
The May Monthly Meeting provided a day of intense spalted wood study. Seri Robinson demonstrated how to make and turn Spalted wood, its long history in art, and modern use in science. Attendees learned how to turn even the punkiest wood while minimizing tearout and avoiding stabilizers.
Dr. Seri Robinson is an associate professor of wood anatomy at Oregon State University and works within the field of art science as a bio artist.
Seri demonstrated alternative turning techniques and tool grinds to reduce tear ups or torn grain when turning spalted wood.
What is Spalting? What woods spalt? How long does spalting take? Can I spalt wood?
With spalting, the use of fungi and natural decay processes not only creates ornament and color (instead of dyes and stains), but challenges perceptions of functionality. Decay fungi are generally disdained, but wood is held in high regard. The meeting of both can create emotional conflict and challenges the viewer to reevaluate their position on functional wood and natural ornamentation processes.
Black lines (called ‘zone lines’) are just one tiny facet of the spalting universe. White rot, the thing you get before you get zone lines, and pigmentation (think blue pine or green oak) are also spalting.
Seri reviewed how to successfully induce spalting in wood while minimizing time and decay, whether you're working with green to dry timber.
View Seri’s spalting guides and book: Spalting 101 : The Ultimate Guide to Coloring Wood with Fungi
The book is a step-by-step guide to DIY spalting—harnessing fungi to create colors and lines in wood. https://www.northernspalting.com/spalting-info/publications/
Website: https://www.northernspalting.com
Patreon Site: Spalting Cooperative https://www.patreon.com/spalting
Spalting FAQs: https://www.northernspalting.com/spalting-info/faqs/