brass etc powder inlays & wood worm

[miles_hot]

I have a rather worm hole ridden bowl which I am considering putting coloured powder inlays in however I have some questions being new to this:

1) If using something like brass which normally tarnishes how do I clean it over time or is this not required and it says metal bright all the time?
2) do I have to apply these before sanding, after finish sanding or during the sanding process?
3) are there any good hints you have for using this sort of thing?

Many thanks

Miles
PS Any good information on the life cycle and conditions needed to kill these suckers? I understood that they basically die in centrally heated dry wood but the garage is no dry (not centrally heated) and so I assume that they could be alive and well (and hence free to infect all my other timber and roof structure) out in the garage? IF this is the case should I stop and throw away any wood which exposes holes when I turn it?

 

[kasandrich]

The modern treatments are very good, just paint it on.

 

[miles_hot]

The modern treatments are very good, just paint it on.

Can you give some more detaills (trade name etc) and how does this imact finishes / how I work the wood etc?

Many thanks

Miles

 

[cornucopia]

hello Miles
If i find any woodworm activity the wood has to be very special for me to treat it and keep it- if i do treat it i buy a spray can treatment and spray it into the holes a couple of times then turn it as normal apply it agin once turned then finish the piece.

if you want to apply brass powder to a area- i sand to 120 then mix the powder with glue and apply it to the area, allow it to dry- sand it back flush with 120, fill any more voids i might have missed then sand through to finish. the finer you sand the brighter the finish- if you apply a sealer like shellac then another finish the brass wont tarnish as its not exposed to air- if you apply an oil it will slowly tarnish/dull

 

[Blister]

Miles

I have used bronze powder mixed with 2 part epoxy

Mix it up and apply to the holes / cracks / splits

Smooth it down so no huge humps are left

It will turn away with a chisel and sands to a good standard

Not had any problems with the one I did by the time it had several couat of polish :wink:

I had to do a repair on the rim of this bur elm bowl

 

[treeturner123]

Miles

Consider this way of killing wood worm. Turn bowl, insert in microwave, put on low/defrost of 2/3 sessions of 1min or so; end of woodworm!

Obviously will only work with a bowl that fits in the oven! And, ensure you do it when there is no one around!!!!

 

[tekno.mage]

Another way to kill any woodworm that might still be alive inside your bowl would be to pop the bowl in the freezer for a couple of days - woodworm don't survive this treatment and your freezer ay be larger than your microwave!!!

tekno.mage

 

[miles_hot]

Another way to kill any woodworm that might still be alive inside your bowl would be to pop the bowl in the freezer for a couple of days - woodworm don't survive this treatment and your freezer ay be larger than your microwave!!!

tekno.mage

Does that kill them or just put them into stasis?

Miles

 

[jpt]

Freezing does kill them but I usually leave the piece in the freezer for at least 2 weeks.

john

 

[Richard863]

Hi Treeturner
I will try the microwave trick for this bowl blank prior to turning. I am not sure about the freezer way as it may kill the the lava but the eggs are designed to stay dormant until the weather warms up. Look at some of the Canadian winters they survive that.
Richard.

 

[nev]

 

[HappyPixie]

You might consider putting the wood in a sealed plastic bag prior to stuffing in the freezer. If not the little blighters might migrate to your frozen parsnips and upset your Sunday lunch!

 

[woodfarmer]

I would go for the microwave treatment. Often here in the winter we have -15c for two weeks solid, day and night and it does not seem to bother the wood worm at all. two minutes at full power.