Spalted Maple
Spalted Maple
Different Pen Compositions
With the abundance of various types of hard woods and softwoods available, it makes sense that pen crafters make use of any available type that gives them an edge. Hardwoods are woods that bear leaves and loose them in the fall, with the exception of some far southern areas. Softwoods are generally conifers, with needles rather than leaves and are green year round.
Examples of softwoods are yellow pine, white pine and spruce and are generally used for projects non pen related, although pen crafters do turn some soft woods and turn out beautiful looking pens. There big drawback with these woods is that they are prone to cracking and splitting due to drying out if not completely sealed during the finishing process.
Some examples of hardwoods are red oak, curly maple; birch and poplar which tend to do well in the manufacture of pens and are favorites of wood workers for a variety of smaller projects and turnings. They tend to take sealing and finishing very well and rarely split or crack over time.
Using the right wood to create a pen is as important as to which style the pen crafter wishes to make. Smaller diameter pens work well with almost any type of wood, but the larger diameter pens are more suitable for hardwood consideration.
Additional types of wood available to pen crafters are burls, which are growths either around the tree trunk or on the roots of the tree. Some of the rarest burls come from the tree roots of long dead trees. Burl wood exhibits swirls, eyes and even voids in the wood. They may take a stain or finish evenly or not and are beautiful when properly finished.
The final type of wood used commonly in pen crafting is spalted woods. Spalting is the process of decaying wood by fungi. The wood turned exhibits striations of colors as well as areas of dark colored areas (dead wood). When turned, they accept many finishes well and provide a beautiful pen when completed.
Thus, the pen maker has a large supply of wood sources to turn beautiful pens and other objects. As long as there is wood available, wood workers will find something to create.
© Witmer Enterprises 2010
About the Author
Paul Witmer is a pharmaceutical engineering professional and an avid wood worker specializing in fine pens. Paul is also co-owner of www.WitmerEnterprises.com
dean guitars (cadillac select tiger eye) vs. esp spalted maple FX?
i'm thinking of purchasing this dean cadillac.
or i can purhcase the ESP LTD FX-260
i know i want to put Active Pickups in it but is there enough room?
also what combo of active PuPs should i get.
SD's
or EMG's
and what model
and which guitar would u recommend or buy.
I don't think Deans are very good guitars. I would go with the ESP myself.
I prefer SD's to EMG's, as I think EMG's make a guitar sound like every other guitar with EMG's.
The Seymour Duncan Livewires are reputed to be very high quality, I would probably go with the Dave Mustaine model myself. 18V of headroom is a very attractive prospect vs 9V of headroom with EMGs.
They also make Active Blacks (Blackouts? Don't remember), which are similar but made for metal. I don't play metal, so I wouldn't get them myself. Heard they're top quality, though.
Saul
Spalted Maple
Spector USA 5-String Spalted Maple Bass for Sale
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Luna Woodland Spalted Maple Acou/Elec $399 Luna Woodland Spalted Maple Acou/Elec This Woodland Series guitar marries the simple styling of Luna's Crescent sound hole rosette with a fabulous spalted maple top, back, and sides. The stunning organic wood grains displayed in this series ensure that, like fingerprints, no 2 guitars are alike. Luna's specially designed neck profile ensures a comfortable playing experience that puts challenging notes and chords within easy reach. Luna's exclusive moon phase fretboard markers-inlaid in mother-of-pearl-trace the length of the rosewood fretboard over mahogany neck. Luna Woodland Series Spalted Maple Acoustic-Electric Guitar Features: Rosewood crescent at soundhole Body: grand concert Top: spalted maple Back/sides: spalted maple Neck: mahogany Fretboard: rosewood Preamp/tuner: B-band Scale: 25-1/2" Nut: 1-5/8" Finish: gloss Weight: 5.5 lb. Get Your Luna Woodland Spalted Maple Acou/Elec Today! |
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Fender Special Edition Custom Spalted Maple Tele $819.99 Fender Special Edition Custom Spalted Maple Tele Outside-the-box Fender guitars such as the Jaguar® HH and Jaguar Baritone HH, plus Strat® and Tele® models with beautifully distinctive finishes, exotic woods and special features and appointments. Fender's Custom Telecaster Spalted Maple HH is a unique and stunning natural beauty. Spalted maple is highly sought after for its unmistakably beautiful look and is typically found on guitars in the premium price range. Other features include a set neck, slim body, carved top, spalted top with lush grained look, Seymour Duncan® pickups, and push/pull coil tap. Case not included. Specifications: Model Name Custom Telecaster® Spalted Maple HH Model Number 026-2600-(521) Series Special Edition Series Colors (521) Natural, (Polyurethane Finish) Body Mahogany, with Spalted Maple Top Neck 1-Piece Mahogany, Set Neck, Slim "C" Shape, (Polyurethane Finish) Fingerboard