How to keep small bug/worm holes

[RegisG]

I'm turning a pen for a friend that remodeled their kitchen using old barn wood. I cut a blank from it and there are small holes from bugs or worms (1-2mm) that I would actually like to preserve. I don't want to fill them with sawdust and superglue. If I clean them and fill with superglue, will they show up in finished pen? I would like that.
Or, is there another way to accomplish this?

Thanks,
Regis

 

[farmer]

I'm turning a pen for a friend that remodeled their kitchen using old barn wood. I cut a blank from it and there are small holes from bugs or worms (1-2mm) that I would actually like to preserve. I don't want to fill them with sawdust and superglue. If I clean them and fill with superglue, will they show up in finished pen? I would like that.
Or, is there another way to accomplish this?

Thanks,
Regis

Cn you show a photo.. stuff like that I will crush up certain stones and mix with epoxy and fill all the holes .

 

[jcm71]

Buy some ground turquoise and fill the holes with it and glue in with CA before turning. You and your friend will be pleased with the results.

 

[RegisG]

I would like it to remain looking like the hole that is there (clear fill).

Thanks,
Regis

 

[donstephan]

If you don't have more of the wormy wood, use a very fine drill bit or even very small brad or awl to make similar holes in a scrap piece of wood. Then you can experiment. Usually I use powdered pigment to tint epoxy dark brown or black to fill the holes but leave the appearance similar.

 

[BCnabe]

I've done this a few times.

I put a little thin CA on it to seal it and then medium to fill it up. Usually it takes a few applications of the medium to fill it up even with the rest of the blank.

I think it looks good when it's done.

One thing to watch for is any small pockets of air getting trapped in the hole. Tapping on the blank or using a toothpick to pop the bubble works well but do it before the CA dries!

One other thing to think through is if the hole goes all the way through you will want to paint the brass tube. I usually paint it black. I don't like seeing the brass at the bottom of the hole.

 

[mecompco]

You can get black CA--filling them with that would look cool, I think.

Regards,
Michael

 

[BCnabe]

You can get black CA--filling them with that would look cool, I think.

Regards,
Michael

That could be interesting.

Have you used the black CA? How thin is it? Would it bleed into the wood?

Maybe seal it with thin CA and then use the black CA to fill the hole???

 

[RegisG]

finished one way???

Well, I tried filling with CA and it turned the holes dark. Looks ok but, not what I was looking for.
I have enough for a few more tries. The bottom of each hole is light colored like the surrounding wood. I like the idea of black CA and if I can't get it clear, I will try that.

Regis

 

[StephenM]

Here's one from a 300 year old oak tree. Left as is and just finished with shellac wax mix. (Sorry, out of focus phone pic - if I can find the pen I'll take another pic)

 

[MTViper]

I've had a few blanks with worm holes. I left them unfilled and just put my friction polish finish over it. The holes stood out nicely. Had none that showed the tube, though.

 

[mecompco]

IIRC, the black CA I got was probably about a medium. I got it to repair damaged smoking pipe stems--it works great to fill in tooth dents and chatter. You build it up, then sand it down and polish and it blends right into the ebonite. Trying to recall where I got it--it was a guitar supply company of some sort. They also had amber colored CA.

 

[jbg230]

I was just at a woodworking show and saw pens just like this with the embedded crushed turquois, as the more experienced turners have mentioned above. This pen would look great with the turquois in the defects! There's authentic stone and synthetic. The synthetic is less expensive and I thought it was pretty difficult to tell the difference on the finished product. JMHO

 

[robutacion]

From the pic you showed and your comments, you wanted a "clean" look on the worm holes and as you have experience, CA will tend to darken the wood and it would happen with almost all other products.

The one way I know it works is to cleaning the inner surface of the worm hole with a Dremel tool and one of those small dentists bur bits and very carefully remove the dirty surface from inside the holes, after that use some Liquid Gloss or Liquid Glass as is commonly known and fill those holes using a needle or something very pointed to prevent any air bubbles to stay trapped, this product is extremely thick and self-levelling so, you may need to do one part od the pen/barrels at one time and after set, rotate and continued on.

I should also remind you and everyone else that, unless this piece of wood/pen is of great significance, the time it will require and the cost of the liquid gloss, most will be wasted, will be something that you need to be aware before you embark on such task.

Cheers
George

 

[RegisG]

From the pic you showed and your comments, you wanted a "clean" look on the worm holes and as you have experience, CA will tend to darken the wood and it would happen with almost all other products.

The one way I know it works is to cleaning the inner surface of the worm hole with a Dremel tool and one of those small dentists bur bits and very carefully remove the dirty surface from inside the holes, after that use some Liquid Gloss or Liquid Glass as is commonly known and fill those holes using a needle or something very pointed to prevent any air bubbles to stay trapped, this product is extremely thick and self-levelling so, you may need to do one part od the pen/barrels at one time and after set, rotate and continued on.

I should also remind you and everyone else that, unless this piece of wood/pen is of great significance, the time it will require and the cost of the liquid gloss, most will be wasted, will be something that you need to be aware before you embark on such task.

Cheers
George

Thank you George. That is what I was looking for. And, in ythis case it is worth the effort. Now to find some Liquid Glass.

Thanks everyone for the tips.
Regis

 

[Skie_M]

A plexiglass finish would probably work too .... apply it thin, at first, to get into all the holes and cracks ... and then build it up with thicker plex. Once it's fairly even all round, you can easily sand it back down for an even surface and then micro-mesh with polish for the glassy shine ...

 

[eharri446]

I have used the black CA on several occasions. It was Stickfast and it is medium, and it is also a little bit flexible.