Thread: Pest Control with Wood Shavings

Hi Fred
Come into the light so we can have a good look at you. Lurkers are always welcome to chip in here. You may have great information to share as well. We have a frost here this morning but sunny and clear.

Now to answer your first question......Camphor Laurel!!! Undoubtedly. The heavy aroma that comes out of freshly cut timbers really gets into your nostrils and clears your sinuses. You would have to "refresh it" periodically to keep up the protection. There should be a source for you close by because on the coast its declared a weed.

Don't hold back with your projects, drop in a few photos so we can see what you get up to in your shed.

Welcome aboard, hope you enjoy the journey.

Hi and welcome aboard.

What he said. Camphor Laurel. Just find out who's cutting one down. take a few plastic bags and you should be able to get some.

Wrap it up in the plastic bags. Just a few slivers of the stuff in the draws and those pesky little buggers will move camp very quickly (or die) and won't come back.

Camphor as said and also huon pine. I got her indoors to make a few cloth bags that get refilled whenever I have some of those shavings or sawdust. There are likley other woods with similar properties but camphor and huon have a pleasing smell.
Regards
John

Hi chambezio, tdrumnut,the bleeder and orraloon.

Thank you all for your reply to my query. This forum is an amazing source of info for the wood nut.

Certainly no trouble to find some Camphor Laurel around here. Will grab a branch and get some shavings.

Will take a couple of photos and attach with some of the things I have chipped out.

Cheers, Fred

Camphor laurel would be my first choice. Don't know about huon pine, as it attracts Qld. fruit fly (but has a beaut smell).
The old story was that Australian Cedar sawdust would keep fleas out of the dog's kennel, but don't know how true it is.

Hi Fellow Woodworkers,

Will attach a couple of completed projects that developed with my playing around.

Bought an old band saw and after checking out the forum ended up with these.
This one is from an old gum branch I found in the back yard.

DSCF5004.jpg

This one using some old beefwood that I brought back from Lightning Ridge about 18 years ago. Left-over after I had a entertainment cabinet made by a cabinet maker ages ago.

DSCF5009.jpg

And a rocking horse for our granddaughter.

Apaloosa RH 001.jpg

Have a few other bits but no decent photos at the present.

Cheers for now, Fred

Good Morning Fred

Firstly, welcome to the Forum.

Liked your work, especially those two little boxes. Lovely conceptuallisation and crafting.

Down here in Tasmania it is almost routine to have Huon Pine bags in the clothes cupboards to deter silverfish, etc, and also to make things smell nice. Usually bags are made about 50 x 75 mm - traditionally from muslin but more recently from double layers of stocking material - which are then filled with Huon Pine shavings and then simply thrown in the sock drawer or hung on a hanger in the wardrobe. Works very well, and very easy to do. Virtually every tourist handcrafts store also flogs them.



Fair Winds

Graeme

I think cedar deodora is also bug deterant. Dad reckoned to make the bottom of bird boxes out of it so the baby birds aren't attacked by mites. Not sure what else it woulrd deter. Fleas maybe?

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Good Morning Fred

Firstly, welcome to the Forum.

Liked your work, especially those two little boxes. Lovely conceptuallisation and crafting.

Down here in Tasmania it is almost routine to have Huon Pine bags in the clothes cupboards to deter silverfish, etc, and also to make things smell nice. Usually bags are made about 50 x 75 mm - traditionally from muslin but more recently from double layers of stocking material - which are then filled with Huon Pine shavings and then simply thrown in the sock drawer or hung on a hanger in the wardrobe. Works very well, and very easy to do. Virtually every tourist handcrafts store also flogs them.



Fair Winds

Graeme

Hello Graeme,

Thank you for your reply. Actually I have a small piece of Huon Pine that I brought back from Tassie about 8 years ago. Still have not done anything with it. It is about a 300mm circular piece and 30mm thick. Have never come up with a plan to turn it into something nice.
Maybe a few shavings off the outside would be a start to deterring the bugs. Would it still have enough scent after 8 to 10 years drying out?

Cheers, Fred

Sure will, Fred.

We have an antique cedar chest of drawers, and the drawer sides, backs and bottoms are made from Huon. This was a quite common feature. 150 years on and you can still smell the Huon pine.



Fair Winds

Graeme

Originally Posted by Dareen

Hello Graeme,

Thank you for your reply. Actually I have a small piece of Huon Pine that I brought back from Tassie about 8 years ago. Still have not done anything with it. It is about a 300mm circular piece and 30mm thick. Have never come up with a plan to turn it into something nice.
Maybe a few shavings off the outside would be a start to deterring the bugs. Would it still have enough scent after 8 to 10 years drying out?

Cheers, Fred

Thank you Graeme,

Will dig it out and get to work.
Better still, I will try for some inspiration and use the left-overs for the bugs.

Cheers, Fred