Bookmark Accounts
Home Articles Forums Gallery Marketplace Videos
Have a question? Ask Woody!

WoodCentral Forums

Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998

Good Hope Hardwoods - Walnut Slabs & Specialty Hardwood Lumber

Glow-In-The-Dark Shavings ?

Posts

Glow-In-The-Dark Shavings ?

#1

Brad Vietje

Glow-In-The-Dark Shavings ?

Brad Vietje

Hi all,

Anybody out there noticed a greenish glow coming from your piles of shavings?

We're talking bioluminescence here, or "foxfire"... I have never seen it near the lathe, but then I don't usually hang out near sharp tools in total darkness.

We use a composting toilet at home in which we do our business and then dump in a scoop or two of wood shavings or sawdust as cover material. A few nights ago I got up to visit the "lovable loo" at 3 AM, and opted to leave the lights out, since there was enough moonlight for navigation, and when I lifted the lid to the toilet, lo & behold, there were 3 small glowing green things in there, like fireflies (or lightning bugs)! Flipping on the light revealed that they were 3 light colored curly-q's of what appeared to be slightly spalted Red Maple -- the only light colored wood I had been turning in the past week.

Anybody seen this? Not sure if just dampening the shavings with water would do it, or if urine is involved in re-activating the dormant fungal spores in the dried wood (?) You might have to pee on your sawdust pile to get the effect, but since I'm a science geek, I may just have to figure this out! 8) (I also have a pile of shavings out behind the barn where I could easily test this idea)

Don't worry -- I an NOT about to post a photo of the inside of my toilet! Well, that's enough humor for one day!

Safe spinning,

Brad Vietje

Newbury, VT

Re: Glow-In-The-Dark Shavings ?

#3

Re: Glow-In-The-Dark Shavings ?

John K Jordan

I've seen plenty of bioluminescence when walking around the farm at night with no light. (Besides pieces of wet wood, I've seen several glowing insects besides fireflies, especially some kind of grub)

I like to shine a strong 365nm UV light into my tub under the lathe full of random shavings. A number of woods naturally fluoresce, some strongly and some very weak. Some, according to what I've read, fluoresce only when moistened by water or alcohol.

The possibility of visible luminescence from fungus without energy from UV makes me wonder what would be emitted WHEN hit with UV. Maybe I can try some shavings from spalted turnings, both dry and liquid plus UV.

BTW, in my search for a useful UV light I purchased a bunch of cheap ones advertised to be 365 nm and most of them lie, at least part of the time. Those at a longer wavelength are useless for wood and most anything else. On a recommendation I found on the Candlepower forum I purchased one of these and it is FANTASTIC!:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014AYMBMQ

JKJ

Re: Glow-In-The-Dark Shavings ?

#4

Re: Glow-In-The-Dark Shavings ?

Mike Brazeau

Brings back memories to my Gramma's when I was a wee boy. Out the back door and across the lawn to the outhouse complete with Eaton's catalog and it was not for reading. Do not remember anything glowing though!

Re: Glow-In-The-Dark Shavings ?

#5

Not many spiders this time of year

Dick Coers

but you could sit there and watch them in the summer.

Re: Glow-In-The-Dark Shavings ?

#6

Ah the good old days ...

Geoff Whaling

when paper was paper.

Brad I have seen many examples of bioluminescence at night both on land and in the water. Fascinating subject to contemplate while on the crapper.

Re: Glow-In-The-Dark Shavings ?

#7

whole other universes

Jorge Castañeda

are found deep in there! :D

We have lots of polyspora fungus in our boreal spruce forest, they like birches mostly and sometimes red maples. In the right combo of temperature and humidity they glow.

Re: Glow-In-The-Dark Shavings ?

#8

Brad Vietje

Re: Ah the good old days ...

Brad Vietje

I've seen some really impressive displays in the wake of a sailboat at night in salt water -- just magical.

Safe spinning,

Brad Vietje

Newbury, VT