Spalted bowl blanks

[Sean Boyle]

I made a trip to toronto last week and took the time to goto Bulington Exotic woods I found some spalted sugar maple bowl blanks 3 1/2 by 6 inch and one about 10 inch. The smaller blank has been stable but the larger one has developed serveral large cracks ( see pics) . First off is this still usable and how can I prevent cracking in the future

This is the first time I have tried turning spalted wood my other question is mounting it to a face plate normaly I glue a plywood disk to the bottom of the bowl to mount the face plate. will this give me a good bond since it is spalted

 

[Bill Boehme]

Looking at the picture doesn't really tell me how well it might hold to a glue block. You will need to make that determination of how solid the wood is yourself. And, NO I would not turn that piece in its existing condition. You might be able to fill it with epoxy and double the cost of what you paid for it -- or cut your losses and use it for smaller items. Too bad, it looks like a really nice piece of wood that is tempting to turn.

 

[MichaelMouse]

As you can see, the cracks follow existing faults, so they're through and through. Probably a good thing they opened before you tried working them, or you might have flung a chunk. Time to consider some smaller work with the sound pieces. You could not, in my opinion have saved the blank. Hope you didn't pay much.

The pale white stuff that looks a little rough is delignified wood. It's very soft, pecks out easily, and will drink up finish like a bum drinks up Mad Dog. Firm it up with some shellac in a 2-3# cut before you try to get finish on it. It's also a challenge to sand without dishing, so sand from sound wood round and round into the center of the white if you are pressing. If you do supported sanding as I do, it will do well with the work rotating and the paper just meeting the surface.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I think that it is John Jordan who says, "Life is too short to turn crappy wood." An unstated corollary to that would be, "turning crappy wood can make life shorter."

 

[Richard Coers]

It's very soft, pecks out easily, and will drink up finish like a bum drinks up Mad Dog.

Best laugh of the day! Thanks.

May I suggest; "Drinks up finish like a teenager drinks up Redbull" as a more modern analogy. But considering the age of woodturners, you are right on target!

 

[Gretch Flo]

Best laugh of the day! Thanks.

May I suggest; "Drinks up finish like a teenager drinks up Redbull" as a more modern analogy. But considering the age of woodturners, you are right on target!

Coming from you I'd have expected COORS beer!!! Gretch

 

[Gretch Flo]

sp maple

Think they are a goner. Agree with Michael. Lucky you didn't turn earlier. Don't think any glue, adhesive would have held/ Punk is terrible to work with as well, Gretch

 

[Sean Boyle]

I paid $20 looked good when I bought it. I think I at least learned what to look for next time. I quess that out of all the blanks they had my first clue should have been it was the only big one without large cracks

 

[Darryl Fective]

Even w/o cracks in it, I wouldn't trust spalted wood to hold together at high RPM because of the random layers of solid wood and soft punky stuff as you cut into it. VERY unpredictable and can change balance because of varying density and moisture content.

It looks like a knot in the 3rd pic and maybe that helped to create the crack?

I wouldn't burn it or anything. I'd be tempted to drive a wedge into it and pry it apart to have a look inside. If it's good solid wood, let it dry out and use epoxy and clamps to put it back together.

I had a bowl that developed a crack as I was turning it and so I took it off knowing it wasn't safe to proceed. I broke it apart (just to see how solid it was) and tossed the 2 halves aside. It sat in the corner of the shop until I was cleaning up weeks later and I put the 2 halves together. Pretty close fit and still a nice looking piece of wood. I glued it together and turned it at low RPM.