Spalted lumber

Spalting is any form of wood coloration caused by fungi. Although primarily found in dead trees, spalting can also occur in living trees under stress. Although spalting can cause weight loss and strength loss in the wood , the unique coloration and patterns of spalted wood are sought by woodworkers. The partial decay, called spalting, gives the wood dark contrasting lines and streaks where fungus has begun to attack the wood. If the wood has been rescued from the spalting at the right time, the lumber should still be sound and usable, with little to no soft spots or rotten wood.

It has great black line, color variation, and character. A note on spalted wood and your health: There is a misconception among many woodworkers that working with spalted wood is particularly dangerous. Oak is the most popular wood for woodworking.

Most fungal spores are about as harmful to a healthy adult as wood dust, so if you sand spalted wood , wear a mask. The unique patterns and coloration of the spalting process can add value to wood which otherwise might have a low-value. Spalted Wood By Alan Lacer When wood is captured somewhere between the extremes of being completely sound and fully rotten, it can display magnificent beauty. Isn’t spalted wood rotten wood ? Yes, partly, but spalted wood is a beautiful and interesting product of nature that can be the main attraction of splendid woodworking. This causes some areas of the wood to bleach to a. Spalted wood is finding a new chorus of supporters—but what it is, exactly?

Curly Spalted Maple Specie Description: Curly spalted maple is a splendid choice of wood for the artisan and ultimate consumer of luxury wood products. Some examples of its use include fine furniture, musical instruments, and luxury writing instruments. Architectural Digest may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our. Material is kiln drie but some pieces may contain very little residual moisture. Pin and bug holes are common.

This is beautiful, rustic grade wood with lots of character! The wood is drie preventing further decay. Spalted Maple may exhibit on or more of the following characteristics: pigmentation, white rot and black lines. These characteristics are in the very nature of spalted wood , and contribute to its natural beauty. Spalted Tamarind is a beautiful wood from Southeast Asia.

Much of this wood comes from logs that were either found on the forest floor or were cut and then allowed to spalt in the very damp warm conditions of the jungle. Old time turners suggest contact with earth, or old leaves. I have successfully spalted sweetgum bowl blanks by burying them in leaf piles in my yard.

I have spalted the sapwood of black walnut and white oak. Curly maple, tiger maple, and curly cherry are our specialties in figured lumber. Our curly maple and tiger maple are available with heart color or selected for prime white color. Our curly cherry is selected for good red color and fantastic curl from the forests of Pennsylvania.

Spalted Maple figure is often even more dramatic than the figuration in Quilte Curly, or Fiddleback Maple. You can identify spalting by the distinct black and brown lines winding through the light and dark patches in the wood. Spalted maple is similar to ambrosia maple in the sense that it is not a kind of maple tree itself. Instea it originates from maple wood , but is created during the stages of decay. Producing Spalted Wood In the decorative wood market, spalted wood is in high demand.

The fungi create fizone linesfl in the wood where territories of competing fungi meet. A bowl is turned from spalted maple, using a bowl gouge and a large scraper. Finding Exotic Spalted Wood Lumber - a woodworkweb video. Alternatively, take a course on wood decay fungi at your local university.

What about spalted wood shavings? Spalted turning blanks (bowl and pen) are available for purchase through Oregon State University. Below is a list of what is currently available, and what is ‘cooking’ so you can plan your shopping accordingly.

Spalted beech will be somewhat less just because the market is not as strong generally but I do get it. I have also picked up spalted box elder, pecan, sycamore, birch from time to time. QxI6W Using different kinds of woods is a real highlight of woodworking. Spalted Maple is not technically a species of Maple or a type of figure, but like figured wood it is highly sought after for the great character it adds to an otherwise ordinary board.

This is the first of three articles on techniques for working with spalted and degraded wood. It covers, among other things, the methods for mounting problem wood on the lathe. Figured Lumber Welcome to the brand new online store at crlumber.

Our store will feature unique individual boards, wide boards, sets from the same log, book matched boards, musical or luthier quality lumber , figure domestic, quartersawn, and exotic hardwood lumber. Pecky Bolivian Walnut Lumber Just Arrived! Often tossed aside as damaged wood , craftsmen are seeking out spalted wood more and more for exactly the reason it is often trashed. Darker strands travel haphazardly throughout a piece of spalted wood , creating contrasting waves and lines that enhance the grain as only nature can.

Our goal is to provide unique wood cuts that no others do provide, at an affordable price.