# Of all the rotten luck in Tennessee.



## Karl_TN (Jun 29, 2020)

Had some old maple logs that started to show some rot on the outside so my wife almost threw them in the burn pile that she started up. Glad I talked her into letting me cut those logs open. This is what happens to Sugar Maple when it's left on the ground for too long in Tennessee. 

First batch:




Two closeups:







Before anyone ask, I first need to see what a good turning buddy wants before posting any of this for sale/trade. I still have a bit more to process when time allows though.

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 10 | Way Cool 4


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## Bigdrowdy1 (Jun 30, 2020)

Reccon some people’s luck is just that way. You should have spalted her about even thinking about burning it!

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## FranklinWorkshops (Jun 30, 2020)

Karl, that is great stuff. Like you, I lucked into a batch of spalted maple when I had an undetected roof leak in a storage building. The 5/4 sugar maple boards were soaked for a long time under that leak. Amazing what nature does as the wood decays.

Reactions: Like 1


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## woodtickgreg (Jun 30, 2020)

Very cool looking stuff!


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## Graybeard (Jun 30, 2020)

Ain't mother nature great.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## barry richardson (Jun 30, 2020)

Very nice! Is it solid enough to turn?


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## Karl_TN (Jun 30, 2020)

barry richardson said:


> Very nice! Is it solid enough to turn?



Some is hard enough for turning with sharp tools, but I suspect many of the lighter pieces will need some stabilizing to avoid tear out. I wonder if soaking in sanding sealer would work for those without a pressure pot or vacuum stabilizing setup. Your thought?


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## barry richardson (Jun 30, 2020)

Karl_TN said:


> Some is hard enough for turning with sharp tools, but I suspect many of the lighter pieces will need some stabilizing to avoid tear out. I wonder if soaking in sanding sealer would work for those without a pressure pot or vacuum stabilizing setup. Your thought?


I have had good luck on punky wood by turning to the rough shape, then soaking with poly, or lacquer or whatever, and after curing a couple of days I carefully finish turn it.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Sprung (Jun 30, 2020)

Oh, man, that's the good stuff! Getting my hands on some of that would probably make me blow the dust off the stabilizing chamber!

Nice get!

Reactions: Like 2


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Jun 30, 2020)

Get it Matt! Whatever it takes to get you back to stabilizing.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Sprung (Jun 30, 2020)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> Get it Matt! Whatever it takes to get you back to stabilizing.



Right now I am not buying anything. I have too much wood on hand and need to use a bunch of it up to open up space. I have also spent quite a bit thus far on getting the shop set up - and there's probably still some more that I'll need to spend in that area. Plus I'm saving up to buy a small utility trailer and a firearm. So, yeah, no buying wood right now. Or for a while.

Reactions: Like 4 | Sincere 1


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## Karl_TN (Jul 1, 2020)

Sprung said:


> Right now I am not buying anything. I have too much wood on hand and need to use a bunch of it up to open up space. I have also spent quite a bit thus far on getting the shop set up - and there's probably still some more that I'll need to spend in that area. Plus I'm saving up to buy a small utility trailer and a firearm. So, yeah, no buying wood right now. Or for a while.



I'm open for a trade, or getting some stabilized blocks back in return. Let me know if you are interested.


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## Mike Hill (Jul 1, 2020)

Danged Karl! Great stuff. I guess you have better luck in the Western Grand Division. Here for me in the Middle Grand Division - it only rots and gets soft - so far! In the immortal word of Dory (well --- close) Just keep trying --- just keep trying!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Karl_TN (Jul 1, 2020)

barry richardson said:


> I have had good luck on punky wood by turning to the rough shape, then soaking with poly, or lacquer or whatever, and after curing a couple of days I carefully finish turn it.



What do you mean by soaking? Dunking it for a period of time, or brushing it on the surface?


