Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998
Spalted woods?
Mk
>So I received my first few spalted woods yesterday to turn. Is there anything different in the way they act compared to non-spalted wood?
Also, anyone ever hear of a tree called the "tree of life" from China? I would like to know more about its properties, if so. Thanks!
Re: Spalted woods?
Mk
>Sorry, it's called "tree of heaven".
Re: Spalted woods?
Carole in VA
>Ailanthus altissima - very common thoughout the US. Considered an invasive species and a trash tree. Have never turned it. I haven't noticed any real difference in spalted wood vs sound wood other than the fact that it is a little softer, but then my turning experience is limited.
Re: Spalted woods?
tek-Brunswick, Ohio
>Spalting is the stain from fungus. It is the beginnings of decay. Sometimes it turns like normal wood and sometimes there are hard and soft spots in spalted wood. You can get torn grain in the soft spots. If this is a problem, I usually wipe on a mixture of � sanding sealer and � lacquer thinner, and let it dry. Then I take my finish cuts. I also put on another coat before sanding. Some tuners say they have good results putting oil on the wood and that helps keep the tear out down. I have not tried that technique yet. You should always protect yourself from breathing dust when turning. This is especially important with spalted wood. Not only do you have wood dust to contend with, but also dust and spores from the fungus that makes the wood so pretty.
Re: Spalted woods?
John K Jordan
>I read in one book that people planted ailanthus since it looked "tropical" and grew fast. I've got some here by the barn and I'd rather have sumac! The male trees stink and to me the wood looks like it would not be too great for turning (or firewood). I cut a bunch down and burned them. However, if I had chunks in hand, I might try turning them, especially if it spalted. Been thinking of trying to turn wild grape vine and poison ivy - I have some vines at least 4" in diameter at the bottom.
JKJ in East TN
Re: Spalted woods?
tek-Brunswick, Ohio
>I have thought about the grape vines myself. Poison Ivy! Well, to me it wouldn't be worth the risk to try it.
Re: Spalted woods?
Ace Foster in Ben Lomond 95005
>Ailanthus looks and turns a good deal like ash - slightly yellowish, ring-porous not a lot of figure usually, seasons reasonably well. Stinks when green, but it wears off. Some of us will remember "A tree Grows in Brooklyn"; that was the tree.
Grape vines are very porous and not very interesting to look at when turned. Would be worth it perhaps just on the grounds of unusually large size.
Poison oak isn't worth the trouble except as an oddity; I would expect poison ivy to be about the same. Pretty soft, no figure to speak of, bland.
Ace
Re: Spalted woods?
Ed in No.VA
>Did grape vine. If turned green it exudes gum from the pores. Imagine each chip coming off the lathe with a builtin ability to stick to anything.
Lathe and tools covered with goo. anything you turn will crack like crazy as it dries.
Re: Spalted woods? *LINK*
JHS
>The tree was actually harvested for making furniture at one time. It's in the Sumace family, see leaf configuration in the link. The piece I got was very wet and soft. The pith has to be cut out or hardened with lots of CA. I turned it because the color of the annular rings ranged from off white to pastel green and orange, sort of like spinach or carrot pasta. The wood dries very hard and distorts symmetrically when drying.The rim shape on this bowl because the pith came apart. I cut the walls rather thick assuming the wood would dry soft,like other sumacs I've turned.
Tree of Heaven
