black walnut sapwood turning green

Re: black walnut sapwood turning green

Dick Coers

Probably mold. Best home remedy I've seen is to rub down the sapwood with real lemon juice. The acid keeps it white. I don't know if you can recover what you have, but seen it work while the turning is fresh.

Re: black walnut sapwood turning green

don stephan

Iron turns wet walnut black for me.

Re: black walnut sapwood turning green

John C Lucas

Try lemon juice. It might get rid of black that gets there from the iro. In the tool reacting with the tannic acid. Green is probably mold and not sure if the lemon will do it but it certainly wont hurt. To avoid it in the future try blowing through the sap wood with an air compressor to get rid of moisture. Learned all of the above from John Jordan years ago

Re: black walnut sapwood turning green

Ron Bauer

Donna, Recently I was the recipient of some huge black walnut. I watched it being cut down so it was as fresh as it gets. When I blocked it at the site I also noticed an immediate, and I mean immediate, green color at the boundary between the heartwood and sapwood. I suspect it is an oxidation thing but don't know. Since the only metal that ever touched it was a chainsaw I don't think it is a tool related reaction. I think it goes away because a couple small natural edge pieces show no dis-coloration after drying. Please post an update after the pieces dry. For what it is worth I live in NE New York and here the ground is quite basic (limestone). Ron.

Fresh cut walnut heartwood is always green

Dick Coers

after it sees the air, it immediately starts to turn color.

Re: Fresh cut walnut heartwood is always green

Donna P.

Thank you everyone for your helpful thoughts and tips.

Re: black walnut sapwood turning green

Brad Vietje

Here's one I need to finish someday, photo taken during rough turning when very green.

This one didn't get a green cast, but I have seen this at the heartwood/sapwood boundary. This is Black Walnut, so maybe other varieties (English, Claro, etc...) behave differently. When using lemon juice, I would try to apply it to the sapwood only, but only out of suspicion that it could discolor the heartwood a bit too (?)

If you don't get to green Walnut soon enough, the sapwood can turn brown and sort of bruised looking. I have a good deal that's no longer white. I need to see if lemon juice, or even bleach will revive the white sapwood.

Safe spinning,

Brad Vietje

Newbury, VT

Re: black walnut sapwood turning green

Donna P.

Thank you Brad. Once I try the suggestions, I will certainly give some feedback. It was just luck that I came across these logs. I adopted some middle-aged chickens over the winter and needed some shavings, my neighbors insisted that I get my shavings from a guy nearby that makes sheds. Turns out not only does he make sheds, he also has a tree service.

Re: black walnut sapwood turning green

John Jordan

Finish turning the piece, then take your air hose and blow the free water from the sapwood. Its very easy to do on walnut. Blow it until the surfaces are dry ( the wood will still contain the "bound" water. Its the free water that supports fungal growth-remove the free water, no fungal growth. Blue/black stains are from the tannic acid in the wood reacting with metal. Lemon juice will take this off (your hands, too), but it will not remove fungal staining.

John

Re: black walnut sapwood turning green

Donna P

Thanks John, I will try it your suggestions.