Sterilizing wood

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Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
I made a stump table in January, checked several times for bugs and have been watching and checking every month since then.

Yesterday I found fresh dust, I think eggs are hatching and eating inside the wood.

I wonder if I can get a barrel, install a BBQ thermometer, set it up on some blocks, build a small fire under it, and keep it at 200 degrees for eight hours.

Then I would have to sand to and refinish it. Has about 6 coats of lacquer on it now.
 

tarheelz

Dave
Corporate Member
Mike

I like the sound of most of this but I think I would build a separate fire to serve as my coal source and shovel coals under the barrel as needed. (BBQ pit style.)
 

scsmith42

New User
Scott Smith
I made a stump table in January, checked several times for bugs and have been watching and checking every month since then.

Yesterday I found fresh dust, I think eggs are hatching and eating inside the wood.

I wonder if I can get a barrel, install a BBQ thermometer, set it up on some blocks, build a small fire under it, and keep it at 200 degrees for eight hours.

Then I would have to sand to and refinish it. Has about 6 coats of lacquer on it now.

Mike, all that you need to do is to heat the wood until the core is 133F.

If I were you I'd shoot for 145 - 150 for 48 hours. You should be fine and the lower temperature will minimize the damage to the finish.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
I don't have any way to keep that constant temperature for so long.

i remember you told me about the insulation and space heaters, would that work for such a thick mass? This stump is about 14 inches in diameter then splits into three 6-8 inch branches.

is there a particular model of space heater that works? Mine are all oil filled radiators for safety.
 

KenOfCary

Ken
Staff member
Corporate Member
I have one of those oil filled space heaters - very safe unit. It can operate at 1500 watts on max. Hope that's enough in an enclosed environment.
 

Gofor

Mark
Corporate Member
How about a black barrel in direct sunlight to augment a fire underneath? Several days in the sun may be enough to do the trick. It has been my experience that the borers usually start right under the bark and then move into the sap wood. You may not have to heat it all the way to the core.

Not near as certain as a thorough kiln dry, but may work for these.

Just a thought

Go
 

Glennbear

Moderator
Glenn
Just a thought here, do you know any ceramic artists ? I know my sister's kiln was pretty large and one could regulate temps.
 

Barry W

Co-Director of Outreach
Barry
Corporate Member
Just a thought here, do you know any ceramic artists ? I know my sister's kiln was pretty large and one could regulate temps.

Mike,
Glenn's post reminded me that we may have some local potters who may have kilns large enough to "fire" your stump. Would be worth a call to the Arts Council. Good luck!
 

Dee2

Board of Directors, Vice President
Gene
Staff member
Corporate Member
insulated box and a 200watt light bulb with a vent hole should work. if you can bury a water heater thermostat into the wood you can control the bulb. kinda of back woods but so am I
 

scsmith42

New User
Scott Smith
I don't have any way to keep that constant temperature for so long.

i remember you told me about the insulation and space heaters, would that work for such a thick mass? This stump is about 14 inches in diameter then splits into three 6-8 inch branches.

is there a particular model of space heater that works? Mine are all oil filled radiators for safety.

Any standard ceramic heater should work. I think that the insulated box from foam board would be the ticket.
 

chris_goris

Chris
Senior User
Ill bet a small sealed box of foamboard and a few incadescent lightbulbs would bring it up and hold it at 135 degrees easily.remember the easy bake oven?
 

tarheelz

Dave
Corporate Member
Some of y'all are missing an important point. Killing bugs with fire is WAY more fun than using a light bulb.
 

Jerry C

Jerry
Senior User
Mike, a few months ago I heat sterilized some used wood furniture to make sure there were no bugs. I used a Kerosene heater and a heat gun and built a plywood box around the furniture. Worked like a charm. In my gallery under " back yard bug heater" you will find photos. Basically all you need is a controllable heat source and a box to hold in the heat.....
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
Mike, a few months ago I heat sterilized some used wood furniture to make sure there were no bugs. I used a Kerosene heater and a heat gun and built a plywood box around the furniture. Worked like a charm.

Jerry, I looked in your gallery. While there I saw your "Holly Folly" pics and found your post. How did your air dried holly version versus Scott Smith's kiln dried version work out? Maybe this should be a new thread by you so we don't hijack Mike's part?

https://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=61155
 
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