Worm hole wonderings

[Eric Rathhaus]

While prepping some boards I plan to use for my bench top, I came across some of those small pinhole, which I assume are from an insect to worm. How can I know if the critters are dead? I don't want to to have my bench top turn to swiss cheese!

Thx.

Eric

[William Fretwell]

Eric, if you are building a workbench most of us have had the timber for some time, let it dry and acclimate to the workshop for a while. Dry wood stops most problems, wet wood invites a host of issues.
The grub probably ate in then turned into a flying creature and left.
When you build no doubt you will cut through some of the holes and will see how deep they were.
If the wood is dry you should be fine.

[Eric Rathhaus]

Thanks, William. The wood has been sitting in my shop for a couple of years and before that for some indeterminate length of time at the salvage yard where I bought it.

[Howard Pollack]

I knew a very good painter and craftsman who squirted lacquer thinner into the holes. There is probably not much that could survive that. -Howard

[David Carroll]

Did you notice any fine dust around the holes when you took it out of storage? That's often a sign of an active infestation. I believe the lacquer thinner trick, described by Howard above, should solve it. I've done the same with linseed oil.

DC

[Eric Rathhaus]

I didn't;t notice any dust. I will be pulling quite a few boards out of storage to prep and will keep an eye out for signs of dust. Sounds like you're using the liquid to drown the buggers and avoid raising the grain.