making spalted wood

[opticsguy]

Since this is the processing forum i hope this is the correct place to ask this.

How do you folks make spalted wood?  I have had a few logs on the ground which ended up with some spalting, some had a little rot but the spalting was very nice.  So how to make more and consistently?   I live in the NW, (Seattle area)

I was thinking to cut the tree down and leave on site and pile dirt around the ends or even  over the top for one or two years?   OR?   Most of my trees here are maple and alder and cotton wood.

[kelLOGg]

I left red maple off the ground and outside for a year and it spalted nicely. I probably could have left it two years and got even more without rotting.
Bob

[Al_Smith]

A maple no matter if it's a red,silver or sugar maple will be growing mushrooms if you let the log lay for two years in these parts .Even in the rounds for firewood you won't get two years out of it .

No matter what the use you  don't dilly dally with maple .

[jim blodgett]

Hey Opticsguy. I'm 20 miles East of Olympia and have been chasing the unpredictable spalted big leaf maple for a few years now.  Tricky rascal.

In at least some cases, it is most prominant in the stump and first few feet in what otherwise looks like a healthy tree.  The tree guy cuts into the tree not knowing there will be spalt until the top of the stump is exposed. 

Said tree guy comes careening up my driveway, jumps out before his truck skids to a stop, gesticulating wildly that he "FOUND SOME, JIM. CHECK THIS OUT" as he shows me the wedge of undercut with lots of white wood and black spalt lines.

Usually as we buck the tree into logs, the spalting decreases as we get farther from the stump.

Other times I have found significant spalt in partially rotton logs that lay in the bushes a few years.  Was the spalting there when the tree was standing?  Did the fact it lay there enhance the spalting process? I have no idea. 

Taste is personal, but my favorite find was in a log maybe 36" in diameter that lay in the brush for about 15 years.  There were mushrooms growing all along it and one end was mush.  Parts of the side of the log were so pulpy I thought I had waited too long. 

But down inside was the most beautiful combination of red and white figured maple, with lots of spalting throughout that it took my breath away and set me on a quest to find more.

It's elusive and unpredictable.  Like most things worth striving for.

[Dodgy Loner]

The spalting is caused by a fungus infecting the wood. The typical way to get it is to cut the tree and let is lay for a year or two. Keeping it from drying out is important, so covering the ends with dirt is a good way to go. I tried to spalt a small red maple logs a few years back, letting it lay for 6 or 8 months before I sawed it. It had a little spalting, but nothing very exciting. I probably should have left it another year. It's not an exact science, by any means.

[Overlength]

I have heard of also going ahead and cutting regular log into boards, then burying the boards in wet sawdust and cover with plastic. leave it till spalted a few months. I haven't tried it, but keep meaning to. Glad you brought this up.

[Brad_S.]

For years, master spalter Arky would tease us with phenominal photos of sawyer induced spalted lumber but would ignore all pleas to reveal his formula. Then one day, he just gave it up...not 100% (notice the line about a section of his yard visitors were not allowed in) but enough to help.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,43447.msg628346.html#msg628346

[T Welsh]

 

 

opticsguy, These logs are still growing fungus as I have not found time to saw them yet. and thats how the whole process started,I set them aside under a bunch of pine trees at the back of the property to get them out of my way and forgot about them until I took a picture. it dawned on me right away that I might be on to some thing,I will open them up this year and see what comes out of them. Tim

[jim blodgett]

How long have they been there, Tim?  What species are they?

[MHineman]

  I've found spalting in several logs and several species I've not had time to get back to saw.  I've even gotten nice spalting from Basswood.  Logs stacked up and the logs off the ground are spalted on one side and solid on the other.  They've been there for two years.  I was told Basswood wouldn't last a year out in the weather. 
  I haven't sawn the logs sitting on the ground yet.  They might be mush.

[Okrafarmer]

I have about 600 bf of maple to mill up, some of which has been lying around for nearly two years, a lot of which has ambrosia in it-- maybe it is now ambrosia spalted maple.  I shall find out at some point, as I have a customer clamoring for me to get into it. I just haven't had time.

[r.man]

From an economic point of view how much good lumber can you ruin to produce spalted?

[tyb525]

I guess "ruin" is a relative term, as well as "good lumber" ;)

When you take your chances to get spalted lumber, you may very well get your money back many times over. Think of a plain-jane maple log, average value, no spectacular figure. You could cut lumber from it, and hope you can get it dried without grey stain occuring. Or, you could let it spalt, and get many more dollars per board, plus you don't have to worry about trying to prevent staining ;)

[MHineman]

  tyb525, how are you marketing your spalted lumber and what kind of prices are you getting?  I've got several hard maple logs to saw and some may be spalted by now.

[tyb525]

I've sold some spalted turning blanks on ebay, but really getting in touch with woodworking clubs or ebay works great. I haven't cut much of the stuff personally, just a few logs, but I have read lots of stories about it from other members to get a good idea about it.

[5quarter]

Let them lay in a shady spot. don't seal the ends. cover them with some organic material ( I use leaves and sawdust). Arky used a bottle of beer. I dump all my food scraps on them especially during canning seaon. attracts all kinds of bugs. And when making wood spalt, bugs are your friends. ;) could take 3 months, could take 3 years. it depends on temperture and humidity in your area. I try to have a couple firewood size chunks from the same tree nearby. periodically I'll split one to see where the log might be at.