Anyone turned silver birch ?

[PowerTool]

As I had some in my pile of timber awaiting conversion to useful sizes :-

So out with the chainsaw today,as the sun was shining

Then spotted signs of spalting (this trunk was felled last year)

So looks like some nice timber for next year,when it's dried

At this rate my new drying rack should be full...a long time before I've cut all my existing branches and trunks up.. (Might have to build another one :wink: )

Andrew

 

[CHJ]

Some Here and Here Andrew, turns much like Sycamore.

The spalting looks like it has quite a hold, I would be tempted to rough turn the spalted stuff green and leave to dry naturally.

Force drying with meths of plain textured wood can lead to some 'watermarks' dependant on remaining water density, boiling seems to get over this.

 

[Bodrighy]

I've turned some small spalted silver birch. Found that the part around the heart wood got very soft in places. Don't know if this was the wood or something that can happen anyway. Turned well and finished well.

Pete

 

[greybeard]

Hearsay only, no personal experience.

IIRC s/birch has a reported tendency to spalt quite comprehensively with relatively little encouragement....which can be good news, but unfortunately it also has a tendency to rot very fast...that's v v v fast, almost as soon as the little beasties are spalting it.

But good luck with it, cos the spalting can be really dramatic/pronounced!

 

[CHJ]

has a tendency to rot very fast...that's v v v fast, almost as soon as the little beasties are spalting it.

Hence my thinking on turning it green before it goes too far.