Wood worm treatment

[fuzzyturns]

I recently finished turning a 15" oak burr bowl, and then left it in a room in the house to gather my thoughts on how to best present it. Coming back a few days later, I noticed there were several small piles of wood dust around the bowl, so clearly there are still some worms active in there.

Normally I would just put the bowl into the microwave and give it a short hot blast, alas, this one just won't fit. So what do you guys do to kill of these worms?

[GBF]

I have had that a couple of timmes and filled the hole with thin super glue.

Regards George

[fuzzyturns]

Does that flush them out or just kill them?

[GBF]

I dont know but I think it would stop them moving

Regards George

[fuzzyturns]

There are loads of holes to potentially fill in. I think I am going to try turpentine first. As long as they die, I am happy.

[GBF]

I have found that people dont like buying anything with worm holes.I had some lovely Elm with worm holes and they were small enougth to microwave.I ended up burning most of them because they did not sell.
Now if I find anything has worm I give it away as firewood.

Regards George

[burywoodturners]

Another question is, if I am givena some green wood, how do I prevent the little blighters getting in in the first place?
Ron

[edbanger]

I think that I read on here that you can put the wood in a freezer and that will do for them 

[fuzzyturns]

That's a good idea, and we do have a large chest freezer. Bang on, Ed!

[Derek]

If you find the holes after finished turning it is too late they have left as the holes are exits but there may still be others still lurking

[Les Symonds]

Another question is, if I am givena some green wood, how do I prevent the little blighters getting in in the first place?
Ron

Ron....buy some Borax (easily obtainable on eBay), dilute it in water to the rate of about 500g to 5liters, and use a watering can to sprinkle it all over the wood. This won't penetrate far enough to kill existing worm, but if the wood is worm-free to start with, then when the solution dries it leaves the borax as a deposit all over the outside of the timber and the woodworm beetles hate the stuff.

Les

[seventhdevil]

stick it in the freezer for a few days fuzzy, that'll get shot of them.

[Paul Hannaby]

temperatures outside, which is the beetle's usual habitat, at times go lower than the -18°C most freezers operate at but the beetles survive. So is freezing really effective?

[fuzzyturns]

Reading up on some other websites, freezing does seem to be an effective method, but needs to go for at least 7 days. I'd hope that in my case this will work, as the bowl is already turned, so most of the protective bark is gone. I really do not want to dip the entire thing in a chemical.

[seventhdevil]

be on the safe side mate, give it a couple of weeks...


i believe it is the prolonged exposure that does the job as in this fantastic country it rarely gets that cold for long (it warms up back to nice and soggy again) but i'm willing to bet they will perish if it stays that cold.