Is this normal?

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

ChrisD123

Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Messages
167
Location
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Is this normal? The whiter sports on the wood?!? It's flat so idk what it could be
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    240.3 KB · Views: 287
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

monophoto

Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2010
Messages
2,549
Location
Saratoga Springs, NY
The concept of 'normal' applies when there is an expectation of uniformity. For example, burgers are McDonalds are 'normally' inedible.

But wood is like people - it's all different.

So I wouldn't worry about 'normal'. Instead, I would want to know if its part of the wood, or if its an anomaly in the turned surface. If its in the surface, then it can be fixed by turning or sanding. But if its in the wood, then it's part of the character of the piece.
 

robutacion

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
6,514
Location
Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
Yes, BayouPenturner, is correct, some woods when affected by fungi and to which we call "spalting", not all woods spalt the same way or have the same type of fungi developing on the wood.

Those lighter colour patches are indeed spalting and, may be much older than you and other may think. The black lines and marks from the common spalting are not present here and I'm afraid, they will never be for the reasons explained above.

Here in Australia, many of the "Gum/Eucalyptus" species develop that sort of spalting, and that is how far it will go, if anything, it may develop to a next stage (further deterioration) where the wood cells start to develop a very white colour "dots" that are quite pretty looking but at that stage, the wood will be maybe too soft to the work on without some sort of stabilisation/hardening.

So, there is nothing you can do to remove or disguise it, it will be part of the piece character for now and ever...!:wink:

In no way, that can be considered a "defect" but a result of Nature's work...!

I like it...!

Cheers
George
 

lorbay

Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2009
Messages
3,384
Location
BC. Canada
This looks like Maple ? Right a lot of the Maple out west looks just like that.. No worries.
Lin.
 

edstreet

Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Messages
3,684
Location
No longer confused....
white spots, a.k.a. white rot. Is the result of a fungus infection which is normal for the decay process. The longer the growth the heavier the rot.

For more info on spalting see Dr spaltings work Edge of Spalting | Northern Spalting There is some serious misconception out there when dealing with this subject and she is one of the experts in the field.
 

The Penguin

Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2009
Messages
2,134
Location
Houston, TX
I don't think it's white rot.

looks to me the piece is green and that's just where water has been slung out as it is turning.
 

OLDMAN5050

Passed Away May 15, 2019
In Memoriam
Joined
May 8, 2007
Messages
2,112
Location
Unionville, tn, USA.
"For example, burgers are McDonalds are 'normally' inedible."
Shoot I like Macdonalds...................................
 
Last edited:

Ogg

Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2012
Messages
40
Location
Torrance, CA
This looks like Maple ? Right a lot of the Maple out west looks just like that.. No worries.
Lin.

Lin I have worked with a lot of maple from the West coast that has had that in it. I never really gave it much thought as I have ran across a lot of it. When finishing I find that sanding in both directions seems to give me the best final results. Having lathes that can reverse has really made doing that easy for me.
 
Top Bottom