Black mold on tree stump anvil stand!!

That is an oak sump, isn't it? Oak has high tannin, and that could very easily be what you are looking at.

Get some magnification on the situation. You should easily be able to tell if it's mold or just turning color. I don't think you need to do anything if it's not mold. Normally, natural substances try to heal themselves, and oxidized tannin may actually be helping to preserve your stump.

I'd still peel the bark asap.
 
A gentle charring with a torch might kill what's there and prevent anything else from growing in the future.

Like you do to the bottom of fenceposts.
 
Burl Source said:
What you are seeing might be steel filings reacting to the wood.
Many woods will turn black when exposed to iron/steel.

My suggestion would be to remove the bark and seal both ends to minimize cracking while it is drying.

If you use bleach, mix it 50/50 with water and apply it with a spray bottle.
Then use a scrub brush to remove the surface mildew.
After that rinse it off.
Otherwise the bleach degrades the wood making it softer.
Click to expand...

Going through the same issues currently, although my mold appears greenish.
You suggested sealing the ends, what with?
 
saw mills and others use a commercial sealer ,some kind of wax .Or you could use paraffin.
 
It might be a bit off topic but I think it is better for a variety of reasons to build your own anvil stand. I sourced some tree stumps for anvil stands and making them into suitable anvils stands was a much bigger PITA than the stands I built from scratch. But bleach was my first thought as well.
 
mete said:
saw mills and others use a commercial sealer ,some kind of wax .Or you could use paraffin.
Click to expand...
Thanks.
Another issue I ran into after getting rid of the surface mold, it seems the core has gone soft - very cork-like. Does this mean it's rotting internally?
Will it dry out and harden eventually?
 
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