Thread: Borax in water that runs on bandsawblade ?

Originally Posted by apricotripper

I used about that ratio with cold water. I found it didn't dissolve well. So I warmed up some water and poured it in to finally dissolve it. Hands flared up after.

I agree the simple thing is not to use it.

Have you ever tried ideas such as camphor being placed in close proximity to the timber you want to protect from borer ? ….That be ideal for me, because if it works I can avoid chemicals altogether.

Have you ever seen any evidence of borax treatment actually working first hand……like say you forgot to treat one stack next to a stack you did treat….and noticed the untreated stack got borer...

Have you ever noticed some direct improvement in borer prevention by adding borax to the bandsaw mill water ? …..again, some useful contrast. Uno, something like a stack of timber milled with borax and another without.

I'm sorry about all the questions. I don't mean it to sound like an interrogation. But these are the sort of things, in my opinion, I need to form a reasonable opinion.

just wondering. Not an expert at trying to bypass the BS and get to the bottom of it. 2 cents worth.

No on the camphor. Maybe a pyrethrin spray might work for you? - again all natural, low toxicity etc etc. Not that theres anything wrong with the camphor idea because it should work but something you can spray on would seem easier if it doesn't burn you.

Yes to it working. We use it as an overspray on just about everything here thats not proceeding directly to pressure treatment, as well as diffusion treating the cabinet timbers with it. Trust me - it works, and I've got the "full of holes because it didnt get sprayed" packs to prove it. Lyctid susceptibility is misleading... borers seem to love some species more then others and I'll swear that once it warms up the little buggers are strung out behind me like in the Pied Piper story when I walk into the scrub with a chainsaw. Borers are active in the mill yard but we have no issues with borers, termites, or other insect pests in the shed. Borates are also antifungal which is why we spray it on the class 1 hardwoods, otherwise they get a green slime stuff on them that doesn't affect the timber but makes it harder to sell. Except for H3 treatment on some rainforest scantling species the only insect and fungal control I use is borates, and with the $ tied up in timber here I'd be crazy not to use a product I feel confident with.

I don't know about putting borates into the mill water on a band (or any other saw). Theoretically I guess it should work but I suspect that you'd have issues because either the solution has to be weak or when it cools it will settle out and clog up the lines possibly. I also doubt you could effectively get enough borate onto the timber - most of that water is carried out the cut with the sawdust I'd imagine. Personally I'd suggest that if you're going to do it do it well, and spray it on or dip it so that the timber gets thoroughly wet. To my mind once you've spent the money to saw the log not doing everything you can to keep pests out.

If your timber storage area is enclosed enough to line it with camphor effectively would you be able to just shut a door and let one of those household bug bombs go on it occasionally? Most of those are pyrethroid based now I believe, and it would treat your timber surface and maybe have some residual effect without you having to actually handle the chemicals in their "wet" state.

Originally Posted by apricotripper

..Are the blokes who have been mixing the borax in the band sawmill lube for decades, been doing it unnecessarily and simply can't face being wrong. Doing it for decades because it made sense…became a habit and just kept doing it…and now can't admit it because of the fear of looking a fool doing something wrong for decades...

Were they using Borax, or Boron/Borates? A lot of people think they are the same thing, they are NOT!

Originally Posted by John.G

No on the camphor. Maybe a pyrethrin spray might work for you? - again all natural, low toxicity etc etc. Not that theres anything wrong with the camphor idea because it should work but something you can spray on would seem easier if it doesn't burn you.

If your timber storage area is enclosed enough to line it with camphor effectively would you be able to just shut a door and let one of those household bug bombs go on it occasionally? Most of those are pyrethroid based now I believe, and it would treat your timber surface and maybe have some residual effect without you having to actually handle the chemicals in their "wet" state.

Appreciate your thoughts. I like your ideas.

Was Kinda hoping to avoid all chemicals. Even bug bombs. This decision might bite me latter… but uno.

It occurred to me today, that I could make the stickers out of camphor. Separate the boards with camphor. That way Camphors right on every board. Don't think camphors got much in the way of tannins for staining the boards too…..so hoping that'll be a simple solution. Just rip up the stickers out of doggy camphor slabs….. But I have no idea how well it will work….uno, how close the camphor really has to be to the timber your protecting to be effective (?).

Another one I was thinking about is Ventilation. Maybe something you've noticed helping in some way. I've avoided mould problems repeatably with simply fanning the stacks. Which has been great keeping mould off jacaranda and camphor. Just cheapo $12 fans. And fans draw very little electricity. Maybe that could work with avoiding borer as well ?

Have you ever noticed that timber stacks in more ventilated areas attract less borer ? …… Guessing it might be a hard one to deduce if your in the habit of treating the timber. That be a good one for me if that was true.

Hoping the best chemical free prevention will simply be camphor stickers and fanning the stacks.

cheers
Jake

Just spotted this thread and thought I would chime in. A good mate of mine was working for a pest controller doing termite treatment. One of the eco friendly products they used was some Boron based treatment. The stuff is being used commercialy for termite treatment (this was in Hervey Bay) so it must be ok. The installers would just soak some material in this liquid and place it in the ground/around pipes etc. They did it with bare hands.

Does anyone remember making slime in school with borax and PVA?

I use soluble oil , seems to make the blade work easily , need to spray for pests , or cut more timber to feed them , cheers Bob