Red Cedar

[Paul M. Kaplowitz]

I've been using Red Cedar for over 50 years. We milled it and lined closets, blanket chests, made pole barns and fence posts. Never saw a termite or borer in any of it until now. I received a commission to turn 12 bowls from a large Red Cedar in this family's yard. I couldn't believe it when I ripped the log sections and termites poured out. Anybody run into this?

Has anyone used the Beall Buffing System on Red Cedar, and if so http://www.aawforum.org/vbforum/images/attach/jpg.gifhow did it turn out?

 

[Steve Worcester]

I've been using Red Cedar for over 50 years. We milled it and lined closets, blanket chests, made pole barns and fence posts. Never saw a termite or borer in any of it until now. I received a commission to turn 12 bowls from a large Red Cedar in this family's yard. I couldn't believe it when I ripped the log sections and termites poured out. Anybody run into this?

Has anyone used the Beall Buffing System on Red Cedar, and if so http://www.aawforum.org/vbforum/images/attach/jpg.gifhow did it turn out?

You might want to identify the particular termite.i haven't heard of them in red cedar at all, was supposed to be "termite proof".
maybe Formosa termites?

 

[John K Jordan]

I've been using Red Cedar for over 50 years. We milled it and lined closets, blanket chests, made pole barns and fence posts. Never saw a termite or borer in any of it until now. I received a commission to turn 12 bowls from a large Red Cedar in this family's yard. I couldn't believe it when I ripped the log sections and termites poured out. Anybody run into this?

Has anyone used the Beall Buffing System on Red Cedar, and if so http://www.aawforum.org/vbforum/images/attach/jpg.gifhow did it turn out?

I've seen plenty of big black ants, usually in the center of a log, but never any termites. Were they in the heart wood or white sap wood? The white wood is prone to decay and insect damage. I too would grab a few if possible for ID.

Your link doesn't work for me. (an accident?) I turn a lot of cedar but don't buff it. I like a soft sheen on cedar instead of a gloss.

JKJ

 

[Paul M. Kaplowitz]

Termites

As the picture shows they were in the heartwood. These were white. I have no idea if they were Formosan or a local species.

 

[Jamie Straw]

I've seen plenty of big black ants, usually in the center of a log...[Snip]
JKJ

Would those be Carpenter Ants? Sounds like the ones we have here in Puget Sound.

 

[chrisdaniels]

I use arm r seal on my cedar vases, it usually turns out really nice, but i'm no professional.

 

[John K Jordan]

Would those be Carpenter Ants? Sounds like the ones we have here in Puget Sound.

The big black ants we commonly find in the middle of a cedar tree are carpenter ants. I have also found them 60 ft up in an oak tree! I always keep a sprayer of something noxious at my sawmill for when I run into a nest.

For anyone curious about the difference between ants and termites, this may help:


http://www.walthamservices.com/termite-control/termites-vs-carpenter-ants/

BTW, I don't like termites and carpenter ants near my buildings or my power transformer. (Termites have been responsible three times since '88 for power outages at this house when they moved in towards the warmth of the transformer in the winter and shorted out the underground 7200 volt line.) But these are some of most environmentally valuable recycling insects - imaging what our forests would be like without termites, ants, and fungii - dead trees would be so deep on the ground that I suspect the forests themselves would be choked and gone!

JKJ

 

[Bill Boehme]

As the picture shows they were in the heartwood. These were white. I have no idea if they were Formosan or a local species.

The termites that I see in your picture look like the typical Eastern Subterranean Termite. They will eat cedar heartwood although it is not their favorite wood. If there is a plentiful supply of other wood they will eat it before eating the cedar.

Here in Texas I have harvested what we call cedar ... it is hard and heavy and actually a juniper I believe. It used to be the favorite material for fence posts since it would last almost forever. Most insects don't bother it, but sometimes there are borers. I haven't encountered termites, but there is plenty of other tastier wood for the little buggers. I think that 2X4 is their favorite.