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## Karl_TN (Jul 1, 2020)

Mike Hill said:


> Danged Karl! Great stuff. I guess you have better luck in the Western Grand Division. Here for me in the Middle Grand Division - it only rots and gets soft - so far! In the immortal word of Dory (well --- close) Just keep trying --- just keep trying!



Don't know what woods you have tried, but I seem to have the best luck with maple (especially sugar maple) for black line spalt. I simply leave logs piled up on the ground in a slightly shaded area when I run out of time to process them. Then come back in 6 to 12 months to find this stuff.

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## barry richardson (Jul 1, 2020)

Karl_TN said:


> What do you mean by soaking? Dunking it for a period of time, or brushing it on the surface?


Dunking it for a while would be ideal, but you would need a large container of finish and a small piece of wood. I just brush it on till it stops soaking it up (it soaks it up like a sponge) it might take a couple of applications. then of course you will want to finish it with whatever you soaked it in to harden it...


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## Sprung (Jul 1, 2020)

Karl_TN said:


> I'm open for a trade, or getting some stabilized blocks back in return. Let me know if you are interested.



Normally I'd be game for that, but I have no stabilizing resin on hand either.


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## Nubsnstubs (Jul 2, 2020)

Karl_TN said:


> What do you mean by soaking? Dunking it for a period of time, or brushing it on the surface?


Karl, that's some good looking wood. If you have or know anyone with a 2-3 gallon pressure paint tank, you could do this. You would be limited to about 8 3/4" pieces.
I once had a couple gallons of lacquer and sanding sealer I didn't like for cabinet finish, so I put it in my pressure pot. removed the pick up tube, and loaded the pot with wood to be turned. I pressureized the pot to max pressure, and let it set for a couple days. When the pressure was released, ans I opened the tank, the lacquer looked like it was boiling with the compressed air escaping the wood. It did stabilized the wood pretty good. You have to let the wood dry for about a month though. I could still smell the lacquer when turning my stuff........... Jerry (in Tucson)

Reactions: Informative 1 | Useful 2


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## Karl_TN (Jul 2, 2020)

Nubsnstubs said:


> Karl, that's some good looking wood. If you have or know anyone with a 2-3 gallon pressure paint tank, you could do this. You would be limited to about 8 3/4" pieces.
> I once had a couple gallons of lacquer and sanding sealer I didn't like for cabinet finish, so I put it in my pressure pot. removed the pick up tube, and loaded the pot with wood to be turned. I pressureized the pot to max pressure, and let it set for a couple days. When the pressure was released, ans I opened the tank, the lacquer looked like it was boiling with the compressed air escaping the wood. It did stabilized the wood pretty good. You have to let the wood dry for about a month though. I could still smell the lacquer when turning my stuff........... Jerry (in Tucson)



Out of ignorance, would a vacuum work better for doing this? Also, what about using thinned shellac? I'd much rather deal with the smell of shellac/alcohol over lacquer.


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## Nubsnstubs (Jul 2, 2020)

Karl_TN said:


> Out of ignorance, would a vacuum work better for doing this? Also, what about using thinned shellac? I'd much rather deal with the smell of shellac/alcohol over lacquer.


Karl, a vacuum would need to run the whole time you are stabilizing. If you shut it off without releasing the vacuum, within 30 minutes you might lose all the vacuum you were trying to achieve. Also, I don't think you will never achieve 29hg. 

With a pressure pot, you only need to fill the tank to what ever pressure your tank is capable of handling. It take my tanks about 15-30 seconds to fill. You then shut off the air supply, provided you have a shut off valve, sit and wait until you are ready to remove the pieces from the tank. My tanks have held whatever pressure I set for over 6 months. That was just plain lacquer. I don't do a lot of spraying as I'm too old to be getting involved in doing cabinets and furniture for a living anymore. When I'm done spraying lacquer, I shut the valve off, and unplug the air supply. Don't know when I'll spray again, but when I do, I have to release the pressure, and mix up what might be needed. The tanks hold pressure real well. 
C'mon man, lacquer's good for ya................... Jerry (in Tucson)

Reactions: Informative 1


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