I recently acquired a piece of very old oak, and am making some small boxes
from it. The boxes are partially glued up. Until I read something today, I
had assumed that the worms that caused the holes were long gone, but the
article led me to believe maybe not. I want to make sure the little buggers
are either dead or gone (or both).

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bruce Brooks

brucebrooks wrote:

I recently acquired a piece of very old oak, and am making some
small boxes from it. The boxes are partially glued up. Until I
read something today, I had assumed that the worms that caused the
holes were long gone, but the article led me to believe maybe not.
I want to make sure the little buggers are either dead or gone
(or both).

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bruce Brooks

Maybe throw the wood in the freezer overnight?

If that doesn't work, build a fire and toss in the wood. There's no
way any worms will live through the fire.

-Joe Barta

brucebrooks wrote:
I recently acquired a piece of very old oak, and am making some small boxes
from it. The boxes are partially glued up. Until I read something today, I
had assumed that the worms that caused the holes were long gone, but the
article led me to believe maybe not. I want to make sure the little buggers
are either dead or gone (or both).

Any suggestions?


Bruce,
I think I'd heat the wood in the microwave for a while. Keep the power
level low and the cook times long. Don't let the wood get too hot to
touch. Ain't no critter around that can survive in a microwave oven.

DonkeyHody
"Even an old blind hog finds an acorn every now and then."

You could place it in a big plastic garbage bag, put a bug bomb in, seal the
end and let it set overnight. You say worm but it could be beetle
infestation.

Bob S.


"brucebrooks" wrote in message
...
I recently acquired a piece of very old oak, and am making some small boxes
from it. The boxes are partially glued up. Until I read something today,
I
had assumed that the worms that caused the holes were long gone, but the
article led me to believe maybe not. I want to make sure the little
buggers
are either dead or gone (or both).

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bruce Brooks

DonkeyHody wrote:

I think I'd heat the wood in the microwave for a while. Keep the
power level low and the cook times long. Don't let the wood get
too hot to touch. Ain't no critter around that can survive in a
microwave oven.


Something about that idea just doesn't sit well with me. Wood does
contain some moisture and what would be the effect of a microwave? I
have no idea but it sure might be wise to put in a test piece first.

Joe Barta writes:

[...]

Something about that idea just doesn't sit well with me. Wood does
contain some moisture and what would be the effect of a microwave? I
have no idea but it sure might be wise to put in a test piece first.

The wood considered here contains not very much moisture (probably,
otherwise making anything out of it will be more difficult), so it
would be well to provide a dummy load for the oven, i.e. put in a
glass of cold water.
Anyway the wood might end up drier than before.

--
Dr. Juergen Hannappel http://lisa2.physik.uni-bonn.de/~hannappe
Phone: +49 228 73 2447 FAX ... 7869
Physikalisches Institut der Uni Bonn Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
CERN: Phone: +412276 76461 Fax: ..77930 Bat. 892-R-A13 CH-1211 Geneve 23

A couple of years ago my son gave us for Christmas a beautiful
bookcase he'd made from very old oak barn planks. He gave it to us
unfinished so we could make it match existing furniture if we wished.
We put it in our hallway as-is until we would have time to finish it.
It soon became apparent from the wood dust piles that accumulated
around it that the wood was infested with worms or beatles. I took it
out to the garage and liberally "painted" it with mineral spirits.
After about a week of drying to get rid of the odor, it no longer
showed any signs of infestation. We later finished it out with wiping
poly (natural aged color - the wood is too beatiful to stain) and it
now sits in our entry hallway. It's a gorgeous piece of work.

cliff



On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 14:07:45 -0500, "brucebrooks"
wrote:

I recently acquired a piece of very old oak, and am making some small boxes
from it. The boxes are partially glued up. Until I read something today, I
had assumed that the worms that caused the holes were long gone, but the
article led me to believe maybe not. I want to make sure the little buggers
are either dead or gone (or both).

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bruce Brooks

Joe Barta wrote:
DonkeyHody wrote:

I think I'd heat the wood in the microwave for a while. Keep the
power level low and the cook times long. Don't let the wood get
too hot to touch. Ain't no critter around that can survive in a
microwave oven.


Something about that idea just doesn't sit well with me. Wood does
contain some moisture and what would be the effect of a microwave? I
have no idea but it sure might be wise to put in a test piece first.

Microwaving is an accepted way of drying wood. Some turners make green
bowls and then dry them in the microwave. I understand there are even
some microwave kilns, but I can't swear to it. Microwaving will heat
the wood up for sure. Just keep the power level low so that the
moisture can escape the surface as fast as it is driven off. Sure, try
a test piece first to get an idea of how fast it warms up. And I
should have said "Don't let it get too hot to hold", not "too hot to
touch".

DonkeyHody
""We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom
that is in it - and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down
on a hot stove-lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid
again---and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold
one anymore." - Mark Twain

cdo wrote:

finished it out with wiping poly (natural aged color

What exactly is that? Can you be more specific or offer a brand/color?

