Wet Wood Expiration Date?

[Evan Pearson]

Since I decided to start woodturning I've been keeping my eyes open for cut or downed tree branches, mainly for practice. EDIT: My Aunt owns a few acres nearby with lots of trees. I'm welcome to take anything I find, which is awesome, but some pieces may have been sitting a while waiting for the chipper.

Is there a way to tell if wood has gone past a point that it's usable? I don't want to throw it on the lathe and suddenly be testing the efficacy of my face shield and glasses <8-O

I also wondered if there's a mold concern with wood that's been dead outside a while.

 

[Mark Wollschlager]

Most green wood will start to check and crack soon after it is cut.
This is due to the drying taking place on the cut ends.
Depending on the type of wood the cracking might be rapid and sometimes can render the wood unsafe in a short time.
Always examine the wood that you choose to turn to make sure that it does not fly apart under the stresses of spinning and being cut.
Fungus will start in on the cut wood pretty quickly. In your rather dry climate may not be much of a problem unless the wood is kept moist.
I choose to no turn much heavily spalted wood, although it can be pretty.
The biggest turn off, to me, is that the softer hardwoods get punky and soft when it spalts.
Breathing the stuff is not the best, but plenty of people turn spalted wood without ill effects. ( I do know a couple of people who have gotten respiratory problems linked to working with spalted wood )

I would gather wood with the aim of turning it sooner rather than later.
Stuff like that is plentiful after the early wet snow storms.
Once you have a chance to meet other turners, the 'secrets' of processing tree parts for turning, storage of processed wood, and suggestions for the best local stuff will be revealed.

 

[hockenbery]

There is no one size fits all answer here.

If I want a white sap ring in walnut I need to turn it with a week or so or the sap ring will turn an unappealing grey. I also got to take a large walnut log that had been lying mostly suspended off the ground for 4 years.
The heart wood was excellent and close to 30% Mc. Great to turn and large enough to get nice blanks with no sapwood.

If your wood is hard and crack free it is good to turn.

Spalting is the first stages of rot. As spalting continues the wood becomes soft and punky.
I test spalted woof with a flat blade screw drive. If it goes in less than an 1/8” with firm pressure it is good to turn. More that a 1/4” I Don’t turn it. In between it has th look really good.

 

[Lamar Wright]

Mark and Al makes a good point about spalted wood. I am just the opposite as Mark.......I turn a lot of spalted wood, however, I usually cut the log into and check the integrity, stability of the log on site before hauling it home. Be sure and ware a good filtered dust mask and dust collection at the source when turning spalted wood. Remember..... spalted wood is very dry and it does produce a lot of dust while turning. Be safe and happy turning.

 

[Evan Pearson]

Great info again! Thank you. That at least helps me with some things to look for. I don't want to learn the hard way what is unsafe, if I can help it! I'm going to get involved in my local AAW chapter as I am able (very limited free time) and I will be very cautious wearing my respirator, face and eye protection, and using the dust collector. No injuries over here!

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Like Lamar I turn spalted wood and unlike the popular misconception there is no danger from the spalt itself. The spores are in the air you breath every day. As AL said sometime it is not worth the trouble. This is a site that will tell you everything you could want to know about spaulting. This lady is called the Queen of Spalting.http://www.spaltedwood.com/

 

[robo hippy]

Seri (the only one who calls me Sara is my mom...) is a fascinating demonstrator, in part because every thing I knew about spalting was wrong.... The fungi that make the spalting colors only attack wood, not people, but the stuff in the ground can be problematic.

Other than that, every piece of wood is different, not just the species, but even pieces from the same tree. I prefer fresh cut wood, in part because I like warped bowls. Also the color is more bright than when you let it sit for a while. Sounds like you have a bunch of wood to experiment with. You will need to plan for getting rid of mountains of shavings.... Great for mulching paths around the house and farm...

I do have a bunch of bowl turning videos up on You Tube...

robo hippy

 

[Dean Center]

Evan,
The Rocky Mountain Woodturners club has a wood yard at the home of member John Giem. Members can just go get wood when they need some and there is always plenty. They're pretty generous folks, and I got permission to take home some special wood once. The club has 2-3 guys who find and haul the wood, and maintain the yard. I suggest you contact them and trek up to Ft. Collins for some hands-on learning about harvesting wood. As mentioned every species is a little different and in one afternoon, you'd get a chance to check out 4-5 different ones, plus pick their brains on whatever is on your aunt's lot.

Most importantly, get a full set of protective chainsaw gear and know how to use the saw before you start cutting. The Forest Service offers classes in many areas of the US, if you're new to the chainsaw.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

Evan,
The Rocky Mountain Woodturners club has a wood yard at the home of member John Giem. Members can just go get wood when they need some and there is always plenty. They're pretty generous folks, and I got permission to take home some special wood once. The club has 2-3 guys who find and haul the wood, and maintain the yard. I suggest you contact them and trek up to Ft. Collins for some hands-on learning about harvesting wood. As mentioned every species is a little different and in one afternoon, you'd get a chance to check out 4-5 different ones, plus pick their brains on whatever is on your aunt's lot.

Most importantly, get a full set of protective chainsaw gear and know how to use the saw before you start cutting. The Forest Service offers classes in many areas of the US, if you're new to the chainsaw.

Talk about a generous and great idea!! If I were I'd be on my way!!

 

[Evan Pearson]

Thank you all! That really is a great offer from John in the Rocky Mountain club! I now have some Russian Olive and Elm from my Aunt's land that look in good condition and some other pieces someone left by the road for free that I need to identify. I feel I have some great pieces to start practicing! BTW: I do know to stand to the side of the lathe when I first spin it up, in case something goes flying ;-)