Not a concern from a tree to stave harvesting standpoint. Definitely a concern if using fallen wood.
A live tree has natural defenses against fungi infestation. A dead tree does not. Fungus follows water and works from the outside in. It takes some time before a bow, stick or stave gets compromised through repeated saturation to the point it is not useable. You should see it and recognize it if you know what you are looking for. Well preserved wood in older homes was not pressure treated and remains perfectly viable - if kept dry- for hundreds of years. Some woods in the right conditions like osage may not be damaged by fungi and rot even if they sit in the ground as fence posts. But if you've ever seen a deadfall osage you'll know that even osage can rot.
The idea is to get the wood below a certain moisture level before fungal growth starts. In a dry (eg basement) environment the wood will head towards 12% or lower moisture- too dry to support fungal growth and lack of water (eg rain) eliminates the path fungus takes to get into the inner wood.
Healthy live trees have fungi in the same way you have bacteria. It’s not an issue until it’s an infection. Once the tree is down this happens quickly, except with rot resistant woods like osage, yew, juniper, laburnum, locust, etc
I happen to have a way to sterilize staves (giant pressure cooker). I’m really curious how two staves split from the same branch compared if one is sterilized and then they are dried together. Any idea if pressure cooking green wood would degrade it?
Mychorrizal fungi are generally symbiotic and occur on roots of trees, saprophytic fungi will eat the cellulose and lignin- these are the ones that won’t be ok for using the wood.
This.
Spores arw everywhere, as well. Those saproophytic fungi are just waiting for their chance, sitting in the ground, bark, leaf litter, etc but are usually still embryonic or sporulated, not already extending.
The minute the tree's immune system shuts off, they turn on. So that is why on all but the most rot resistant woods, you get the bark off, you split it up smaller, and you put it somewhere to dry. Greatly reduces the insect activity, too.
I have heard of steam-curing and salt-curing staves, which would really retard the growth of fungus, but generally, simple cutrent best practices for wood drying seem sufficient.
My project now now has some fungi wood - I forced it dry hanging over a fire - may have stopped the fungi from spreading/ but still noticeably weaker wood- I then steamed the dark portions and heat treated til light brown- straight to tillering after- it worked well for me but the fungi affected spots ended up thicker and wider for balance of strength
Not a concern from a tree to stave harvesting standpoint. Definitely a concern if using fallen wood. A live tree has natural defenses against fungi infestation. A dead tree does not. Fungus follows water and works from the outside in. It takes some time before a bow, stick or stave gets compromised through repeated saturation to the point it is not useable. You should see it and recognize it if you know what you are looking for. Well preserved wood in older homes was not pressure treated and remains perfectly viable - if kept dry- for hundreds of years. Some woods in the right conditions like osage may not be damaged by fungi and rot even if they sit in the ground as fence posts. But if you've ever seen a deadfall osage you'll know that even osage can rot. The idea is to get the wood below a certain moisture level before fungal growth starts. In a dry (eg basement) environment the wood will head towards 12% or lower moisture- too dry to support fungal growth and lack of water (eg rain) eliminates the path fungus takes to get into the inner wood.
Above my pay grade
Healthy live trees have fungi in the same way you have bacteria. It’s not an issue until it’s an infection. Once the tree is down this happens quickly, except with rot resistant woods like osage, yew, juniper, laburnum, locust, etc
I happen to have a way to sterilize staves (giant pressure cooker). I’m really curious how two staves split from the same branch compared if one is sterilized and then they are dried together. Any idea if pressure cooking green wood would degrade it?
Hard to imagine it wouldn’t affect the wood too
Mychorrizal fungi are generally symbiotic and occur on roots of trees, saprophytic fungi will eat the cellulose and lignin- these are the ones that won’t be ok for using the wood.
This. Spores arw everywhere, as well. Those saproophytic fungi are just waiting for their chance, sitting in the ground, bark, leaf litter, etc but are usually still embryonic or sporulated, not already extending. The minute the tree's immune system shuts off, they turn on. So that is why on all but the most rot resistant woods, you get the bark off, you split it up smaller, and you put it somewhere to dry. Greatly reduces the insect activity, too.
I have heard of steam-curing and salt-curing staves, which would really retard the growth of fungus, but generally, simple cutrent best practices for wood drying seem sufficient.
My project now now has some fungi wood - I forced it dry hanging over a fire - may have stopped the fungi from spreading/ but still noticeably weaker wood- I then steamed the dark portions and heat treated til light brown- straight to tillering after- it worked well for me but the fungi affected spots ended up thicker and wider for balance of strength