wood. To nice to burn up the chimney so I set it aside and cut it up into some small pieces on the bandsaw and used it for some small projects along the way. Below are pictures of two of the projects. The walnut and maple box was a gift for a close buddy of mine. I used the project to experiment with some inlaying as I inlayed the spalted maple into the walnut top. The second picture is of a cassette tape box that I had used in my pickup truck to hold a few tapes.

[Mike Cutler]

Yikes Mike!

That be turning stock.

I might just have to come down to the banana belt and take it off your hands.

Hmm.... If you like those for turning, I have 10 cypress, and red cedar logs, with lots of knots and burls. Pretty red colors too. The Sap wood is starting to dry out on the cypress, but the heartwood is still pretty solid.

If ya' decide to come down to the "flatlands", neighbah' I'd be pleased to meetcha'.

Wow Fred! Those are pretty nice looking boxes, maybe I'll give some of it a go on a small project like those. Nice work.

[Andy Hoyt]

Mike - I am interested. Can you post some pics of the logs.

[Mike Cutler]

Andy.
I sent you a PM.;)

[Richard Wolf]

Not to hijack Mike's tread or be a spoil sport, but what are the health implications of working with spalted wood? I think I remember reading a story where someone got terminaly ill from the fungus. Is my memory failing me or is there a real concern?

Richard

[Fred Voorhees]

Not to hijack Mike's tread or be a spoil sport, but what are the health implications of working with spalted wood? I think I remember reading a story where someone got terminaly ill from the fungus. Is my memory failing me or is there a real concern?

Richard
Richard, you do have to be careful and use some caution when working with it. Simply wear a dust mask or better to prohibit inhaling any wood dust and the like.

[Ian Abraham]

Not to hijack Mike's tread or be a spoil sport, but what are the health implications of working with spalted wood? I think I remember reading a story where someone got terminaly ill from the fungus. Is my memory failing me or is there a real concern?


Yes.. there are still fungus spores (inactive) in the wood even after it's dried. They may be toxic or some people have an allergic reation to them. Dust mask and / or good dust extraction highly recomended, you dont want that stuff in your lungs. Once the piece is done and the wood is sealed with a finish it's safe.

Cheers

Ian

[Syd Lorandeau]

Hi Mike,
I have not got out a map yet but I would be interested in buying some bowl blanks, all those woods sound good. Send me a PM.
Thanks,
Syd

[Rob Russell]

If anyone is interested, I still have these free black birch bowl blanks (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=22788) sitting in the yard. Who knows - by now they may be starting to spalt, although I haven't looked at them

Rob