# Good Spalting or Rotten?



## sleevecc (Jan 4, 2012)

Ok Im sure to some this is going to sound like a really stupid question for the people that know what is going on. On my land here I have found several fallen trees some are huge white oak trees that have excellent blackline spalting in them, my question is how do you know when the wood is too rotten to be cut up for turning? Is there some certain rule of thumb that I can follow? I do not turn the wood myself, I have been getting the wood for other turners and such and I do not want to waste my time cutting up wood that is too far gone for turning, Ill cut it up to go in the wood stove instead. Any suggestions wood be most appreciated.

Thank you.

Steve.


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## del schisler (Nov 5, 2009)

sleevecc said:


> Ok Im sure to some this is going to sound like a really stupid question for the people that know what is going on. On my land here I have found several fallen trees some are huge white oak trees that have excellent blackline spalting in them, my question is how do you know when the wood is too rotten to be cut up for turning? Is there some certain rule of thumb that I can follow? I do not turn the wood myself, I have been getting the wood for other turners and such and I do not want to waste my time cutting up wood that is too far gone for turning, Ill cut it up to go in the wood stove instead. Any suggestions wood be most appreciated.
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> Steve.


Just cut some cookies and if solid than they will be ok. But if soft inside than they are to far gone. With oak i bet they will be ok. Oak doesn't rot to easy . cut and than you will know


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

I found if it's too rotten for turning .....IT DON'T BURN GOOD EITHER:thumbdown::laughing::yes:.

I did have some maple that was dead and spalting and left standing till the wind got it... Not worth burning. There is a fine line.... but remember this is a rot process....between good...beautiful/ sound..... and oooopps a little tooooooo long. I left some laying too long and would occasionally dry out from the sun. I sawed part but decided too much punky wood and scrapped the rest after slicing ends several feet and not able to salvage.

There's an "art" to it....but most of it is experimenting in your CLIMATE.

Best wishes with your logs and send pics of product(s).

Have a Blessed day in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## VaureyWWC (Feb 21, 2011)

It should be fine do like the above cut a cookie out and see if soft. If your turning you will more than likely need to stabilize the wood.


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## sleevecc (Jan 4, 2012)

I mean my chain saw, ran through it like it was butter (20" harsqavana rancher 455) , I mean it like flew through 30 inches of wood,,, but the inner which has some worm holes and such looks wild, but not hard its SOFT, I assume according to the saw its **** wood but yet i think in my brain the saw flew through it like butter,, im newwwwbe ,,,,I cut wood, what do I look for?.. and what do I MAKE SURE I do not see? mainly? I do not wanna give people crap wood.


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## sleevecc (Jan 4, 2012)

sleevecc said:


> I mean my chain saw, ran through it like it was butter (20" harsqavana rancher 455) , I mean it like flew through 30 inches of wood,,, but the inner which has some worm holes and such looks wild, but not hard its SOFT, I assume according to the saw its **** wood but yet i think in my brain the saw flew through it like butter,, im newwwwbe ,,,,I cut wood, what do I look for?.. and what do I MAKE SURE I do not see? mainly? I do not wanna give people crap wood.


is it normal for people to take soft awesome looking wood harden it then turn it? i wanna sell this stuff, but I DO NOT WANT piss people off giving them cool looking wood but yet they cant turn it.. I have too much wood and KNOT enougn knowledge,, and thankt you guy for talking with me 


Steve


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## sleevecc (Jan 4, 2012)

Tennessee Tim said:


> I found if it's too rotten for turning .....IT DON'T BURN GOOD EITHER:thumbdown::laughing::yes:.
> 
> I did have some maple that was dead and spalting and left standing till the wind got it... Not worth burning. There is a fine line.... but remember this is a rot process....between good...beautiful/ sound..... and oooopps a little tooooooo long. I left some laying too long and would occasionally dry out from the sun. I sawed part but decided too much punky wood and scrapped the rest after slicing ends several feet and not able to salvage.
> 
> ...


