(06-10-2023, 03:12 PM)branchacctg Wrote: You could also use a contrasting strip 1/4", 1/2", in the middle to add to the effect. Good luck on the project.
Good idea, but that will be a fall-back plan.
I decided to square up the slices to make it easier to clamp up for gluing the mating edges.
Close examination of the mating edge shows some small tear-out from the tablesaw cut along the edge. Since that blade gives me good glue-ready cuts on non-spalted wood, I think the spalting is making tearout a risk along that edge.
Once I have it glued, I'll run it through the drum sander to make the final thickness 1/4". The whole process may help hide that cut line. If it doesn't work, I can still rip along that joint on the tablesaw and fall back to the suggested contrasting strip.
(06-16-2023, 04:30 PM)MsNomer Wrote: Looks like one piece sitting on a mirrored surface.
I didn't notice that until you mentioned it.
I've been piddling with this off and on as the mood strikes. I have two panels to the point that they're ready to integrate into a project, whatever that might be.
Getting rid of the seam line for the mating faces was the difficulty. I thought CA glue might be a good adhesive; no dice. I even used accelerator. So I created a fresh edge and used TBII. That seems to have worked. I then used the drum sander to make the B side face flat. Once that was flat, I sent the A side face through to get rid of glue marks and the ragged edge of the spalted wood. The seam line is much less noticeable now, though not absolutely perfect.
Picture 1 is the two book-matched slices before edge trimming.
Picture 2 is after trimming, or at least as far as I'm going to go before I have a specific use for these pieces. I left the one edge on the larger of the two pieces because it allows some trading of dimensions in one direction or the other depending on the need.
If you got it at the right time then the wood can be spalted but not soft at all. I have turned a LOT of spalted wood. Some I have had to treat to harden but not always by any means.
For punky wood, my go to hardener is super thin CA glue. Just flood the surface with it. BE CAREFUL of fumes that happen when the CA interacts with the water in the wood. I follow up the super thin with medium CA glue. For me, at that point, I am good to go. I have hardened some VERY soft wood and saved it!
Here are a few of the spalted maple that I have turned.
(07-06-2023, 08:33 PM)iublue Wrote: If you got it at the right time then the wood can be spalted but not soft at all. I have turned a LOT of spalted wood. Some I have had to treat to harden but not always by any means.
...
Gorgeous pieces.
This stuff is light, but not really punky.
I may make one or two more slices and the turn the remainder. I don't have any firm use pending, so this will develop as the mood hits.
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