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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    52

    Default White Ants in my heart!

    Well I finally made a small mill for my chainsaw (thank you Brendan) I had 2 logs that I had cut down 30 years ago and decided to make something out of them.I was told it's Red Mahogany.
    DSC_1966.jpgDSC_1968.jpgDSC_1970.jpg
    As can be seen in the pictures the White Ants were still munching on the heart and left me with a problem.
    Any suggestions what I can make out of it? Apart from firewood.
    Slim

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    western australia South West
    Posts
    887

    Default

    A River Table?

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Strathalbyn South Australia
    Posts
    1,141

    Default

    A dose of borax would be a start, you don’t want them to continue on those bits or pack up house and munch on anything else you have at home, including the home!

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    bilpin
    Posts
    3,552

    Default

    Perfectly normal. In fact desirable, as the pipe helps take tension out of the log and allows the cut timber to remain straight. A small pipe up a large diameter tree is better than the other way around. The best method for cutting these logs is boxing out the heart.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    NSW
    Posts
    489

    Default

    Termites need to be able to get back to their nest to survive. Take them away from their nest and they will die. They will not reproduce so you need not worry about them (the ones in the log you just sawed into planks) eating your house. The ones that are still active and able to return to the nest, on the other hand, could already have their radar (they are blind) aimed at whatever wood you have laying around. Most houses are, to a termite, just bits of wood laying around, waiting to be recycled.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Tasmaniac
    Posts
    1,470

    Default

    Not exactly certain how big those bits are, however there are ways of cutting out the bad bits in those boards without cutting them into oblong sections then gluing up the good bits with a curving glue line to maximise the width of say a table top.
    Below is an example, this one has sikkaflex between the joints but you could opt for a much finer glue line without the sikkaflex.
    DSCF7040.jpg

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Perth WA
    Posts
    2,035

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by dusteater View Post
    A River Table?
    Absolutley perfect for it.
    Experienced in removing the tree from the furniture

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Townsville. Tropical Nth Qld.
    Posts
    1,243

    Default

    Get some glow in the dark powder and fill them with resin, would look great.
    Rgds,
    Crocy.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    52

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Old Croc View Post
    Get some glow in the dark powder and fill them with resin, would look great.
    Rgds,
    Crocy.
    The white ants have all gone but the timber is still in the shed, waiting for me to make something out of it.
    The river table that you suggest seems to be the best option.
    It does though, bring up a whole bunch of new questions.
    What type of resin should be used?
    Is there a special type, specifically for that application?
    Thanks
    Slim

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    27,757

    Default

    It will take a lot of resin and $$ to fill those gaps.

    If you don't want to spend a lot of money what about a garden seat?
    Use the more solid one for the seat and leave the gaps on the more damaged boars but use it for the back

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    52

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    It will take a lot of resin and $$ to fill those gaps.

    If you don't want to spend a lot of money what about a garden seat?
    Use the more solid one for the seat and leave the gaps on the more damaged boars but use it for the back

    Thanks BobL.
    I did think about garden seats and yes, I do feel myself looking for the "sit down" option more these days, but I already have some garden seats, strategically placed.
    Also I would like to try and keep the red colour by keeping them/it under cover.
    Anybody out there that has made river tables?
    Should I be looking on a different forum?
    Thanks All
    Slim

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    139

    Default

    You could cut out the ant eaten section and re-joint the pieces along a shaped curve, as in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzq0HGtOXnk&t=0s

    Or the obvious suggestion: cut what you've got into whatever straight pieces you can get and re-join the pieces with dowels to make up a table top width. I've got lots of similar slabs, and this is what I intend to do with them when they are dry enough, mainly for workbench tops.

    Graham.

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Shepparton
    Posts
    508

    Default

    if you google river tables you will get lots of advice on how and what to use they look spectactular.

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    52

    Default 'Let the rivers run'

    Quote Originally Posted by mature one View Post
    if you google river tables you will get lots of advice on how and what to use they look spectactular.
    I spent a night watching youtube videos of river tables and yes, some of them certainly are spectacular.
    I'm definitely leaning towards the river table option. I must admit though, that there is a little voice in the back of my head that keeps repeating the phrase, 'Bigger than Ben Hur' etc, etc.
    I think I'll just have ago. Maybe someone on this forum has made one!
    Slim

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