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I'm in need of some spalted maple for rosettes, its been a few years since I've purchase any and I'm having a hard time finding some.
If anyone has a source they'd be willing to share I'd appreciate it. I'm hoping for a quality similar to that in the photo.
Thanks

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Jim, I've found most of mine on eBay while searching for spalted bowl blanks. The pickings are usually slim but every once in a while you can score a beautiful chunk that is large enough for many guitars.

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It will probably be alright.

None for sale right now but a good resource for the future.
https://www.northernspalting.com/

Thanks Greg, for some reason I'm uncomfortable buying from ebay, I really don't know why.
That's an interesting link Tom. Apparently you can do this yourself. Who knew! I did find a company with nice burls for bowls and knife handles at nwimperialhardwoods, I may give them a buzz if I don't stumble across something just right.
Thanks.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

I've purchased a lot from eBay sellers of late, and been very pleased.... Of course - I bid very low, and don't always win.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

I think eBay is the best place to get veneer. You get good photos of the exact piece or flitch of veneer that you are buying. And the price is usually low.

Here is an example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Spalted-Maple-Wood-Veneer-5-Sheets-21-X-6-4-Sq-Ft/313327217834?hash=item48f3c1ecaa:g:nHIAAOSw96FfyEwH

Which thickness would you need? Can you work with 0,6mm thick veneer?

Barry- I know you didn’t advocate that particular piece of veneer but I’d shy away from it. It’s 1/42nd of a inch thick and being spalted, glue would most likely bleed through.
Tom

1/42nd of an inch is .023" thick and is standard veneer thickness. There are methods to control bleed through. But I agree that it is not ideal for rosettes, where it's nice to have a bit more thickness. I have used standard veneer for headstock inlays and overlays, however.

Funny thing about spalted woods.... Back in the 80's I would see this stuff and wonder "What's the big deal?" It's basically mildewed wood. About 10 years ago it finally clicked about the interesting grain patterns. Don't know why I was so slow to pick up on it. Now I dig it.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Thanks for the input guys. I was hoping for something thicker than veneer but you do have me mulling over my process, maybe I"ll experiment with some.
Cutting slices off of a turning block sounds good too.
Thanks!

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

I have these duck call blanks if you’re interested? They’re 2x2x11-ish.

I got them to turn some portafilter handles for my espresso machine, but a friend had some stabilized maple that worked out a bit better.




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I have a few turning blocks of spalted maple that I purchased on eBay years ago. Gorgeous blocks, but without stabilizing them some how, they wouldn't work well for rosettes.

Have any of you stabilized your spalted wood? I was thinking of slicing it, then flooding with CA or Minwax Wood Hardener. Folks that are really into making knife handles or pen blanks use vacuum chambers.

Anthony, I have stabilized some with the Minwax wood hardener and it seemed to work fine. After installing the rosette I then flooded it with CA to seal everything prior to finishing.
For punky wood I cut my rosette circle with a knife on a stick basically, not a router. Seems to not tear things apart.


James, thanks for the offer. I'd like to get something I don't have to segment, but I may be in touch.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3PC-SPALTED-MI ... Sw4UVgRt3W

Perhaps contact a seller such as above before they cut up the wood into smaller sizes and not of the orientation that is better for you.

I had planned to stabilize it with my vacuum (admittedly haven't done it before), but my friend sent me pictures of what he had literally the day after I received them. He's going to send me a few pictures of what he has left, and I'll forward them on to you. He deals in wood on the side for fun -- primarily for pool cues and knife scales.

You might find nice spalted wood but in pieces that seem too small for a complete rosette. No problem - you can join multiple pieces together. Make the joints irregular shaped and deliberately stain the edges black before you glue them (a black sharpie pen can do the job). It just contributes a few more interesting lines to the random pattern. This example has some joins - and not necessarily in the places you might think. Then flood the whole thing with thin CA to firm it up and make it easier to cut and fit.

I used a black sharpie to touch up some wood and then I lacquered the wood. The touchup turned sort of fluorescent light green. So maybe test for your particular finish.

Mark, that's a good tip about irregular join lines. Your rosette looks like one piece.
Also, I found a bowl bowl blank I can slice off of, so I should be good, I hope!
Thank you every one who contributed here. All suggestions were seriously considered.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

What a brilliant idea for hiding the joins. If you hadn't told me I never would have spotted them.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!