A worm! Options?

[Doug Ladendorf]

Have had some cherry logs sitting outside for a while. Today I brought a small one in to cut up and rough turn some billets to dry for handles. I just roughed one piece and found a worm/grub. What are my options? Do I need to get every trace of this wood out of my shop? Can I still use this if I do the microwave drying trick? Am I totally hosed? Appreciate any insight.

Doug

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[John Keeton]

Doug, I often run into these in soft maple and occasionally cherry - usually along with powder post beetle damage. I usually proceed forward and nuke the piece to kill anything that is still in it. Haven't had any issues afterward - other than the neat little holes and big ol' worm tracks, of course! Sometimes, they just add to the character.

[Roger Chandler]

I do not think you need to get rid of all your wood. You can spray the critters, or as you mentioned microwave each peace. Unless you think that you will have this wood in your shop for a very long period, then I would just make a point of processing each piece into some type of roughout, then microwave or treat with some type of insecticide, but do it in a well ventilated area, and do not breath the vapors!

I have run into these types of critters numerous times in the past.......unfortunately, a few of them were noticed first when they splattered all over my face mask! :eek: Might want to make sure you have on yours as well! ;)

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

nuke the wood. turn to final shape. fill worm holes with coffee ground, shaved brass, crushed stone, etc.

[Dietrich Floeter]

It is interesting how much damage these little buggers can do. The resulting bowls from one cherry log so far resemble either a cool bowl or a bad collander. Whether the larva were already somehow ensconced in the log when I received it a year ago is unlikely so they entered while in my garage over the summer? Very strange and a question for our University Extension bug man.

[Tim Rinehart]

Agreed on John and Roger's comments. Some of my finest pieces are pierced by mother nature. Dale Nish really made the most of the critters! http://www.mintmuseum.org/mason/masonsite/nish.html
I am pretty diligent about only keeping wood that is bark free in my shop along with other wood I don't want left outside. Not a guarantee, but helps avoid surprises like that.
Some of these grubs and beetles will leave a telltale powder filled hole that often goes unnoticed, some will CA them, some let them get absorbed with finish of choice...but best to clean them out from a finished piece is my feeling. I get some various dental pics whenever I have a checkup and I'll pick the holes clean and then blow it out good to make sure there isn't something in a finished piece that is dormant. Sure don't want a recipient of a piece to have a visitor down the road!

[David Hill]

I see these all the time. When you work with Mesquite or Hackberry in this area you just assume that they're in there. I just proceed with the turning and fill with mineral/epoxy as needed--gotten to be pretty good at it.
the grub(s) were likely living in the log when you got it--their life cycle is longer than those powder post beasties.
I haven't had to "nuke" any of my wood & don't plan on ever doing that (besides- most of my blanks won't fit in a microwave)

[Doug Ladendorf]

Thanks guys, appreciate the input. Was going to nuke anyway for drying so I shall proceed.


.......unfortunately, a few of them were noticed first when they splattered all over my face mask! :eek: Might want to make sure you have on yours as well! ;)

Lovely. Definitely wearing my mask so will look forward to the excitement. :-)

[Ryan Baker]

That's usually when I first find them too ... when I am suddenly looking through the splat all over my face shield. Eewwwww!

I've never had a problem with them later, but nuking it wouldn't hurt. Cleanup the shavings really well and get them out of the house.

[David Hill]

That's usually when I first find them too ... when I am suddenly looking through the splat all over my face shield. Eewwwww!

I've never had a problem with them later, but nuking it wouldn't hurt. Cleanup the shavings really well and get them out of the house.

Wow!! you get to turn "IN THE HOUSE"?? :eek:
I'm jealous.

[Doug Ladendorf]

Just microwaving a bit and upon opening the oven found a bunch of these little guys running around. They are smaller than I thought powder post beetles would be but that might not matter to them. I also don't see any holes other than worm sized filled with their sawdust. What do you think? 302019

[Doug Ladendorf]

Well just in case I cleaned everything as much as possible. Vacuumed out the bandsaw, lathe and every speck of this wood I could find. Hopefully I can avoid any further issues. I will try boiling these to be sure any hangers on are gone.

[David Hill]

Yep, I'd be a lot more aggressive on killing them--ALL those beetles need to die.
FYI the worms I'm talking about are about the size of my finger--big fat ones (grubs that is).

[Fred Belknap]

Soaking in DNA will pretty much do them in.

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

Yep, I'd be a lot more aggressive on killing them--ALL those beetles need to die.
FYI the worms I'm talking about are about the size of my finger--big fat ones (grubs that is).

we have an insect guy in our club. He told me those are likely longhorn beetle larvae.

I've got a picture with 20 or so of them that came out of a half-log of silver maple

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

we have an insect guy in our club. He told me those are likely longhorn beetle larvae. I've got a picture with 20 or so of them that came out of a half-log of silver maple here it is



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[Art Everett]

I killed some beetles in a mexican wood carving by putting in the freezer for a few days and my freezer is a lot larger than my microwave.