What a difference a few months makes

[Forrest Forschmiedt]

Thought this was kind of cool comparison and some of you might appreciate it.

These two bowls are from the same maple tree, don't know what variety of maple.. I don't recall if it was a facebook or craigslist freebee but I filled the back of my Honda car with logs about a year ago.

The bowl on the right was turned a couple months after I brought the logs home, de-pithed and sealed and stacked them under my workbench. I used all within a few months except for one that got pushed aside for another six or eight months. I finally pulled that one out of the corner and turned a bowl from it a month or so back.

So, sitting in a dry garage after the ends were painted with anchorseal, after two months there are just a few small grey spots starting. After another (best guess) eight months, there are just a couple small spots starting to get soft and punky but the whole piece is discolored.

Both bowls were fully turned wet and set aside to dry. I log the weights on cards left in the bowls until the weight stays the same for a week or so. Then I sand a bit to clean it up and finish. These both got four or five layers of wipe-on poly.

 

[Kirk Amidon]

Pretty amazing difference between those two. The spalting pattern on the left one resembles an upside down running pig/animal.

 

[Bruce Miller]

.......The spalting pattern on the left one resembles an upside down running pig/animal.

Yep I see the running pig, we must have a touch of the same kind of crazy.

I have some maple logs that I have turned out of and they’re already getting good spalting, the rest of the log is under a couple feet of snow so it would be nice to get that degree of difference in spalting that you got come spring.

Very nice turnings.

 

[Forrest Forschmiedt]

Here's a better shot of the pig.

 

[Larry Mitchell]

Sooie Woo Pig!

 

[Randy Anderson]

Nice pieces. It's pretty amazing how much some wood will change with age. I typically try to let some of my log blanks age for a while - split in half with ends sealed. I lose some since I don't get to them all in time but the upside for improved color contrast and spalting is worth it. The contrast can be drastic from the fresh green turn to the 4-6 months out turn. Magnolia and Hackberry really change, similar to what you have here.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

Yes nice pieces, and good illustration of wood evolution.