yeah sorry I did not catch everything you said ,, I now know there is and art, as in there is an art in just running the freehand chainsaw,,I can cut,,have been for 25 years keeping my house warm, Im just curious or worried when I try/if I sell this stuff what folks need, HOW soft the wood can be,,,? if I take a pocket knife and flick the wood should it fly off or should it be unflickable??? lolloollo jeez Ill post some pics tomorrow,,, Holly I know,,soft pretty white stuff this white oak and gum I do knot


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## del schisler (Nov 5, 2009)

sleevecc said:


> I mean my chain saw, ran through it like it was butter (20" harsqavana rancher 455) , I mean it like flew through 30 inches of wood,,, but the inner which has some worm holes and such looks wild, but not hard its SOFT, I assume according to the saw its **** wood but yet i think in my brain the saw flew through it like butter,, im newwwwbe ,,,,I cut wood, what do I look for?.. and what do I MAKE SURE I do not see? mainly? I do not wanna give people crap wood.


Just cut a cookie and take a hammer and just hit the center and work your way out to the edge if the head of the hammer goes in the wood that that is no good for anything. but if it dimples than it should be fine. Now don't swing the hammer like a axe cutting wood it should have a solid sound if a dull sound than you are done a couple way's to tell. . I have cut lot's of timber also you should be able to tell hard wood from soft ?


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## truckjohn (Oct 31, 2011)

If you can push a pencil into it - it's probably too soft....

I suppose another option would be to cut off a section and hand it to one of your wood turning buddies.... If they go "Ewww! Mushy!"... then it's probably too far gone...

Thanks


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## ETWW (Mar 27, 2011)

sleevecc said:


> I mean my chain saw, ran through it like it was butter (20" harsqavana rancher 455) , I mean it like flew through 30 inches of wood,,, but the inner which has some worm holes and such looks wild, but not hard its SOFT, I assume according to the saw its **** wood but yet i think in my brain the saw flew through it like butter,, im newwwwbe ,,,,I cut wood, what do I look for?.. and what do I MAKE SURE I do not see? mainly? I do not wanna give people crap wood.


 
Just from that post, I would say the wood is too punky to use. wood hardener works in small areas but if the entire piece is soft, it's not worth turning. 

Spalted wood suitable for turnings or non-structural areas in flatwork is very sound, even when it has that awesome zone-line spalting. 

Too bad, too. A 30" White Oak would have yielded some awesome QS lumber.


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## PSDkevin (Dec 18, 2010)

Agree with truckjohn. Show it to some turners. Even then just accurately describe what you have. I know for me some times i will take a chance on some cool looking wood. Sometimes i can make it work sometimes not but I know I am gambling.

Someone who turns regularly should be able to give you an idea if it's worth your time.


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## alexanderbuzzsaw (Jul 8, 2011)

What kind of wood hardener is best and do I plain down the wood and then put the hardener on and how do you kill the fungus are keep it from rotting anymore


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## ETWW (Mar 27, 2011)

I use Minwax Wood Hardener on turnings. It's a clear, watery liquid that comes in can that looks like the ones that contain brake fluid. It will really soak into punky wood.

The spalting will stop when the moisture content drops below 25%. That won't take long indoors once the wood is cut ito smaller dimensions. A large turning blank, however, may retain enough moisture to support the spalting process. With highly spalted blanks, I usually rough turn them, soak overnight in denatured alcohol (the Dave Smith method) and then let dry. The DNA soak may even work to stop the spalting on full-sized bowl blanks if it is able to penetrate the wood easily.


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## alexanderbuzzsaw (Jul 8, 2011)

ETWW said:


> I use Minwax Wood Hardener on turnings. It's a clear, watery liquid that comes in can that looks like the ones that contain brake fluid. It will really soak into punky wood.
> 
> The spalting will stop when the moisture content drops below 25%. That won't take long indoors once the wood is cut ito smaller dimensions. A large turning blank, however, may retain enough moisture to support the spalting process. With highly spalted blanks, I usually rough turn them, soak overnight in denatured alcohol (the Dave Smith method) and then let dry. The DNA soak may even work to stop the spalting on full-sized bowl blanks if it is able to penetrate the wood easily.


Thanks for the advice let me ask you this. I have boards that are 15 inches wide and 12 long with spalting so I would have to build something to hold the denatured alcohol to cover the wood for 24 hours and then let it dry and then I can build with it is that right.
Thanks


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