I would preheat my oven to 160 or so and put the pieces of oak in there for
about an hour. You have to kill the bugs and any eggs that may be inside
your wood.
"brucebrooks" wrote in message
...
I recently acquired a piece of very old oak, and am making some small boxes
from it. The boxes are partially glued up. Until I read something today,
I
had assumed that the worms that caused the holes were long gone, but the
article led me to believe maybe not. I want to make sure the little
buggers
are either dead or gone (or both).

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bruce Brooks

I have a friend that dealt with this. He soaked the wood in acetone

brucebrooks wrote:

I recently acquired a piece of very old oak, and am making some
small boxes from it. The boxes are partially glued up. Until I
read something today, I had assumed that the worms that caused the
holes were long gone, but the article led me to believe maybe not.
I want to make sure the little buggers are either dead or gone
(or both).


I've read all the replies... microwave, chemicals, oven, bonfire ;-)

I'm still thinking the freezer. That's how we cigar smokers combat the
tobacco beetle. Kills the beetle, larvae and eggs. Keep it in the
freezer overnight... or 48 hrs just to be on the safe side.

This avoids any of the possible drawbacks from heating the wood or
rapidly drying it out or vapors from various chemicals. Maybe I'm all
wrong about this, but that's what makes sense to me.

-Joe Barta

Sorry Joe...........I have my doubts about a freezer doing anything for you.
I have seen the temp get down to 38 deg below zero in my neck of the woods.
No shortage of worms, beetles, etc. in my firewood when I split it. Thats
why pallets are now supposed to be heated to either 160 or 170 degrees.
"Joe Barta" wrote in message
.. .
brucebrooks wrote:

I recently acquired a piece of very old oak, and am making some
small boxes from it. The boxes are partially glued up. Until I
read something today, I had assumed that the worms that caused the
holes were long gone, but the article led me to believe maybe not.
I want to make sure the little buggers are either dead or gone
(or both).


I've read all the replies... microwave, chemicals, oven, bonfire ;-)

I'm still thinking the freezer. That's how we cigar smokers combat the
tobacco beetle. Kills the beetle, larvae and eggs. Keep it in the
freezer overnight... or 48 hrs just to be on the safe side.

This avoids any of the possible drawbacks from heating the wood or
rapidly drying it out or vapors from various chemicals. Maybe I'm all
wrong about this, but that's what makes sense to me.

-Joe Barta

bitternut wrote:

Sorry Joe...........I have my doubts about a freezer doing
anything for you. I have seen the temp get down to 38 deg below
zero in my neck of the woods. No shortage of worms, beetles, etc.
in my firewood when I split it. Thats why pallets are now supposed
to be heated to either 160 or 170 degrees.


I did brief search on Google and found that freezing is a very
widespread and effective method of insect control. It's used to kill
insects in old books, antiques and various other materials. It seems
to work on many different insects.

I've seen mention of "rapid" freezing and freeze/thaw cycles. It would
seem it's the deep and rapid freezing that kills the insects.
Apparently a slow freezing is less effective... which might explain
your observations.

The same articles did mention that heat will kill faster... but of
course is more problematic.

are you sure it's Oak? It may be wormy Chestnut, which has similiar grain
pattern of oak. Not that this helps with the critters, just a
thought. --dave


"brucebrooks" wrote in message
...
I recently acquired a piece of very old oak, and am making some small boxes
from it. The boxes are partially glued up. Until I read something today,
I
had assumed that the worms that caused the holes were long gone, but the
article led me to believe maybe not. I want to make sure the little
buggers
are either dead or gone (or both).

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bruce Brooks

I have some walnut that came from a log, resawn by a friend. Noticed
some "bug holes" and so I removed the bark before stickering. But
still, there's new activity - sawdust piles, some larvae bodies that
"fell out" after the resaw, and some other small bugs that have
emerged; holes are 1/32", no more than 1/16" diameter.

So, the boards are too big for a freezer or microwave; this idea of
brushing on mineral spirits sounds like the trick!! I was orginally
thinking of tenting and using the out-gasses of either liquid chlorine
bleach, or the bleach tablets we use for our pool (man, open that
container and you better be holding your breath if you don't want to
sear your lungs!)

Any opinions on mineral spirits v. "bug bomb" v. my chlorine approach
(NOT chlorine gas, mind you...)

Chris

"DonkeyHody" wrote in message
ups.com...

Joe Barta wrote:
DonkeyHody wrote:

I think I'd heat the wood in the microwave for a while. Keep the
power level low and the cook times long. Don't let the wood get
too hot to touch. Ain't no critter around that can survive in a
microwave oven.


Something about that idea just doesn't sit well with me. Wood does
contain some moisture and what would be the effect of a microwave? I
have no idea but it sure might be wise to put in a test piece first.

Microwaving is an accepted way of drying wood. Some turners make green
bowls and then dry them in the microwave. I understand there are even
some microwave kilns, but I can't swear to it.

yes there are some for glass and ceramics, although they haven't been sold
nor seen in years, except on ebay when someone's cleaning out aunt matilda's
house after the funeral.

here's a link to one for drying wood:
http://www.vtt.fi/rte/bss/coste15/co...Leikeretal.pdf

regards,
charlie
http://glassartists.org/chaniarts