Filling worm holes

[Steve Gerger]

Hi All,
I have started a project and was hit with a road block. I am making a Charcuterie Board. As I was milling it to the thickness I wanted, I noticed some worm holes. Some of them small and some of them are longer groves. So I took my air compressor and blew all of the holes and groves out. My question is how to fill them. I have looked at many different videos and different products but am drawing a blank. Seeing that food is placed on the board is there a product that is food safe. I have thought of epoxy, CA glues, bondo, maybe even making a saw dust and wood glue mixture. Does anyone have a food safe option. Thanks in advance for ideas.

[Andrew Hughes]

A method I use to fill holes. I stick a square stick of wood in my pencil sharpener fill the hole with glue and dip the point in glue. Hammer point in lightly. Cut flush with my favorite chisel.
If you have hundreds of hole I don’t know if it worth it. It’s up to you
Good Luck

[Rob Luter]

Here's a Charcuterie Board I made last year. I had a few little voids caused by pin knots and perhaps an insect or two tough enough to eat black walnut. I filled them with Black Epoxy and it worked out well. The fills are pretty tough to see.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40917435563_2b595bfe8b_b.jpg

[johnny means]

I sprinkle on a little fine wood dust then wet it down with thin CA glue. The thin stuff will soak down into the dust and allows me to get fills a little deeper into small holes.

[Richard Coers]

Just be aware that eggs and larvae may still be inside the wood unless it has been sterilized. Powder post beetle eggs can survive in the wood for years. Filling the holes and grooves will be a small issue if you sell that to someone and the beetles hatch in their home.

[Steve Gerger]

Hi I appreciate all the suggestions. A response to Richard Coers comments. I do know that the wood has been kiln dried and would assume that would take care of the insects and eggs. However the wood was most likely stored again and could have had more infiltration at some point. What is the best way to sterilize the wood. I have read on the internet about putting in your oven, but the temperatures and the times are all over the place. Any suggestions on that? Thanks again.

[Richard Coers]

Hi I appreciate all the suggestions. A response to Richard Coers comments. I do know that the wood has been kiln dried and would assume that would take care of the insects and eggs. However the wood was most likely stored again and could have had more infiltration at some point. What is the best way to sterilize the wood. I have read on the internet about putting in your oven, but the temperatures and the times are all over the place. Any suggestions on that? Thanks again.
The center of the wood must reach at least 133 degrees F for at least 30 minutes. https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplrp/fpl_rp626.pdf

[Steve Gerger]

Hi and thanks for all the responses, one thing that was not addressed was the concern for a food safe filling option. Does anyone know if there is a food safe epoxy on the market, or some other food safe option to fill these holes? Thanks.

[Andrew Hughes]

Hi and thanks for all the responses, one thing that was not addressed was the concern for a food safe filling option. Does anyone know if there is a food safe epoxy on the market, or some other food safe option to fill these holes? Thanks.

Food safe epoxy? Is this a oxymoron I think so. Unless you can find chicken or beef flavored epoxies :)

[Doug Garson]

Google "is cured epoxy foodsafe?" and you should get the answer

[Lee Schierer]

Mix some black walnut sanding dust with pva glue to make a wood putty. Fill the holes, sand it smooth and finish the project. Wood dust and pva glue are not considered toxic unless you possibly have nut allergies.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Food safe epoxy? Is this a oxymoron I think so. Unless you can find chicken or beef flavored epoxies FDA approval is required for direct and/or incidental food contact.
Sherwin Williams and PPG Paint should have an epoxy rated such.
You might also want to give West Systems a call also.

My biggest concern would be the minimum amount you'd have to buy.
Back when I worked for Glidden, we only sold food safe epoxy products in gallon cans.
A gallon of base & a gallon of converter = a 2 gallon minimum.

[Andrew Hughes]

FDA approval is required for direct and/or incidental food contact.
Sherwin Williams and PPG Paint should have an epoxy rated such.
You might also want to give West Systems a call also.

My biggest concern would be the minimum amount you'd have to buy.
Back when I worked for Glidden, we only sold food safe epoxy products in gallon cans.
A gallon of base & a gallon of converter = a 2 gallon minimum.
Ha, if the FDA says it’s safe then it’s probably not. Here’s a measuring stick should a infant be allowed to play and chew on cured epoxy.
Its ok for other people’s children is not a answer

[Doug Garson]

Ha, if the FDA says it’s safe then it’s probably not. Here’s a measuring stick should a infant be allowed to play and chew on cured epoxy.
Its ok for other people’s children is not a answer
So I assume when you select a glue to use with your pointed stick repair method you make sure it is not FDA approved to ensure it is safe? :confused:

[Andrew Hughes]

I don't consider their opinion for what's safe and not safe.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Ha, if the FDA says it’s safe then it’s probably not. Here’s a measuring stick should a infant be allowed to play and chew on cured epoxy.
Its ok for other people’s children is not a answerBars, restaurants, cafeterias, food processors, food warehouses,,,,,etc....virtually anywhere that serves, processes, stores food items and has surfaces that need some sort of extremely washable coatings will have to use a product on the FDA approved list.
It has nothing to do with children per se.

Then there's potable water & the need for tank linings. Coal tar epoxies are used there.


I don't consider their opinion for what's safe and not safe.It's not really their opinion. There's a very rigid set of tests a product has to pass in order to be approved.
Anyhow - I can 100% guarantee you that you are either eating or drinking something which has been in contact with some sort of paint or coating every day of your life. From the water you drink to the beer that you drink(beer cans are lined with a coating) to the meat on your table - everything has been in contact with some sort of painted or coated surface.
Believe me - I despise big government more than anyone, but, some things do need someone to lay down & enforce some set of guidelines.

[Andrew Hughes]

A hole filled with epoxy is 100% chemicals made by man.
A hole filled with a pointy stick and titebond 3 is safer because the wood fiber are the majority. I use epoxy but not very often because I just don’t think it’s needed. Esp a cutting board when there’s cut cut chop chop.
Your right there is plenty of toxic stuff in our life’s I’ll try harder to eliminate as much as I can. Thanks for the info.
Good Luck always

[Brice Rogers]

It might make sense to do something to ensure that the "bugs", larvae or eggs are dead. I turned two plates (gum amber) and had filled the holes with turquoise colored epoxy. I set one on top of the other with a piece of paper towel between them. A few days later, I found a new hole in one of the plates and a matching shaped hole in the paper towel. So, I had two issues to correct.

IIRC, ended up using some insecticide in the hole. But microwaving or putting in my wife's oven at a low enough temp may also have worked.

BTW, I typically use a colored epoxy for filling holes but that also includes (used) coffee grounds and epoxy, coffee grounds and CA glue, saw dust and either epoxy or CA. Or Inlace, etc.