# Spalting wood



## K Rex (Nov 23, 2010)

I decided to start a new thread for this topic in order to leave the GREEN WOOD thread intact.

Being an amateur mycologist, and having grown mushrooms for a number of years, it suddenly occurred to me that fungal growth is not uniform in speed with regard to species. That is to say some species will colonize far more quickly and tenaciously (i.e. deeper into the heartwood) than others.

Oyster mushrooms are quite notorious for being a rapid colonizer, and could theoretically spalt wood much more quickly than, say, common turkey tail fungi or a thousand other wood decomposers responsible for spalting. The spawn is available through many suppliers and could potentially be used to inoculate logs to speed spalting time.

Thoughts?

k


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Well if you can get it down to a science...patent it. (it's not been done yet) As an amateur mycologist you have leg up understanding fungus. Research the fungi that produce the most attractive results, not just "speed". 

In your research you will find you need several types of fungi to "battle it out" to see who gets to eat the wood first. This sets up boundaries, or color zone lines. One fungus will just rot the wood, any one fungus...throw a few more into the mix and you have a spalt party. 





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## slabmaster (Mar 30, 2008)

*spalt*

I find the best spalt at the ends of a trunk when laying on it's side and at the trunk base when standing. never as good at the center of each. What do you find?


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## greg4269ub (Sep 1, 2009)

Hey there all its been a while but I thought I would chime in on this one. I have been working on this pile o logs that has been sitting for a while. Almost each log I get from this farmer I know is spalted and I have found that spalting is best near where the end grain is exposed. It is not limited to the ends of the logs often I find good spalting where limbs have been cut off. I agree that the closer to the pith the less spalting I find. I have also encountered pink and purple coloring deeper into the log where I no longer find the black line spalting. I thought it was ambrosia coloring at first but have found no beetle holes near the coloring so it has to be some form of spalting. The pink and purple colors look awesome when a clear finish is used on it.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Rex I hope you experiment with your ideas. There's always something new to be discovered. If you have success make sure to send your recipe to me in a PM and do not post it in the public forum. :icon_cheesygrin:




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