#&%@ borer in old toy?

[dean]

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.

[N Hurst]

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:

[Nova]

Nuke it in the microwave oven.

[Lew Hodgett]

Mikey likes it.

Lew

[nailshooter41]

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

[Leon]

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:

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.

[Tom Dacon]

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

[davy]

Too big for the freezer or microwave. thanks Dean

[davy]

Thanks for the link. The Safety considerations part seems it might be a bit dangerous to use on a kids toy. But it made me think about the possibility of using sea water. I'll try to find some other holes to squirt it down. Thanks Dean

[davy]

Too big for my deep freeze.

45cmx x 42cms x 32cms Thanks though, Dean

[Markem]

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

Mark

[J. Clarke]

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.

[Ed Pawlowski]

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

[whit3rd]

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...