Bug Problem

Vaughn McMillan

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Although this problem is specific to a turned piece, I figured I'd post it here in the General Woodworking area to maximize the exposure.

I have most of my turned pieces stored in a cabinet (an old entertainment center, actually), and tonight I was checking out a few pieces and I discovered this:

Bug%20Problem%201%20-%20800.jpg


This piece is ash, and obviously the bugs are feasting on it. It's the only piece in the cabinet showing signs like this. I'm assuming it's ash borers doing the damage. (Actually, I think the holes are kind of neat, but I want to stop them.)

So my question to the gang here: What can I do to kill these bugs and stop them from munching one of my favorite (and largest) hollow forms? I'm assuming I can seal it in a garbage bag with some type of poison, but what should I use? Moth balls? Raid? Boric acid? Any suggestions will be appreciated, especially suggestions that work. ;)
 
Uniformly heating the piece to 150 degrees or more for 2-3 minutes will kill the larvae and adults if any. Freezing will not work if eggs or larvae are present.

Soaking in denatured alcohol will also work to kill the active insects in the holes.

Your biggest concern should be where did the insects go after they bored out? Those are exit holes more so than entry holes.
 
Vaughn my question would be what makes you sure its ash borer? From what I have seen the ash borer leaves a larger hole. I would also be looking for the beetles.

This really highlights the issue of us moving wood around as woodworkers. These critters were laying dormant in that piece. Rather uncanny given you would have taken outer bits off when turning and applied finish.

Here is a great pic giving scale of a ash borer against a penny. You can also see the hole size.

http://www.cityofelgin.org/index.aspx?NID=1114

I think its wrong to assume ash borer until you find some larvae or a dead insect.

Check this list of possible suspects you now going to have to be inspector Cluzo mon ami. :) "Dis looks like a job for da Pink Panther"
 
powder post beetle vaughn and ash is one of the worst woods for them, hickory is number two.. they tend to be in the bark and sap wood areas, they will come out in those aears the most i had some that had been kiln dried and they still dropped by to visit. i am surprized they survived the finish, that should have sealed them off from air. generally heat like mike said will take them out.
 
Thanks for the suggestions, and thanks for educating me on the type of bugs. I'll try baking it, since I don't have enough DNA on hand to soak it.

Haven't seen any signs of bugs elsewhere in the shop or among any other turned pieces. I noticed bug activity on this piece a year or so ago. It had been at an exhibit with work by other turners for a few months, then it got wrapped in bubble wrap and packed in a box for about 6 months. When I unpacked it, I saw the telltale signs of sawdust and holes. I figured all the bugs had eaten and left, but I was obviously wrong. :doh:
 
Vaughn I just went through the same problem with those chestnut countertops im building. came down into my shop one morning to get them finished and there were all these neat little piles of sawdust on them.....
after a bit of research I found one suggestion was to fume the boards with ammonia. I set up a tent out in my garage put the counters on a set of sawhorses with small spacers where they sat on the crossmembers. put a trash can lid upside down on the floor and filled it with ammonia. covered it over with poly and put boards around it to hold the poly down. left it in there for a few days and it killed them off. as a precaution though when I removed the counters from the tent I washed them down with mineral spirits to ensure killing off any eggs that may still be viable.
you may want to do that to your entire cabinet in case other pieces are contaminated or the cabinet itself even.
Be aware though the fuming will darken (think stickley and white oak) the wood but... it can be easily sanded back to its original color should you need to.
 
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