# Spalted Wood...



## Jim Frye (Aug 24, 2016)

I was at the local hardwood dealer earlier this week getting some maple for a new project and while the owner was measuring up what I picked out, I was drooling over his figured wood stock. He had some reclaimed barn wood that was really striking. It was all spalted with tiny insect holes all over it. Not sure what I'd make with it, but I put a bit of water on it and it was just beautiful. Guess I never thought old barn wood would be so special. I also noted that he had a lot of natural edged slabs in stock too. He said they have become quite popular.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I discovered some along my country road*

I had stopped to move a fallen tree out of the road and had to chainsaw it into pieces. When I looked at the ends of the logs I couldn't believe what I saw, it was so beautiful I took them back home. I made several projects like small chests and boxes with the wood.
Here's a link to some beautiful projects using the wood:

https://images.search.yahoo.com/sea...82e2f4768f75f59c1c4ce7b4293a.jpg&action=close

Here 's an example of the Spalted Maple:


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## Pineknot_86 (Feb 19, 2016)

wnt, you struck gold, or should I say, wood! That will make a nice project. Anything in mind at this time?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Actually, that isn't the wood I found but .....*



Pineknot_86 said:


> wnt, you struck gold, or should I say, wood! That will make a nice project. Anything in mind at this time?


I have made several projects a keepsake box and this chisel rack:
 

 

 




I had to resaw the logs into thinner slabs using this setup:
    

But enough about my stuff, back to the original post.


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## Nathan Parker (Jul 23, 2016)

Well, now I regret burning a whole big tree's worth of spalted sugar maple last year. The tree had been standing dead in my yard for a while; when it finally came down I sawed it up for firewood. Tough, too - splitting that stuff by hand was a workout and a half!


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Jim Frye said:


> I was at the local hardwood dealer earlier this week getting some maple for a new project and while the owner was measuring up what I picked out, I was drooling over his figured wood stock. He had some reclaimed barn wood that was really striking. It was all spalted with tiny insect holes all over it. Not sure what I'd make with it, but I put a bit of water on it and it was just beautiful. Guess I never thought old barn wood would be so special. I also noted that he had a lot of natural edged slabs in stock too. He said they have become quite popular.


Sorry Jim that isn't spalt, spalt is what Woodenthings showed.....the little holes is what some call wormy BUT actually the little holes are most of the time from beetles. BUT it can make some beautiful wood!!!!

It seems their not too choosey about a particular flavor of wood BUT there are a few that hardly ever see them in.....hickory seems to be the first attacked and cherry and walnut are less likely BUT I've see them in those also.

Spalt is a bacteria(????) type of a rot process...the first and second stage start fighting and the black lines come along afterwards, as it enters the 3rd stage it's starting to rot.. I push the limits on amount of time it takes and sometimes cross the line and loose the log....risky BUT fun challenge.

Thanks for posting though.


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## Jim Frye (Aug 24, 2016)

Well, yes it was spalted. I've been around wood working long enough to know spalt when I see it. The entire board had the color from the "bacteria" running all through it. The wood also had the tiny insect holes all over it. They were little more than pin pricks in the wood, but the coloring was really spectacular. The dealer even commented on it. Wish I had a camera with me then.


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Sorry Jim ....I misread the way you had typed it, I thought you missed used the term and was saying ".... it was all (spalted) "covered" with tiny holes all over it".. MY bad...I goofed. No harm intended.


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## Jim Frye (Aug 24, 2016)

Hey, no harm, no foul. Thanks.


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