Blue Mold - How to mitigate it?

[Roger Chandler]

On my last thread with the flaming box elder, you see an area of blue mold that discolored the wood.

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This wood was very wet when we cut it and a couple of our club members said when they rough turned a bowl that water was slung all the way to the ceiling of their shops! It would not surprise me if the moisture content of this particular tree was in excess of 30%.

In these conditions, we have found that even with anchorseal and placing roughouts in dark areas and such that large cracks still happened to a number that have been roughed already.

Is there any way to mitigate these blue mold stains before they get bad or even after they occur. I would think that bleaching would also destroy the beautiful red.

Any techniques that have worked well for you in these kinds of situations?

[Fred Belknap]

Roger this is probably not much help but we had a lady demo using two part bleach on fame box elder. Her take on it was that the bleach actually enhanced the red coloring. Her demo seemed to support that.
No ideas on the blue mold.

[Roger Chandler]

Roger this is probably not much help but we had a lady demo using two part bleach on fame box elder. Her take on it was that the bleach actually enhanced the red coloring. Her demo seemed to support that.
No ideas on the blue mold.

Thanks Fred............that surprises me.........I would have thought bleach wood fade it away! Do you remember specifically what brand of bleach she used? Being two part, I would think it is a wood bleach?

[Doug Herzberg]

Roger, are you sure the wood was white when you stored it? I ask because of all the bug holes. It reminds me of the staining I see in pine when the beetles get it. I can see the beetle stain in the end grain, so I have an idea what I'm going to get when I turn it. Also, any idea why it is only affecting some of the wood and not all? Is any of the flame darkened or just the white? I don't have answers, just questions.

[Rob Price]

I did a little reading about the fading of the red when you posted this. I found an old 2008 AAW thread where they were using two part wood bleach on box elder. The thinking was it did affect the red a bit, but it made the surrounding wood much whiter thus increasing the contrast.

[Roger Chandler]

I did a little reading about the fading of the red when you posted this. I found an old 2008 AAW thread where they were using two part wood bleach on box elder. The thinking was it did affect the red a bit, but it made the surrounding wood much whiter thus increasing the contrast.

Another great bit of info to have, Rob! Thank you for posting it........sort of confirms what Fred was talking about earlier!

[Roger Chandler]

Roger, are you sure the wood was white when you stored it? I ask because of all the bug holes. It reminds me of the staining I see in pine when the beetles get it. I can see the beetle stain in the end grain, so I have an idea what I'm going to get when I turn it. Also, any idea why it is only affecting some of the wood and not all? Is any of the flame darkened or just the white? I don't have answers, just questions.

Hey Doug......I cannot give the answers to your questions as this is the first piece of this that I have turned [other than a really small scrap for a pen] I know that when we cut it with the chainsaws, the wood was mostly white and red.......I don't recall seeing blue staining, and I think because of the really high moisture levels in this tree, it molded after the anchorseal and such in storage.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

You do like the red mold but not the blue mold, and I'm afraid you can't change either one, also spalting is the same thing, and no bleach will not affect it, as it is not that kind of color you can affect with bleach,

In my experience these colors are enhanced if anything by bleaching, nice vase Roger, enjoy the coloration, any coloration, and not just red

[charlie knighton]

Roger.....you can buy 2 part wood bleach at Woodworkers Supply 336-578-0500
it is 2 part from Kleen Strip, mix in glass measuring cup, put on with brush, it will turn the wood white and pop the red. if you use a oil base finish over the bleech the wood will turn yellow like your piece, if you use a water based finish the wood will stay white with the red.....your choice

important: where facemask, where long sleeves with rubber chemical gloves (lowes), have water or vinegear standing buy to neaturize the bleech if anything happens, do it outside vapors

enjoy....i still have some, it does not go bad....and occasionnally i will use some

they let you show 3 pieces.....my other 2 are not shiney

[Roger Chandler]

Roger.....you can buy 2 part wood bleach at Woodworkers Supply 336-578-0500
it is 2 part from Kleen Strip, mix in glass measuring cup, put on with brush, it will turn the wood white and pop the red. if you use a oil base finish over the bleech the wood will turn yellow like your piece, if you use a water based finish the wood will stay white with the red.....your choice

important: where facemask, where long sleeves with rubber chemical gloves (lowes), have water or vinegear standing buy to neaturize the bleech if anything happens, do it outside vapors

enjoy....i still have some, it does not go bad....and occasionnally i will use some

they let you show 3 pieces.....my other 2 are not shiney

Thanks for the good info Charlie!

[Fred Belknap]

Roger what Charlie said, Kleen Strip. Couldn't remember the name till I saw his post. It's been a while and I couldn't find Kleen strip around here. Don't have any flame elder either.

[Dennis Ford]

A treatment with borax solution when first cut should help prevent the blue stain. A better prevention is to rough turn the wood ASAP and begin the drying process (I know this is easier said than done).

[robert baccus]

Roger, like Ford said, the big difference is time and moisture on the mildew. Turned 1/2 ton of the stuff last year and did find that BE has very little tendency to move or crack. I found I could turn to 95% final size green and so hurry the drying slowing the black mildew. I did reluctantly apply a fast thin coat of Watco oil which did pop the color nicely. I was afraid of yellowing? The borax idea is good. Check out "once a year" on 12/31/13 to see results. The vase with all the mildew sold first and well. The white and red one was roughed out about 2 weeks prior to the mildew piece. Google up the red and brown staining vs bug holes in BE--there are books written about this subject.

[Mike Cruz]

Roger, I just see that as spalting and take it for what it is worth...value! Now it is spalted FBE. I turned some recently, and my FIL saw it. He LOVED the blue/gray coloring.

Not sure how you could reverse the effects. But DNA rather than Anchorseal would be my best guess as to how to prevent it in the future.

[Roger Chandler]

Roger, I just see that as spalting and take it for what it is worth...value! Now it is spalted FBE. I turned some recently, and my FIL saw it. He LOVED the blue/gray coloring.

Not sure how you could reverse the effects. But DNA rather than Anchorseal would be my best guess as to how to prevent it in the future.

Thanks Mike..........the DNA option had not occurred to me yet! Been real busy with many other things, but I appreciate the nudge in this direction!