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Help post powder beetles in workbench

2K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  Scsmith42 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I've been working on my 21st Century workbench for about 4 months on and off. I have gotten to the point where the bench is almost complete. I recently noticed little black bugs running around. I soon realized they were comming from my newly created bench. It is to big for me to move and try to fumigate. Anyone had any success with other methods. I am afraid all of the material I have is contaminated.
 
#2 ·
You will likely get a lot of responses to this query. I had this problem in a walnut chair I had sold. I tried several things that didn't work and finally just threw a tarp over it and set one of those Raid bombs off under it. I then left it covered for a week. That has been several months ago, and I have seen no further signs of activity. Good luck and let us know how it comes out. I will definately use my method again as it appears to have worked. As a side note, the bomb did not harm the finish at all which suprised me.
 
#4 ·
Dan, sterilization of wood is typically done with heat. Your best bet would be to build a box around your bench with celotex or equivalent foam board, and put a space heater inside (and below) on a thermostat. You want to get the core of the bench up to 133F or higher for at least 30 minutes. In order for the core to reach this temp, you will probably need to get the external surface of the slab up to 145 for 18 hours or so.
 
#6 ·
133F or higher for at least 30 minutes

that requirement is specifically to kill pine wood nematode….though I bet it probably kills a lot of other things as well.

I'm pretty sure there are fumigation standards to do the same thing…. but I have no experience with those processes.
 
#7 ·
Have done the tarp and bomb thing myself. It works, but I think I would also feel free to do the whole shop with multiple bombs at once. Never saw any damage with finishes on wood, but might want to coat your machined surfaces with wax before bombing.
 
#8 ·
Thank you all for your responses. If the bug bombs work it seams like the most plausible solution. Also might get some of those spiders that are hiding somewhere. Is there a specific type that I need to purchase? The garage is an oversized 2 car garage so I also need to figure out how many I might need. I can run by the hardware store today to take a look.
 
#12 ·
Dan,

Google Boracare. It's a borate wood treatment. Home dopey has it so lowes and walmart probably do too. It works best in this situation, won't stink up the place and won't burn the house down.

Steve
 
#13 ·
There's a blog post on FWW about a pro who had 500bf of lumber stuck in an industrial deep freeze for three weeks to kill a beetle infestation. The charged him $100. Perhaps not terribly practical for you, but I thought I'd throw it out there as another option.
 
#14 ·
hi; you can fume all you want to kill what you have right now, but your root problem is that your wood and your shop are too damp, when the wood is dry the powder post beetle cannot survive, try more heat in winter and a dehumidifier in the summer keep it dry and you will not have beetles.
 
#15 ·
Thank you all for the input. I am going with a two pronged approach. I am going to fumigate and then spray. My shop is in my garage and I constantly have moisture issues. I am looking to move to a location with a stand alone shop that I can better control. I might have to get a dehumidifier in the meantime but need to find a way to keep it draining constantly.
 
#17 · (Edited by Moderator)
"133F or higher for at least 30 minutes

that requirement is specifically to kill pine wood nematode….though I bet it probably kills a lot of other things as well."

Actually… that specification comes from my "Drying Hardwood Lumber" manual. Here is the specific quote:

"the sterilization procedure, as applied in Canada and the United States, typically requires the center of
all the lumber in a kiln or sterilization chamber to be heated to 133°F (56°°C) for at least 6 h, although shorter times are certainly quite effective."

Here is the source: http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr118.pdf. Read page 88 on sterilization.

Irrespective of the many posts to the contrary, fumigation rarely addresses powderpost beetle problems, because by the time that you see them, they have already hatched. Plus, their eggs are not susceptible to most fumigation methods. I have personal experience in this area.
 
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