Splotching/Spalting

[Julie Wright]

Anyone know why this turned into black spots instead of the realy nice looking spalting? It is very wet, I think maple. I cut it into logs from a construction site about a month ago and its been lying around since then.

[Ted Calver]

Julie,

Could it possibly be a gasoline or oil stain from chainsaw bar oil? Any oily smell? Only a thought.

[Wolf Kiessling]

Anyone know why this turned into black spots instead of the realy nice looking spalting? It is very wet, I think maple. I cut it into logs from a construction site about a month ago and its been lying around since then.

That happens to me quite often, Julie. I don't think there is any way to predict how spalting is going to come out. I turned a bowl one time (can't remember the kind of wood it was) that had a little of the black line spalting on it. I decided I wanted a little more so I prepared it for spalting, put it away for about three months and all I got was splotches. Just one of those things.

Wolf

[Terry Quiram]

Julie

It is my opinion that your wood is just starting to spalt. You will need to leave it "cook" for a few more months. Seal the ends and put your wood in a plastic bag and leave it in a warm place.

Terry

[Jim Becker]

If you were trying to get spalting on your own, you might not have had the right conditions...it's helpful to have some spalted wood available as a "starter" (kinda like yeast for bread...<G>) in the form of chips or shavings. Put the log on the ground somewhere with the "starter" around it and cover it with a good coat of leaves. Let it sit for a few months and you "should" get some action. Spalting is caused by certain fungi and unless they are present, you will not get the effect. One place I've found a lot of spalted material is in Norway Maple...it's often in the tree even before it gets cut down...at least on my property!

[John Shuk]

Anyone know why this turned into black spots instead of the realy nice looking spalting? It is very wet, I think maple. I cut it into logs from a construction site about a month ago and its been lying around since then.

I too have alot of spalted Norway Maple on my property. I have seen A large Maple that a friend and I tool down get moldy spots very quickly. You just have to attribute it to a mold that finds the tree a good host. Remember that spalting is really fungus and if it is present then your wood is also on the cusp of rotting. It should take quite a bit more time that a few months to get much spalting at all. Leave some logs or blanks on the ground with some leaves covering them and you will eventuallt get some. Better yet look for tree that are already down for a while and you may get lucky.