Have a small tree toy that I made 2 years ago that for some reason now
has borer/woodworm dust coming from some little holes in the stem.
Anybody have any ideas of something that I can squirt down the holes to
exterminate them. As its a toy I don't want anything too toxic so the
kids can still play with it. I have a syringe and I was thinking of
trying some linseed oil that would evaporate after its done some damage
to the pesky little var or something like that. What about isapropel
alcohol as in CD cleanmits.

On Dec 16, 7:11*am, dean wrote:
Have a small tree toy that I made 2 years ago that for some reason now
has borer/woodworm dust coming from some little holes in the stem.
Anybody have any ideas of something that I can squirt down the holes to
exterminate them. As its a toy I don't want anything too toxic so the
kids can still play with it. I have a syringe and I was thinking of
trying some linseed oil that would evaporate after its done some damage
to the pesky little var or something like that. What about isapropel
alcohol as in CD cleanmits.

You can try diatomaceous earth. It'll pierce the exoskeleton and kill
the bugs, and if you buy the right stuff, it's safe enough to drink in
a glass of water. I know it works on bugs like roaches and other pests
of that nature, but I don't know how it'll work on something like
this.

Here's a link for more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

-Nathan

dean wrote:
Have a small tree toy that I made 2 years ago that for some reason now
has borer/woodworm dust coming from some little holes in the stem.
Anybody have any ideas of something that I can squirt down the holes to
exterminate them. As its a toy I don't want anything too toxic so the
kids can still play with it. I have a syringe and I was thinking of
trying some linseed oil that would evaporate after its done some damage
to the pesky little var or something like that. What about isapropel
alcohol as in CD cleanmits.

Nuke it in the microwave oven.

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA

"Nova" wrote:

Nuke it in the microwave oven.

Mikey likes it.

Lew

Dean - if you nuke it you may not kill the big(s) before warping your
toy and cooking the finish. As a woodturner, many of us turn green
wood that has bugs in it along with other annoying things and the
microwave is something I have used to dry wood and kill bugs.

I can tell you from experience you can ruin a small wood project very
easily in the microwave. It heats from the inside out, and you may
not see the damage you do to the piece until it cools.

My suggestion (and from personal experience) is to put the toy in a
bag and toss it in the deep freeze for a couple of weeks. No
chemicals, no possibility of warping wood and no damage to your
finish.

Robert

"N Hurst" wrote in message
...
On Dec 16, 7:11 am, dean wrote:
Have a small tree toy that I made 2 years ago that for some reason now
has borer/woodworm dust coming from some little holes in the stem.
Anybody have any ideas of something that I can squirt down the holes to
exterminate them. As its a toy I don't want anything too toxic so the
kids can still play with it. I have a syringe and I was thinking of
trying some linseed oil that would evaporate after its done some damage
to the pesky little var or something like that. What about isapropel
alcohol as in CD cleanmits.

You can try diatomaceous earth. It'll pierce the exoskeleton and kill
the bugs, and if you buy the right stuff, it's safe enough to drink in
a glass of water. I know it works on bugs like roaches and other pests
of that nature, but I don't know how it'll work on something like
this.

Here's a link for more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

-Nathan

Strongly some one that I worked with years ago had a roach crawl into his
ear and begin scratching around while he was a sleep. He was in
excruciating pain and when he arrived at the ER they poured alcohol in to
his ear. Out popped the roach.

Or if there is no metal in the toy, nuke it for a few seconds in the
microwave.

Put it in a container with some dry ice for a while. After the oxygen has
been displaced for a while they'll be done for.

Tom Dacon

"dean" wrote in message
u...
Have a small tree toy that I made 2 years ago that for some reason now has
borer/woodworm dust coming from some little holes in the stem.
Anybody have any ideas of something that I can squirt down the holes to
exterminate them. As its a toy I don't want anything too toxic so the kids
can still play with it. I have a syringe and I was thinking of trying some
linseed oil that would evaporate after its done some damage to the pesky
little var or something like that. What about isapropel alcohol as in CD
cleanmits.

napalm.

wrote:
Dean - if you nuke it you may not kill the big(s) before warping your
toy and cooking the finish. As a woodturner, many of us turn green
wood that has bugs in it along with other annoying things and the
microwave is something I have used to dry wood and kill bugs.

I can tell you from experience you can ruin a small wood project very
easily in the microwave. It heats from the inside out, and you may
not see the damage you do to the piece until it cools.

My suggestion (and from personal experience) is to put the toy in a
bag and toss it in the deep freeze for a couple of weeks. No
chemicals, no possibility of warping wood and no damage to your
finish.

Robert

Too big for my deep freeze.
45cmx x 42cms x 32cms
Thanks though,
Dean

On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 23:11:10 +1100, dean wrote:

Have a small tree toy that I made 2 years ago that for some reason now
has borer/woodworm dust coming from some little holes in the stem.
Anybody have any ideas of something that I can squirt down the holes to
exterminate them. As its a toy I don't want anything too toxic so the
kids can still play with it. I have a syringe and I was thinking of
trying some linseed oil that would evaporate after its done some damage
to the pesky little var or something like that. What about isapropel
alcohol as in CD cleanmits.

As I have read a few replies, try a larger contractor garbage bag.
Fumigate it, auto exhaust might work.

Mark

davy wrote:
wrote:
Dean - if you nuke it you may not kill the big(s) before warping
your
toy and cooking the finish. As a woodturner, many of us turn green
wood that has bugs in it along with other annoying things and the
microwave is something I have used to dry wood and kill bugs.

I can tell you from experience you can ruin a small wood project
very
easily in the microwave. It heats from the inside out, and you may
not see the damage you do to the piece until it cools.

My suggestion (and from personal experience) is to put the toy in a
bag and toss it in the deep freeze for a couple of weeks. No
chemicals, no possibility of warping wood and no damage to your
finish.

Robert

Too big for my deep freeze.
45cmx x 42cms x 32cms
Thanks though,
Dean

Squirt a little Permethrin in the holes. Yeah, it's poison but it's
an insect-specific neurotoxin and a human has to absorb a _lot_ of it
to be harmed by it--it's used on kids for head lice for example. It
will kill cats and fish though, so be careful with it around pets.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

"Markem" wrote in message

As I have read a few replies, try a larger contractor garbage bag.
Fumigate it, auto exhaust might work.

Mark

Power mower exhaust would be better. Cars have very little CO these days
due to the CAT converter.

On Dec 16, 4:11*am, dean wrote:
Have a small tree toy that I made 2 years ago that for some reason now
has borer/woodworm dust coming from some little holes

I like the microwave idea, but if the materials are incompatible
it can bollix the finish/glue/sap. If you can fit the toy into a
kitchen oven, just a few minutes at/above 160 F will kill most
insects and their eggs and even fungus. That's how
kiln dried lumber is insect-purged. It may soften glue and
sap, of course.

The core of the wood should get hot enough in 15 mnutes at
200 F, and that won't harm paint.

Insects may flee their burrows, be prepared to remove the evidence
before anyone cooks in the oven...