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Dealing with bugs

Joined
Sep 1, 2004
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In the past I have been lucky to find road kill logs. But occasionally the logs are the new homes of bugs, termites, ants, etc. How does one kill the bugs, assuming like myself you don't want bugs in the work shop? If you use a insecticide do you have to worry about fumes/chemicals when you turn the wood? Or is the wood to be left to the bugs?
 
Joined
Apr 9, 2004
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Location
Austin, TX
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www.woodturner.org
There are about one million known species of bugs and here in Texas we have one million and one of them! Plus many of them like to bite or sting.

I usually chainsaw the log into whatever blank that it is targeted for, then either wax the pieces for later uses or rough turn at that point. During the process of creating blanks, most of the bug nests get cut out. If not then I use boiling water to nuke the nest, especially if the critters are fire ants or lumber ants.

The above treatment isn't very successful for the various bark beetle larvae (grubs) which like to get under the bark and drill around between the bark and the wood. So for those you might want to debark the items or microwave the blanks. The only danger in that process is you risk great peril from the microwave owner. On the other hand, some folks like the perforations created by the grubs.
 
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Jun 24, 2004
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speaking of microwaves I bought 4 of them yesterday at the goodwill all of them are huge early 80's models that double as convection ovens. I started drying bug filled blanks yesterday with great results, though one must be careful to watch the moisture content as I did char a few pieces. Also remeber if it is too hot to handle with your welding gloves when you take it out you probably over did it.
 
Joined
May 29, 2004
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Location
billerica, ma
Put the piece in a garbage bag, fill it with exhaust from your car or lawnmower, tie shut and let sit for a few days. CO is wonderful stuff, as long as it's not us breathing it. Plus, no extra toxins to breath in the dust you'll be making.

Dietrich
 
Joined
May 7, 2004
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Lynn Haven, FL
CO method

Somebody else told me about a similar method. He was a welder by trade and had a CO2 bottle for some reason. He told me that he would put a few turning blanks in a plastic bag, insert a hose from a regulator on the CO2 bottle, and fill it up. From my ancient science days I understand that Carbon Monoxide (CO) is poisonous gas, while Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is not. However, the logic is that bugs must have oxygen to live and will die from a lack of it. The CO2 will basically kill the bugs from a lack of oxygen. :eek: Seems like a slow process and not real dependable, but I have never tried it and he swore that it worked. Just thought I would toss this out for consideration-

Back to making shavings, Wish
 
Joined
May 29, 2004
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Actually, a fun thing about CO2 is that it's completely inoccuous at small amounts but highly toxic in moderate amounts. Once you pass a pretty low percentage (I think around 12 or 15), your body can't handle the amount of CO2 that remains in the blood even if there is ample O2 available in what you're breathing.(not sure if it's a matter of not being about to absorbe O2 or a change in blood ph). CO has the added advantage that it is absorbed instead of O2 and is hard for blood cells to release, but CO2 would work just fine (if not better?).

Dietrich
 
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