Advice on wood purchase

[daveespe]

I just bought some lumber over the weekend from a rural supplier who had a medium-sized business running out of his farm. He gave me what I thought was a good deal on some red oak and walnut, and was very generous and personable. I got it home and started to mill some of the red oak up for a project, only to see that most of the boards I've cleaned up have holes from some sort of bugs. I didn't notice this in the rough cut wood when I bought it. Do I need to worry about this "contaminating" any of my other lumber? Here are a couple of pictures of the most extreme examples I found

[Dennis Puskar]

Sure could mess up a project.
I had some red oak like yours but it wasn't as bad I just cut the bad stuff out and burned it. I would sprinkle some Borax on the wood its suppose to kill the bugs.

[packerguy®]

http://www2.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef616.asp

Read away....is it just those two boards, or everything? Id get it all quarantined from the rest of your wood till you know if its an active infestation or just damage from the past.

Is this wood kiln dried or air dried.

If its kiln dried....id say you have a better chance of being safe.....but I wouldn't guess. I get boards of red oak from the hardwood supplier that has holes like that on the end of a board. Never had an issue, but that is all kiln dried. First time freaked me out.

Get it away.....and watch for a little while for frass piles. Also, call the guy.....

[daveespe]

Yeah, freaked me out a little too...this stuff was kiln dried, but it's been out in the elements -- an open, but covered shed -- for a while I'd assume. Anyone know how long I'd have to wait to see frass from one of these boards. Are we talking days, weeks, months?

As far as the borax goes, I can certainly go buy some -- seems like it's pretty cheap. Do I literally just sprinkle some on the surface of each board? Douse them? One side, both sides? Anybody done this before?

[MichaelMouse]

daveespe said:

---

Yeah, freaked me out a little too...this stuff was kiln dried, but it's been out in the elements -- an open, but covered shed -- for a while I'd assume. Anyone know how long I'd have to wait to see frass from one of these boards. Are we talking days, weeks, months?

As far as the borax goes, I can certainly go buy some -- seems like it's pretty cheap. Do I literally just sprinkle some on the surface of each board? Douse them? One side, both sides? Anybody done this before?

---

Years. http://www.pestcontrolcanada.com/powder_...eetles.htm

[Steve N]

If nothing is moving I call that character. If it's moving, well I make other plans for it

Some light reading, there is plenty online about it, but first thing I would do is ask the seller about "his wood"

[BacsiBob]

Be sure to check the walnut before you contact the seller. I've been there/done that so I can understand how you feel.

[jteneyck]

I've had that in quite a few boards of all species that I air dry after milling. It generally happens in the sapwood, but I've had some in the heartwood, too, which yours seems to be. I KD my wood, but the drier only runs at 110F so it won't kill those critters. If I see frass when I take it off the AD stack I don't put it in the drier; it goes to firewood. If I don't see any frass it goes in the drier. So far, I've never had a problem.

John

[daveespe]

Just a quick update for anyone who's interested. After cutting up another board to find even more pronounced bug tracks, I called the supplier this afternoon. He apologized, asked if I could come back yet today -- gave me a complete exchange of the red oak (plus a few extra boards), and threw in about 20 bd ft of walnut for my trouble (it's an hour+ drive each way). He could've fussed, told me I picked out the boards, you break it you buy it and whatnot, but he was great. He collected all of the original wood (though he said I was welcome to keep it), and said he'd throw it on his burn pile. I cut up a half dozen of the new boards tonight, and they're all absolute beauties! Most of the stuff he gave me is actually quartersawn with some nice figure and really nice straight grain. So I made out with close to 100 bd ft of red oak, 40 bd ft of walnut -- for $250! He just made a customer for life. If anybody in the Des Moines area needs lumber -- as they say, I've got a guy.

[Steve N]

Win Win, good to hear.