# spalting maple



## bigjohn1895 (Feb 2, 2012)

hey all im in the proses of trying to make some maple logs i have into spated maple 
seems to be working but slower then i thought it would. any one elce try this how long did it take 
also did you part burry the log or just leave it on damp ground


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## betterbuilt (Feb 2, 2012)

bigjohn1895 said:


> hey all im in the proses of trying to make some maple logs i have into spated maple
> seems to be working but slower then i thought it would. any one elce try this how long did it take
> also did you part burry the log or just leave it on damp ground



I spalted a log by accident once. It was supposed to be firewood. I put it in a spot where the grass grows real high. The grass grew up and it spalted pretty good, to good for firewood. I have had friends bury them but they over think it. They usually end up with the ends a little spalted. I think all you need is a little dumb luck and it'll happen. My advice is simple dark and damp enviroment but not to damp that it rots.


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## discounthunter (Feb 2, 2012)

i dont bury mine. i rub dirt and sawdust from the area(which has produced spalting before) onto the log ends. i due this periodically ,for several months to a year. works ok. worst case is i just get more firewood ,less prodject wood,lol


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## john taliaferro (Feb 3, 2012)

Nothing fancy just parkem in the shade with smaller ones . We cut in to the smaller ones to time the splating , then give the larger logs just a little time .


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## peterrum (Feb 3, 2012)

I have heard that covering the log with dead leaves, hence retaining the moisture in the log, will help. I have never tried it though.


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## Dave Boyt (Feb 3, 2012)

*Fungus*

The spalting is caused by a fungal activity-- part of the natural breakdown of the sugars in the wood. Humbling to think that a lowly fungus can make such incredible patterns in the wood. Anything that will promote fungal activity will help-- warm humid environment. Half-rotted leaves and compost (I've been told horse manure works well) between the layers of wood help, because they'll already have the fungal spores in them. You can speed up the process by sawing it into boards first, then immediately stack it with no spacers between the boards. In this case you don't want the wood to dry out. The half-rotted leaves between layers and water will help. I've done hickory this way with good results in about 6 months over the summer. Send pics when you're done.


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## bigjohn1895 (Feb 3, 2012)

thanks for the help so far i guess i was doing everything rite last summer but there just not turning as fast as i thought they would 
i think ill try adding horse manuer next time im doing this for carving so cutting them into boards is a no go but sould i block out the carving 
get it close to the shape ill be carving out of it then try to spalt it


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## brookpederson (Feb 4, 2012)

I dont like to let the logs get to wet. There is I fine line between spalting and rotting, so off the ground but in the shade and in a pile works good. I have also heard that the tannin in oak leaves can start the process too. I also find that a year to two years is best.

Here is a pic of some spalted maple I've been selling on eBay.


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## trimmmed (Feb 4, 2012)

Bag them, and throw some spoil in from the cuttings of some fungused wood. You can see the results of 3 months in the bag below, the normal looking one was the control and shows the color going in. All are maple, finished bowl is 17" x 7" tall


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## Talltom (Feb 4, 2012)

Good article in FWW magazine on DIY spalting (Issue 199; Jul/Aug 2008). Your Library may have back issues. Much easier if you cut boards or blocks first so you can check how it's doing. FWW recommended burial in damp vermiculite in a plastic container to keep moist and checking progress after 6 weeks & every 2 after that. There should be plenty of fungus spores already on the surface of wood that had been in the woods during warm weather. I usually just stack boards w/o stickers or short logs in the woods & hope for the best. One stack of hickory boards glued itself together so tight that I couldn't get them apart. Results have been marginal with hickory and beech, but I didn't expect much or put much effort into it.

Best results have come from hickories that have started to rot as they are standing. Photo below shows spalted hickory next to regular heartwood. The spalted hickory looks "aged" like old barnboard but you don't get the black lines and significant color differences that you do with spalted maple. 
View attachment 221743


I have a 32"inch dbh hickory that died 2 years ago and that I took down last spring that should provide me with more spalted hickory than I can ever use.


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## glennschumann (Feb 5, 2012)

*Linke to the FWW article*

Here is the link to the Fine Wood Working article. The author goes by Dr. Spalt in some other forums.

Spalt Your Own Lumber - Fine Woodworking Article

Enjoy!


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## Talltom (Feb 5, 2012)

Great find! Lots of info on Dr Spalt's blog and at the northernspalting website. Not just rotted wood!

Nice bowls, Trimmed. I inherited a lathe from my father but haven't used it yet. Maybe this will be the inspiration I needed to get started.


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## brookpederson (Feb 12, 2012)

View attachment 223314


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## brookpederson (Feb 12, 2012)

View attachment 223315


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## SDB777 (Feb 12, 2012)

bigjohn1895 said:


> hey all im in the proses of trying to make some maple logs i have into spated maple
> seems to be working but slower then i thought it would. any one elce try this how long did it take
> also did you part burry the log or just leave it on damp ground



Pretty much all my 'forced spalting' occurs once the temps get above 65-70 degrees, it's all but turned off right now until winter/springs gets finished.

I keep the wood damp, dark, and stacked with already spalted wood....nature does the rest.





Scott (damp, dark, and stacked....sounds like my ex) B


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## Healeydays (Nov 15, 2012)

I've had a lot of luck just laying the logs in a shaded corner of the yard and a mixture of maple leaves and a little compost of leaves and grass on them and let nature do it's thing. Helps that we get the seasonal changes here in NH with humidity and freezing to ease the wood into spalting mode...


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## Dave Boyt (Nov 15, 2012)

Healeydays, I like that avitar of the wooden mouse. You make it?


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## Healeydays (Nov 15, 2012)

Dave Boyt said:


> Healeydays, I like that avitar of the wooden mouse. You make it?



No, but it can be bought at Wooden mice AlestRukov but his cheapest one is 800 Euros.

Come to think of it, maybe that would be an interesting line to get into...

I just figured if I am on the web, and am dealing with a wood site, why not use this as my avatar.


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## Dave Boyt (Nov 15, 2012)

Wow, 800 Euros? Tell you what... you get a CNC router, & I'll supply the wood, and we'll split the profits. :msp_smile:


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