SPALTING

"C.B." was good enough to provide these comments and allow me to quote her:

"When most woodturners refer to spalting, it usually means an introduction of dramatic color or black into specific grain lines. This is sometimes produced by mold growth in live or cut wood, insect infestation, or various types of wood disease or rot. A lot of turners try to create situations which mimic the "natural" occurrence of spalting, as some otherwise "plain" timber can have a startling visual effect when spalted. Spalting can include myriad forms and colors, depending on the wood, the cause, the chemical elements introduced, etc.

One problem with true natural spalting is that it is a form of decay, and can leave very "punky" spots in an otherwise dense wood vessel, leading to sanding nightmares for the finished piece. People with mold allergies can react negatively while turning and finishing it, also.

Feel free to send your pictures to me if you'd like. If it's something I've never encountered before, we have a Guild of over 150 members with combined experience of several "centuries", so we should be able to find an answer for you. Is there any particular reason that you need to know, or is this more in the line of expanding your wood knowledge?

Loved your info on the walking sticks!"

This is the picture which I then emailed her. After she saw this picture, "C.B." wrote back:

"Ken - YES, it sure looks like spalting to me!

Be sure to wear a dust mask or breathing protection of some kind while sanding, as you never know what "nasties" you'll release into the air from the spalted sections, due to the variety of causes to create it. No sense in finding out you have a severe allergy to mold or other spores right in the middle of a project! It sure does produce some dramatic color in the wood, though.

As a woodturner, I have developed throat swelling allergies to rosewood that I would not have believed possible. Same goes for mold!"

Thanks VERY much, "C.B."

"J.J." allowed me to quote him as well, after he studied that same picture; he wrote:

"Ken, it does indeed look like spalting. However, normally you can observe the spalting better on the end grain. Cut the end off, maybe sand it a little, and it may show better. Also, be aware that the spalting may not (probably won't) go all the way thru from end to end. In other words, the fungus has a straight shot at the cut off ends and start living there. It takes a while for them to move deeper into the grain, or up/down the stick.

Regarding breathing the sanding dust: Aerobic bacteria (which lives in the presence of oxygen) is responsible for spalting. We breathe in all sorts of that bacteria all day long. Mankind has long ago become acclimatized to that sort of bacteria, and under normal circumstances it does not affect us. However, anerobic bacteria, which lives in the absence of oxygen (think septic tank) is another matter. We do indeed have a bit of immunity to these critters, but they are much more dangerous than aerobic bacteria.

Which brings me to my story. 16 or 17 years ago I roughturned a vase, sealed it in green wood sealer (thick latex paint without any pigment) and set it on a shelf for a couple of years. Then I took it down, re-turned and sanded it. I noticed that I kept sneezing and my nose started dripping. Within 24 hours my jaw was totally locked, my nose ran constantly, I had a horrible headache. I lost 15 lbs in 3 days. Doctor put me on antibiotics which did not help at all. After 8 days, he suddenly realized that I was in bad shape and gave me a 'super antibiotic'. The shot alone cost $75 for a single injection. But it worked. Within 24 hrs I could open my mouth a little, and could actually eat. The infection had settled in my sinisus. Ultimately we determined that it was the anaerobic bacteria from the wood that did me in.

But unless you totally seal the wood up, or store it in your septic tank, I think you are safe. If you have doubt, just use a good dust mask. Don't know where you would get a good one in your neck of the woods, but you can order them over the internet. And since you sand outside (mostly), I wouldn't worry about it.

Again, the black lines I saw in the photo looks like spalting. But, spalting also occurs when large areas of the wood turn brown, blue, grey, or other not so nice colors. But yours looks good.

THANKS very much, "J.J."

"A.H." also commented and sent me pictures of vases which he turned on his lathe after deliberately causing the wood to become spalted; it added unique effects to the vases. He also agreed that my picture showed spalting.

Benefits of Spalting:

Frank Hasty was good enough to share with me his experiences with Spalting and showed me some of the fantastic work he is doing. Here are his comments:

If I'm sanding I use a fancy 3M mask, I should use it all the time.

I cut that tree a year or so ago and dipped the ends of five "fireplace length" sections in hot parafin. They were then stored in my shop. I live on the south Georgia coast in a high humidity area. There was some punky wood but if I'm careful I can use most of the log. I pulled the rest of that wood off of the firewood pile today but I'm sure it has cracks and isn't spalted, at least not as well as these.

Here are some small bowls I'm working on.

Thanks for sharing, Frank!

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ken@sticksite.com