Rosewood, 15.75" Radius (400mm) No. of Frets 22 Jumbo Frets Pickups 1 Seymour Duncan® SHPGP-1B Pearly Gates Plus Humbucking Pickup (Bridge), 1 Seymour Duncan® SH-1N RP '59 Reverse Polarity Humbucking Pickup (Neck ) Controls Master Volume, Master Tone with Push/Pull Coil Select Feature Pickup Switching 3-Position Toggle: Position 1. Bridge Pickup Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups Position 3. Neck Pickup Bridge 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Hardtail Bridge Machine Heads Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines Hardware Chrome Pickguard None Scale Length 25.5" (648mm) Width at Nut 1.625" Features: Carved Mahogany Body with Spalted Maple Veneer Top, Cream Colored Body and Neck Bindings, Oversized Abalone Dot Position Inlays, Graphite Nut, Seymour Duncan® Pickups, Push/Pull Coil Select Feature Strings Fender Super 250L, Nickel Plated Steel, Gauges: (.009, .011, .016, .024, .032, .042), p/n 073-0250-003 Accessories None Case None Introduced 3/2007 Notice Product Prices, Features, Specifications and Availability Are Subject To Change Without Notice Get Your Fender Special Edition Custom Spalted Maple Tele Today! |
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Lanikai SMC Concert Solid Spalted Mango Ukulele $339 The Spalted Mango Concert Ukulele illustrates Lanikai's spirit of experimentation by bringing exiting, new developments to the ukulele world. SM ukuleles offer exquisite beauty and a very mellow tone, thanks to their solid spalted mango construction. |
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Lanikai SMCE Spalted Mango Concert Acoustic-Electric Ukulele $379 The new Spalted Mango Series ukuleles illustrate Lanikai's spirit of experimentation by bringing exiting new developments to the ukulele world. Lanikai SM ukuleles offer exquisite beauty and a very distinct tone, thanks to their solid spalted mango construction. |
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Maple $16.99 Susan Davies Maple - Art Print |
Using Spalted Woods for Pens
Of all the woods used by wood workers to produce pens, one of the most beautiful wooden pens that can be made is with the use of spalted hardwoods. Exquisite designs and textures are evident when using these woods. Spalted hardwood is wood that is actually rotting away and caused by the natural processes of fungi on the wood.
The most common type of spalted wood used for pen making is wood that is discolored (or colored) with darker lines and spaces throughout the wood. Generally, most are dark or black lines throughout the wood blank used to make pens. This is caused by a black fungus known commonly as Xylaria polymorpha also known as Dead Man's Finger due to its finger-like appearance.
Some hardwoods used to make pens from spalted wood are hackberry, maple, grapefruit and other citrus wood, oak and others. Both hackberry and maple make extraordinary looking pens with vivid lines and sections that provide character to the piece. Spalted citrus varieties are more subtle, usually have insect holes which add great character and turn beautifully on a lathe. Pens made with spalted oak provide striking lines which accentuate the natural grain of the wood.
Although the wood is rotting, it is stabilized to prevent further decay prior to or during working with the wood. For pen making, stabilization usually is performed with the use of cyanoacrylate adhesives which halts any further decay. This process seals the wood and allows for the dramatic color, textures and character to permanently remain.
Since spalted wood contains fungal spores, proper respiratory protection should be employed to avoid breathing in the spores. A dust mask is generally used by wood workers when working with spalted wood, as well as dust collection devices.
Despite this apparent condition of working with spalted woods, most wood workers regularly employ spalted woods to manufacture other items other than pens, but generally refrain from using them to produce items that can be used with food contact.
Pens, on the other hand take the spalted wood blanks down to a small portion of the starting size in order to make the pen barrel(s). A ¾ inch square black can be reduced to a pen barrel with a minimal thickness of 1/16 inch. As more wood is exposed, the underlying spalted areas are exposed dramatically.
Pens made with insect holes or trails present offer a unique design that can make the pen even more beautiful than with spalting alone. Many of the citrus woods exhibit this and turn out beautiful looking pens. When polished, they stand out, not as oddities, but as mini art works created by a wood worker with creativity in mind.
While wood workers take a piece of spalted wood and imagine what they can see in their minds how that finished piece should appear, pen crafters see the same vision as they turn the blanks. By applying cyanoacrylate adhesive as they turn the pen, the piece becomes stronger and takes polishing very well, even to a high gloss, glass-like finish. This results in one of the best looking wooden pens that any consumer could hope to own.
©Paul Witmer 2010
About the Author
Paul Witmer is a pharmaceutical engineering professional and an avid wood worker specializing in fine pens. Paul is also co-owner of www.WitmerEnterprises.com
Spalted Maple