# Bug issues



## TimR (Jun 6, 2014)

I'll try to keep this concise.
My sister has a homemade curio in her dining room that was discovered to have a pretty good amount of boring bugs in it...not sure what variety, but they had to have it removed and treated with boracare or similar. She also had a couple of bowls I've made in that same curio, and I asked her if any could have come from them, but she said no, there was no holes in any of them and no sawdust piles nearby.

So, ironically (but unrelated to bugs in curio) I stopped over to see her last night, and she said a peppermill I had made, with curly kiln dried maple bottom and buckeye burl top...was showing signs of having active bugs. Saw dust piles, holes about 3/32" diam...I felt bad and said not to worry, I'll take care of that. I recalled when I made this piece that I was running short of time and so didn't stabilize the buckeye burl top.

I had enough of a mortise in the top piece to mount on lathe and give the buggers a spin, then I hit some of the 4 holes with air compressor till I heard that "pffft" sound of 300 mph evacuation. Since I had a finish on it, I lightly turned just the surface to expose raw wood and decided to stabilize it. I'll finish this process tonight, ran out of time last night to do the heat cure.

The message here folks, if you make something for someone using woods that have a pretty good chance of carrying bugs, you see evidence of the little trails, etc...take precautions to either assure they are gone (easy enough on most thin bowl/platter/vessels) by scraping out any trail dust and either leaving natural (my choice) or filling, heat the wood to a min of 140F or so for 24 hrs (experts please comment if this is enough), or stabilize if practical which would include a 200F bake period.

Reactions: Great Post 1


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## Kevin (Jun 6, 2014)

All bugs and larvae will die with a 135+ bug kill cycle, but that needs to come at the end of a kiln cycle or the wood will have too much moisture (even at EMC) and most likely crack if you just throw it in an oven. Wood that is stabilized needs to have as little moisture as possible before going in the chamber - I shoot for below 6% so by the time it hits the oven it can handle that 190 degree weather.

As far as chemicals such as boracare to treat the scene after an infestation is detected, that's the only way I know of. And of course removing any wood items that were brought into the home within the past year that you feel could be the culprits. Although some larvae can remain dormant for years within wood before coming out and introducing themselves.

It's can be a nightmare scenario and I am fully expecting the same situation one day and frankly am surprised it hasn't happened yet.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## NYWoodturner (Jun 6, 2014)

Tim - Great post man. And Thank You. That is a sobering concept to entertain that anyone of us could be responsible for something like that. I agree 1000% with everything you said, but really question the 24 hour period at 140 degrees. I have very often done a bug kill cycle but never done it for 24 hours. Have I been negligent?


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Jun 7, 2014)

I have never done one that long either. But a good 6 to 8 hours is typical. The idea is to get the core of the wood that hot and keep it there for a few hours.

Boring insects can infest and reinfest for several generations. In addition they can hop to a different piece of wood as a safe harbor. I am in kevin boat thanking my lucky stars I haven't had a problem..... yet.


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## TimR (Jun 7, 2014)

NYWoodturner said:


> Tim - Great post man. And Thank You. That is a sobering concept to entertain that anyone of us could be responsible for something like that. I agree 1000% with everything you said, but really question the 24 hour period at 140 degrees. I have very often done a bug kill cycle but never done it for 24 hours. Have I been negligent?


Length of time you're doing could be fine, I'm really not sure what's adequate for particular bugs and thickness is a factor naturally. I use 24 hrs as it's basically a work up to temp in my dishwasher kiln and once I think it's dry, will cook the additional day or so for any bugs that aren't yet toast. I read or heard this technique years ago, but can't say it's based on any scientific evidence or tests.

Reactions: Like 1


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## TimR (Jun 9, 2014)

I posted the completed mill in woodturners projects.


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