Spalted Beech

[Lee J]

I turned a pen last night and I noticed that evrytime I turn spalted beech it flakes/chips/splits on the ends. Is this just because the wood is brittle or am I turning too fast or what? I'm using 2000rpm & sharp tools.

 

[woodyturner]

First nice looking pen spalted woods sometimes need to be stabilized with thin supper glue if you use a barrel trimmer on the ends give the wood a coating first let it dry then trim personally I use the disk sander to square them up then turn to almost finished then give the whole of the wood a coat let it dry and then finish

 

[John. B]

Hello Lee,

I don't know if I'm telling grandmother how to suck eggs but a wood that is in the process

of spalting is in the process of rotting!

Depending at what stage it has reached it will become brittle, it will become soft, and eventually

it will just crumble to dust.

So in the early stages which your pen seems to be in it is probably a little brittle, and remembering just how thin

the wood is at the ends of the tube (maybe less than a millimeter) it can flake or crack.

I would suggest when you are getting close to the bushes, repeatedly soak the blank in thin CA, whilst taking very fine shavings

with very sharp tools. The lathe speed is fine.

John. B


BTW,,,nice looking pen. :wink: :wink: :wink:

 

[Lee J]

thanks, I may pursued the fella that ordered it against spalted beech. I can re-use the kit. I've never been to keen working with spalted wood.