Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Tips/Suggestions on working with wormy maple.
Ron Sardo in PA
>I turned the outside of a small form and I'm trying to figure what is the best way to deal with the worm holes. The holes are filled with "white dust", I'm guessing left over worm debris. I'm thinking I'd like to remove the dust and show off the holes. Has anybody ever worked with worm holes and can offer suggestions?
TIA
Re: Tips/Suggestions on working with wormy maple.
Mark Kauder, Phenix City, AL
>A little shot with compressed air should do it, if it is stubborn, pick at it with a nail.
Mark
Re: Tips/Suggestions on working with wormy maple.
Ray Johnson
>Keep your mouth shut. Just ask Dave Peebles what happens when the critters are still in there.
Re: Tips/Suggestions on working with wormy maple.
Bert
>I've pulled parts of worms from ash a time or two. That isn't much fun but the holes they leave behind can be very striking. I've found that the $3 set of dental picks at Harbor Frieght do a great job of cleaning them out.
Re: Tips/Suggestions on working with wormy maple.
Ron Sardo in PA
>:-) Flying Bugs..I bet that didn't taste to good!
This wood is bone dry and well seasoned.
Follow up question
Ron Sardo in PA
>Is there anything I may need to know about the finish since the worm hole are indents?
Re: Follow up question
Bert
>Since my pieces were natural edged bowls I was using pray on urathane and it seemed to find its way into the holes. An 'on the lathe finish' would work as long as the holes were treated first. I'm sure the friction build Shellacs would flow into the holes if wiped on generously before spinning up.
Good luck and post a picture.
Bert
Re: Tips/Suggestions on working with wormy maple.
Sonja Lemon - Sacramento,CA
>Ron, We had a friend who turned a small vessel, put it on a shelf, and after a period of time, his wife complained about the 'dust' behind the vessel. Turns out that worm lived through the turning and finally came out! Be careful!
We have been getting a lot of wormy wood lately. I wonder if freezing the wood would help kill the worms? Sonja
Re: Tips/Suggestions on working with wormy maple.
Ron Sardo in PA
>I'm not an expert, but this is what I've heard. If the wood came from the south the bug(s) would die from frezzing. If the bugs come from the north it's a toss. The MC is 12% on this wood, good chance the bugs are dead. But...I think I'm going to nuke this chuck of wood tonite just to be on the safe side. That should get 'em buggers! Just hope SWMBO will be out tonite.
My wormhole fillers (long) *LINK*
Ken Platt (Granby, CT)
>Ron, I made a pen and letter opener which had some worm holes; the wood was red oak. This was a special set and I futzed around quite a bit with a test piece, drilling little holes and filling them with this and that. The list of fillers included colored woods (red from bloodwood, white from maple), and a bunch of different rock dusts. I went out in the yard and looked in the pile of rocks I toss out of my garden, found different ones that looked pretty. I crushed them in a plastic bag which I whacked with a hammer. I ended up with a bunch of little cups of stone dust - white, pink, orange. One type has little metallic-looking flecks in it. (Clearly geology isn't my strength).
In the end I used a mix of dark brown wood dust (peruvian walnut, have a bunch of it, easy to make dust) and a bit of silver metal dust which I purchased (Inlace brand). It turned out pretty well, although I think a copper color metal would've looked a bit better. I wish I'd tried making some filings off of copper wire, but by then I was getting a bit tired of the whole thing. Anyhow, a pic of the results is linked below.
I realize that I went overboard on this but I saved all the little cups for some other day's filling needs.
Re: Tips/Suggestions on working with wormy maple.
Bill Hale / The Wood Spinner
>YUMMM
ROASTED BEETLE
Re: My wormhole fillers (long)
Bill Hale / The Wood Spinner
>One way to get nice fine colored wood dust is to collect the shavings as you turn and run them through a blender or coffee grinder. You can use a kitchen basket screen for sizing. I stor mine in old babby food jars. For black use any color screenings and lamp black.
Pack it in and CA to fill. If the hole is large pack in any shavings and top coat with the color.
Good turning and be safe
Bill
LOL Ray
Dave Peebles Lyons, Ohio!
>Hi Ray,
I almost forgot about that one. :)
It's much like the old one about how you can tell if someone is a happy motorcycle rider...
By the bugs on their teeth.
I think it is the same for woodturners. You don't want to smile when things are going well, but ya just can't help it.
Those were some dizzy ants that day. :)
Dave
Turner and motorcycle rider who personally watched Evil ride the rocket into the bottom of Snake River Canyon. Not a great jump, but my my, what a party.....
Re: Worms in the finished piece
Dinyar Chavda
>Haven't you folks ever heard of the concept of living art? :-)
Can't you just see the review in the art section:
An ever-changing tableau that never ceases to amaze and fascinate you---even the artist can only speculate as to the final form!
Re: My wormhole fillers (long)
Dinyar Chavda
>