20 replies to this topic

[Btoon84]

I've been finding a lot of wood that looks good on the outside


but when i get the bark off, i find sawdust trails through the wood, holes and little dugouts.
(hiking stick im working on)


The wood often has a few of these guys munching away.


i find some old and dead in the little holes.... others live and wriggly.


I have been working on this natural for a few weeks now and am finishing up the last few coats of polly on her. Ive managed to keep the "grub munch" and spalting intact and i think it makes for a very unique slingshot.

I'll have pictures and the total build posted as soon as i finish it.... Back to business though. POLYPOLYPOLYPOLYPOLY......... : ) Actually had it banded up for a few days of shooting i couldn't resist. The forks aren't trimmed yet in the photos here in case you were wondering... don't want to reveal the final look too early though! gotta add some suspense to the final reveal : )

Does anyone know more about these grubs/worms? Have any experience with grub munched wood? It is amazing stuff. Bugs that leave little carvings in the wood?!?! How awesome is that!? When you look at the trails closely, after all the digested sawdust is knocked out of the track, tiny little grooves are present, you can see them in the closeups where the bug scrapped and scrapped the wood. fascinating....

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Edited by Btoon84, 03 February 2012 - 11:23 PM.

[Tenganator125]

Mother Natures own master piece

[Jaxter]

I have made 1 with wood that had been eaten and it turned out relatively nice (I think anyway) have fun with it

[Sean]

I've found a few SS and one walking stick that had one of those little critters aboard. All add's to the characters piece IMO.
I'm looking forward to seeing this one's finish.

sean

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[Btoon84]

ya right on sean, looks cool. nice looking slings bud

[Daniel J]

one of mine have been munched so much it broke when i did not even have much pressure on a pressure test. so i threw mine away. have fun with yours!

[Bob Fionda]

This will be a great natural, I suggest you to close the holes made by worms with its own sawdust mixed to some glue. Nice pics. Good work. Best, Bob

[cedar hunter]

Character! Good luck with it!

[Jesus Freak]

Can't wait to see the finish product!

[SlingshotTristin]

Use those for ice fishing!

[Btoon84]

Bob Fionda, on 04 February 2012 - 03:40 AM, said:

This will be a great natural, I suggest you to close the holes made by worms with its own sawdust mixed to some glue. Nice pics. Good work. Best, Bob

i debated that. the one in the center of the slingshot does not pose any structural threat. i think i will leave this hole open as it completes the story with the rest of the munch. i have been dripping a drop of poly down into it day after day though.

[flippinout]

If they are still inside the wood, they will eat their way out, even through the poly. I always microwave them for about 1 minute before I seal them to make sure they are dead. I have completed naturals only to have a little worm chew its way out after the frame was sealed and complete.

[Btoon84]

flippinout, on 04 February 2012 - 09:08 AM, said:

If they are still inside the wood, they will eat their way out, even through the poly. I always microwave them for about 1 minute before I seal them to make sure they are dead. I have completed naturals only to have a little worm chew its way out after the frame was sealed and complete.

lol that would suck : ( hard to believe the polly doesn't suffocate them. crazy little buggers. are they a larvae that turn into something else later in adulthood? or are they just a grub worm that stays a grubworm??

[desert drifter]

You could also fill the worm trails with colored epoxy gel, something like Brownells Accra Gel and then finish down to the clean surface. Or talk to the worms and ask them to 'rout out you intials or ? Love 'dem worms.

'drif

Edited by desert drifter, 04 February 2012 - 09:32 AM.

[jskeen]

Those look like powder post beetle larvae, but I could be wrong.

[crazyhorse]

Cool slingshot!!!!

[Btoon84]

jskeen, on 04 February 2012 - 04:09 PM, said:

Those look like powder post beetle larvae, but I could be wrong.

Jskeen that's it! i've just spent a while reading a few articles on these beetles. few different kinds. it all matches up though! : ) so nice to be able to tie it all together for me. i had no idea what these things were. I'll be compiling some info for a new post : )

[Btoon84]

here we go. 2 hours later and the PPB post is ready! I didn't know if this post belonged in gen slingshot discussion or in the homemade.... I put it in the general woodworking forum.perhaps someone can advise otherwise : )

http://slingshotforu...those-bugs-are/

[Karok01]

I think I'd find a new fork, but what do I know, I'm a newb! Honestly though try looking for 'Green Wood' live wood with easily stripped bark. Forks of this sort aren't hard to find and defects can be found quickly without dulling your tools. Also, the wood of this type can be dried all sorts of ways, from simply leaving to air dry, to microwaving the piece with short bursts.

[fatboy]

We had powder post beetle larvae in some antique chairs and had to coat the chairs in turpentine and enclose it in a plastic bag overnight or longer to kill the critters.

[mckee]

add character to make it look better