# Spalted birch bowl



## Woodworking Vet (Aug 9, 2017)

This is the other half of the birch that I just sold to @Gixxerjoe04 . The birch is a local wood to Spokane. When I received it it was just plain birch. I have been experimenting with spalting my own wood and this is the first log I processed, I have about 12 more that I now suspect I should pull and process. This bowl is only about 4" in diameter and is finished with tung oil then wax. It was a bit punk when I was turning it so before the final cut and sanding I applied some thinned lacquer to help stiffen the fibers.

Reactions: Like 5 | EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 4


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## Mike1950 (Aug 9, 2017)

Very nice- Yep birch goes from great to oh Sh......t in no time....

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## Woodworking Vet (Aug 9, 2017)

But with some patience and skilled work it can go from oh Sh.... to great

Reactions: Agree 3


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## Tony (Aug 10, 2017)

Neat little bowl, the spalting came out excellent! Tony

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Aug 10, 2017)

How do you spalt it? I've heard put the wood like in a big container, cover it in miracle grow and pour a can of beer on it haha, haven't tried it bc that's wasteful haha


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## duncsuss (Aug 10, 2017)

I had a piece that spalted just sitting on the floor in my garage. Looked wonderful, just like this one.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mike1950 (Aug 10, 2017)

birch spalts fast and easy. Only problem is sometimes it rots faster.. I was about 10- fishing with gramps. birch tree about 14"- big one for wild around here was across creek. bark still on it. looked pretty fresh. I decided fishing looked better on other side. Gramps with a smile on his face said sure. got about halfway across and poof it was gone. Gone a little wet and his laughing sorta hurt my pride- got to the other side though. He looked at me with a smile walked across on a cedar- said I told you birch rots fast.. I think of it and gramps was very good at letting me learn myself. You remember when you are soaking wet.

Reactions: Like 3


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## Graybeard (Aug 10, 2017)

outstanding form and finish. Interested in your spaulting process as well.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Tony (Aug 10, 2017)

Mike1950 said:


> birch spalts fast and easy. Only problem is sometimes it rots faster.. I was about 10- fishing with gramps. birch tree about 14"- big one for wild around here was across creek. bark still on it. looked pretty fresh. I decided fishing looked better on other side. Gramps with a smile on his face said sure. got about halfway across and poof it was gone. Gone a little wet and his laughing sorta hurt my pride- got to the other side though. He looked at me with a smile walked across on a cedar- said I told you birch rots fast.. I think of it and gramps was very good at letting me learn myself. You remember when you are soaking wet.



Great story Mike!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## Woodworking Vet (Aug 10, 2017)

I have a small garden but decided not to plant vegetables the past two years. Instead I planted some birch. The birch I picked up was cut to about 20-22" so I took some and planted them upright and covered the top of some with wax and the others with dirt. I took a few and laid them down. Then I placed a tarp over my wood garden and tried my best to keep the soil moist (our soil is nothing but sand so it drains and dries very quickly). Every once in a while I would slice a quarter inch off to check the wood, this piece was in the wood garden since December, though really the weather has only been right for maybe four months now. I also have a plastic tub with some small pieces and very wet shavings with a lid on it. Trying another way to do it. I have a nice variety in my wood garden which includes more birch, white elm, russian olivewood, red maple, silver maple and of course black locust. Just trying to see how other woods spalt and how long it takes. Right now I have four large pieces of birch that are probably ripe for harvesting but I can't get to them until next week. I don't know if I should pull them and set them some place where they can dry (and probably check) or if I should leave them for another week. I'll try to get a picture of my garden later today.

Reactions: Like 2


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## barry richardson (Aug 11, 2017)

Great looking bowl and spalting! I wish I could spalt stuff but it's just too hot and dry here.....


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## DKMD (Aug 11, 2017)

Nice turn! Looks like you timed it about right.


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## Woodworking Vet (Aug 11, 2017)

barry richardson said:


> Great looking bowl and spalting! I wish I could spalt stuff but it's just too hot and dry here.....


 Its quite hot here too and been a challenge keeping water under the tarp to keep the humidity high. I checked two days ago and it looks like all the wood in the spalting garden has dried up. The wood in the wet bins though look really nasty and wet, which I'm hoping is a good thing.

Reactions: Like 1


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