My first experience with spalted wood.

[Arnold Dyer]

American Beech. I love the spalt lines in the wood!

[Dan Masshardt]

I love it. The hole really makes it unique and cool.

[Chip Sutherland]

Wonderful spalting. I gave my first one to my sister....wish I had it back.

[Donny Lawson]

Nice bowl, and great spalting.

[bob svoboda]

Beautiful wood and the bowl has a wonderful natural look about it. Good job getting a smooth surface-I know that can be a challenge. What did you use for finish?

[Arnold Dyer]

Thanks all.

Bob I used pure tung oil, starting with 40% oil and move up to 85 to 90% over about a weeks time. I really do not know how many coats I applied.
The wood soaked it up like a sponge! I then let it dry for over thirty days and then used WOP gloss until I built up the finish to what I wanted.

[Arnold Dyer]

Thanks Donny...I see you are from GA too. Are you a member of any turning clubs? I just joined Mountain Laurel Woodturners in Demorest, GA at last meeting.

[Michael Dromey]

This is a very pretty bowl. Spalting I think is my favorite natural defect. Was this wood soft or punky as it is called? I have 16" flatbed trailer full of spalted ash and elm with a walnut rootball in the middle of it. I haven't been able to turn any of it yet.

[Dick Mahany]

Just beautiful. I recently turned a threaded lidded box out of spalted maple, but it was too punky in spots. I stabilized the partially turned box in a vacuum chamber with a heat curing resin, and it made an incredible difference, and turned out better than I had hoped.

Lesson learned.........spalted, beautiful........punky, can be saved.........combination, priceless.

[Arnold Dyer]

Thanks Michael. Wood was getting just soft enough to have to keep a very sharp tool but wasn't punky enough to have to be treated although it came off my chuck before I was ready!
That is why the bottom is completely flat. Had to use my sanding disk and level but in the end I like the effect. Even with sharp tools I spent a good deal of time sanding.

[Arnold Dyer]

Just beautiful. I recently turned a threaded lidded box out of spalted maple, but it was too punky in spots. I stabilized the partially turned box in a vacuum chamber with a heat curing resin, and it made an incredible difference, and turned out better than I had hoped.

Lesson learned.........spalted, beautiful........punky, can be saved.........combination, priceless.

Thanks Dick. I'm afraid you are a wayyyy out of my league! I turned a mug for my son-in-law for Christmas out of a cherry limb. I expected problems since I was simply hollowing out the center. Turns out I had a soft spot on the bottom. I treated it with CA glue and let it cure a few days. Turned out fairly well considering it was my first attempt...so far no cracks!!

[Michael Dromey]

Dick. I have vac chamber ordered from Craig at Turntex. Did you make yours? Do you use it more than just for pens? I am excited to get it.

[Dick Mahany]

Dick. I have vac chamber ordered from Craig at Turntex. Did you make yours? Do you use it more than just for pens? I am excited to get it.

I have also used CA as Arnold did and got very satisfactory results for small local areas of punkiness. It is a perfectly good way to do as he did, and his piece shows it !

I have some pieces that would be far too punky to save with out a more complex treatment, hence the vac chamber / resin treatment. I did make my chamber and used 1/2" thick polycarboate from the cut off bin at a local plastics supplier. It is very similar to the one you have on order.......you'll enjoy it. TurnTex is excellent to deal with and very knowledgeable.