Sweetgum or spalted Maple?????

[brenthenze]

I would guess that Steve's "weed pot" shown above is spalted soft Maple with a little Ambrosia beetle holes/stains.
Dave

...or maybe Sweetgum? Gum has that swirled vanilla/chocolate look (which looks like spalting but isn't).

 

[DaveO]

Re: A tale of learning to Turn

Really, I have lots of Sweetgum that I would love to cut down :eusa_danc Is that common in Sweetgum or hit and miss like spalting/Ambrosia in Maple?

 

[brenthenze]

Re: A tale of learning to Turn

Really, I have lots of Sweetgum that I would love to cut down :eusa_danc Is that common in Sweetgum or hit and miss like spalting/Ambrosia in Maple?

It's throughout the wood, not hit or miss. The wood lacks structure, and the grain's not pronounced--just the splotchy markings that seem only loosely related to the wood grain (it doesn't really alternate evenly like summer and winter wood). I wouldn't want a whole dining room set in it, but it makes a nice enough bowl. Here are a couple links to bowls made from sweetgum (not my pics...I wish!):

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=27597
http://www.forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=421&pos=21

Some of the markings in the second picture are from spalting, but the medium brown splotches are just the wood itself.

I too have lots of the stuff around--I planked some a year ago, but hurricanes and thunderstorms keep knocking the stuff over faster than I can cut it up. Let's see...I could make about a fifty bowls or several thousand wads of chewing gum!

 

[Mark Anderson]

Re: A tale of learning to Turn

i too would like to know if sweet gum has any use in this world...i have been told it was a trash tree by many

 

[NCPete]

Re: A tale of learning to Turn

Brent, that second link led to a pic of some folks using a Lucas Sawmill?

 

[DaveO]

Re: A tale of learning to Turn

That's way cool. My chainsaw might be getting a work-out soon :-D :-D

Dave

 

[Travis Porter]

Re: A tale of learning to Turn

If you want some sweet gum I have some that has dried for about 10 years now and you are welcome to it.

 

[DaveO]

Re: A tale of learning to Turn

I would be very interested in looking at it :eusa_danc :eusa_danc :eusa_danc

Dave

 

[Gillie]

Looks just like sweetgum to me -- my favorite wood for turning. It's irregular grain pattern and color variations make it one of the most beautiful woods -- as far as I'm concerned. However, it's that wild grain that makes it absolutely NO GOOD for anything else. It will twist and cup on you if you try to cut it into planks and it's impossible to split into firewood.

As far as spalted maple goes -- I stay as far away from it as possible. I've very leary of breathing the dust from the mold/fungus. Too many horror stories about spalted wood. I gave all mine away.

 

[NZAPP1]

Re: A tale of learning to Turn

If the offer is still there I would be interested in looking at some for bowl turning. Thanks