Spalted Maple Bowl. I bought two large pieces of spalted maple from a guy in the Mid-West. Spalting is the first step toward rot--a far less glamorous thought. The discoloration characteristic of spalted wood is actually caused by a fungus. So, spalted wood can be soft and a huge challenge to turn. The first piece I tried to turn several years ago went into the wood stove. I kept this blank around for a couple of years until I learned a secret to treating the wood to make it harder and therefore possible to turn cleanly. I love this form, although the coloration is not as outrageous as one occasionally sees in spalted timber.

9 1/4" x 3".