Very old yellow pine workbench top with powder post beetle holes
I scavenged a bunch of barn loft floorboards–100+ yr-old yellow pine. It is plenty dense and strong for the Roubo workbench top I plan to make with it. The problem is that it’s riddled with powder post beetle holes, probably dating to when cattle were housed below it and hay was stacked above it so it was moist enough to support the beetles–maybe 60 yrs ago. My question is how best to fill the hundreds of little beetle holes on the work surface. I want to end with a thin penetrating oil finish, like Danish oil, so the top isn’t too slick. I’m thinking that I should flood the top with thin epoxy so it fills the holes, then sand it off the surface before applying the oil finish. Got a better idea?
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It's interesting how salvaging wood brings new issues to the project. If my memory serves me, these beetles leave tiny holes. If the holes don't affect the structural integrity of the bench surface, I'd consider doing nothing. I have dog holes and chisel marks on my bench and I'm not worried about them. You could use epoxy or wood filler or even CA glue if the decision is to fill the holes. With the latter I would fill the holes with sawdust first. Also a pore filler might work. Whatever you decide, make sure to do a test on a scrap piece to confirm it works out like you want it.
You sure they're not still in there? I use a product called boracare, borate and PEG. Borate kills them and the peg makes it absorb. There are other products that do the same thing I believe. I have that stuff so that is what I use. Beetles are something that you don't want to introduce into your shop. I've cut into a lot of wood that I know has active beetles and I can't find the actual bug!
From what I've read, the beetles aren't supposed to infest softwood at all--but they clearly did. And they require higher moisture levels than would be present in this old stuff since the cows haven't lived below this loft for (I'm guessing) 60 years. And I didn't see any sawdust piles indicative of an active infestation. I just started planing the first batch for glue-up this afternoon and saw no bugs. And three of the first 4 boards planed look pretty good--the other I just won't use. I've got enough to allow for some rejects. I'm amazed by the density of this wood--16-25 growth rings visible on the edge of a 1 7/16" thick board. Didn't know about boracare and will consider it if I see any indication of an active infection. Thanks!
If it were me, I'd make sure the critters were gone first. I wouldn't bother trying to fill the holes. And I've never put finish on any part of a workbench.
That's what I'd do.
Thanks! I've read enough to know not to put a hard slippery surface finish like polyurethane, but it seems that some experts like a thin oil finish to make clean-up easier. My old bench has 30 years of finish slop on the surface--it will be amazing to start clean again and do a better job of keeping it that way. I'll be interested to see the consensus on this issue among the woody brain trust here.
I don't do finishing or glueups on my bench. I put a sheet of 1/8 Masonite on my tablesaw and outfeed table for that. If I need to do anything to my benchtop, I have a toothing blade in my LN low angle jack and spend 5 minutes to flatten or clean it up. Once a year maybe.
I haven't heard of a "toothing blade." Please enlighten.
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