Was there something alive in there?

[egnald]

Greetings all,

I have a curiosity question. A few months ago I turned a pen from a piece of Bradford Pear that was growing in our yard. There are worm tracks that I don't think were there when I made the pen. I remember because I also turned a blank from the wood that had visible worm holes and tracks that I filled with a contrasting Timer Mate wood filler before turning. I didn't like how they looked when I was done, so I never pressed it into a kit. Also, these look deep and I certainly don't recall ever filling deep worm tracks with CA before turning anything.

Could it be that there were active worms or insects that made the tunnels after the pen was finished? It is hard to tell, but it does almost look like there is some foreign material in at least the long track. I wish I had a microscope. Anyhow, your thoughts???

Regards,
Dave

 

[gimpy]

Not to be smart, but could it be that the wood cracked

 

[Charlie_W]

If those little buggers survived the heat of drilling and the noxious CA fumes, they are very tough critters.
I would definitely not use this as a carry pen and put it in my pants pocket

If you run across any more buggy/wormy wood, I recommend you microwave (in short bursts) the blanks before drilling.

 

[keithbyrd]

Do you have a picture of the pen when you finished it? I doubt they could have survived.

 

[leehljp]

Ahh the fun of stabilizing! Bet that would have got them!

 

[egnald]

Ahh the fun of stabilizing! Bet that would have got them!

My chamber, vacuum pump, and cactus juice are supposed to arrive next week. I've already dried some blanks in my toaster oven and vacuum sealed them in bags to keep them away from humidity while they came back down to room temperature. - Dave

 

[egnald]

Do you have a picture of the pen when you finished it? I doubt they could have survived.

Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures. - Dave

 

[DrD]

Looks just like some Mesquite one of my scientists brought me from their ranch. I never saw the critters, but the holes and the resulting wood powder was evidence of their existence. Ended up burning the Mesquite.

 

[wolf creek knives]

A couple of years ago my wife bought one of those chain saw carved wooden bears, it's a small one. One night were sitting in the living room watching TV and we hear this weird noise like chomping. I got up and looked around and there was a small amount of sawdust on the floor. Next morning we got up and low and behold, there's the borer sitting on the floor. You'd be surprised at what they can go through. This bear was bone dry and had a charcoal finish on it which had a poly finish over the charring. They're tough little creatures.

 

[magpens]

That critter made a very straight channel ..... guided by the grain of course.

I could not have cut such a straight channel ..... kudos to the critter !!!

Rather than "channel", call it a tunnel with a see-through roof !!! ..... er ... CA-through roof ?

You won't get a blank like that again ..... I'd keep it as a "souvenir".

 

[keithbyrd]

I would think that with the wood sealed with CA - inside the blank for gluing to the tubes, the finish and the ends sealed that there would not be enough oxygen to survive!