Mold?

[John Walls]

Is this mold? It's in streaks through-out the wood I cut. On the outside it looks greenish, same as the inside depending on how the light hits it then it looks black. I've seen this several times, don't know what it is. I think the wood is either old ash or elm, it has been dead a few years. I picked it up this summer, it's not quite punky but is pretty dry. It borders soft/punky. I hate to throw it away/burn it, it has some nice markings through-out.

 

[John Walls]

Welp, not getting any replies so must not be mold. I'll turn it this afternoon when I get me chores finished. I have 2 large chunks of this, 6" thick, 9"X9", will make a nice bowl and platter me thinks.

 

[Tim Tucker]

The appearance of mold can vary based on wood species, and mold species. I would not be afraid to turn the pictured piece - but I also wear a face shield/respirator combo when I turn.

 

[John Walls]

Thanks! I use a Trend Airsheild when I turn or sand. Was going to rough turn them this-afternoon but yesterday I hurt my hip, stepped in a hole me thunks. Could not put any weight on the leg/hip. It got better this am so I figured if I babied it I would be good. NOT.... walking downstairs it flared up, now I am sitting in the easy chair vegging on the tube.... darn it.... This is sure going to make climbing up into my tree-stand a royal pain, if I can even do it. Deer bow season may have just gave me the middle finger..... grrrr.... LOL, life goes on.

 

[Tim Tucker]

1 day at a time friend.....1 day at a time. My Mom used to tell me " You CAN have it all. Jus not all at the SAME TIME......

 

[Donovan Bailey]

Yes, I suspect that it is a mold or some other type of fungi...and there are a whole bunch of different varieties that thrive in the type of wood that you are describing (couple of years old, punky, etc.). These fungi are nature's way of recycling. It does not appear to be a surface fungus so your decision to turn it probably depends on just how punky the wood is rather than whether or not it has a fungus of some kind or another...as long as you wear breathing protection when you cut and sand it. If you don't want it on the surface of your final cut vessel you can try a couple of things...spray dish detergent and water, vinegar and water, bleach and water, etc.). Personally, it would have to be a pretty danged interesting piece of timber for me fool with the additional steps I'm describing.

 

[robo hippy]

If I saw it in person, I might be able to make a better judgement. At first glance, I thought it might be metal stains from the chain and chainsaw, but when blown up, those lines don't follow the chainsaw marks. It could be mold. It could also be some spalting. If you cut a bit off of the end grain and it runs deeper into the wood, then I would think it is spalting of some sort.

robo hippy

 

[Greg Norman]

That looks like American or Water Elm, it is definitely not any species of ash.
That is most likely mildew, mold isn’t normally so spotty. It will stain the wood gray all the way through if not killed fairly quickly. Not all the wood just streaks of gray. Spalting or zone line producing fungi grow in the wood, not on the surface of the wood. I now spray all my blocks with a solution made from 20 mule team borax. I put 2 tablespoons in a gallon of boiling water and stir till dissolved. I use a pump up sprayer to apply it. It is necessary to flush out the pump with clean water when done. I destroyed a couple before I noticed little crystals forming on the inside of the sprayer after a few days. They will cut the o rings inside the pump mech.

 

[John Walls]

I don't have any Borax on hand, will a good wash in Clorox bleach kill it? Is there a way to make it safe to use but still show in the finished product?

 

[John Tisdale]

To quote a material scientist friend: God made the elements but the devil made chlorine - be careful.

 

[hockenbery]

I don't have any Borax on hand, will a good wash in Clorox bleach kill it? Is there a way to make it safe to use but still show in the finished product?

If I see any mold on bowls I am drying, I wipe them with Clorox.

I Use a paper towel wet with it. That has always been enough to kill it. Since I dry in paper bags I toss the bags the mold came out of.

I swap dry bags for the damp ones every day until the bags are no longer damp. Once the bags are not damp there is not enough moisture to grow mold or fungi.

 

[Greg Norman]

I don't have any Borax on hand, will a good wash in Clorox bleach kill it? Is there a way to make it safe to use but still show in the finished product?

20 mule team borax is available at most grocery stores and it’s cheap. Clorox will only work temporarily but this time of year that will probably be enough