woodworm in a new frame

[Mrs C]

Good morning framers, can i pick your brains?

A couple of months ago, I did a large job (as in 30 frames), for a regular customer. This morning, he called to say that two (hopefully, only two!) have signs of woodworm. White dust, bore holes. He (and I) are concerned that there may be more of course, or that it could infect other wood in his large, grand house.

My first thought was that surely all new mouldings are treated, so this should not have happened. I then wondered if the insects/mites could have been present in the paper. The artwork being early Victorian etchings that had lain in an attic for many years.

I have spoken to the supplier (who shall remain nameless) and they are coming in to see the affected frames this week, so things are in hand to rectify the problem. I am interested though to know if anyone else has come across anything similar.

[Dave]

Most Framers nightmare I should think. Cannot really advise, but when we had a gallery I had an artist bring in some framed pictures in a plastic bag. I picked the first one up, actual beetles crawling out of the frame, dust everywhere, holes throughout. Asked her as sensitivley as I could to take them outside. The others were also affected. She had recently had them framed and had been storing them under her stairs ever since. She was absolutely distraught. I cannot say whether the infestation had come from the frames for definite, but it seemed most likely to me.

Have been absolutely paranoid about beetle ever since and I always inspect customers own frames meticulously before taking them into the shop. Sometimes this causes a bit of awkwardness, but hey I've seen what can happen.

Hope it turns out o.k. for you.

Dave

[David McCormack]

You may find this article from ABT useful to read:

Dealing With Woodworm.pdf

(1.04 MiB) Downloaded 707 times

[Dave]

Very useful article, bit scary though, potentially five years from egg to emerging beetles.......


Dave

[Mrs C]

An interesting read, thanks for that.

I wonder whether there is any way one can detect further woodworm in the rest of the batch of frames, other than just keep an eye on them and any hope for the best? I am guessing my customer isn’t too keen to hang the other 28 frames till he can be sure.

Will let you know what my supplier says.

[prospero]

Woodworm don't happen overnight. If the adults are emerging (this is the time of year) then the wood would have been infected long ago. Chances are that the infestation is localised to one length, but it would be wise to scrap the whole lot. Have a word with the supplier to thrash out some financial redress.

You can usually spot worm tracks in moulding when you cut it. Look for pale spots on the cut face. They fill in the tunnels as they chew their way along with tightly-packed dust - worm poop not to mince words. Poking the spots with a needle you can tell if they are worm tunnels or just blemishes in the grain. As the eggs get laid on the rough ends of the stick, you can keep slicing along until the tracks are no longer showing and save any good portions of the length. But if there is a crack or split anywhere in the middle, they could have laid eggs there as well.
I once chopped one of the little bleeders in half on the morso. Bit risky then. Unless it's particularly choice moulding it's best to scrap the whole piece.

Lion used to do woodworm traps (honest) but don't seem to sell them anymore.

[Roboframer]

They must have had really sensitive springs!

[David McCormack]

I’ve tried woodworm traps before but without much success. But I recently discovered where I’ve been going wrong.... you need to make the traps out of cheese and bait them with wood.

This topic has got me thinking about what life must be like for woodworm... spending 3 to 5 years inside a piece of wood?... it must be boring.

I’ll get me coat.....

[prospero]

5 years chomping up and down a bit of wood and suddenly a giant shinny steel blade chops your arse off. Given the choice I'd skip it.

[kev@frames]

if the frames are obeche, you can safely say the worms came free with the moulding from the suppliers.
worm is no big deal, and on the list of catastrophies that can happen to a framers they are right down there at the bottom. Just more of an occasional PR matter than anything else.
Its just the scenarios that customers create in their heads and become hysterical about that you have to deal with, same as anyone else in the furniture/home decor trade has to.

I've had worm in frames I made brought back to the shop a year or two later. and once you explain to the customer its a five year life cycle (alluding to the fact that you didn't put them there) and that they are unlikely to move from obeche to oak or vce-versa, then make them a replacement, and make the right noises like an amateur entamologist you find that things are usually smoothed out in no time.

Do make a point of telling your supplier, as they may not yet be aware that there might be a batch in their warehouse needing a look at. Unless of course its one that a competitor uses a lot of, in which case its prudent to just keep your trap shut, throw it out, and discontinue it from your range
Did I say that out loud?

[misterdiy]

We had a whole batch come in a couple of years ago which had prolific worm in. Immediately contacted the supplier who said "burn it now - and thank you for letting us know so we can check the warehouse batch" Immediate replacement sent. Made a good fire and the little blighters didn't squeal too much

[deepictureman]

Hi,

I had a similar incdent last month when a customer contacted me about worm holes in one of the five different commissions that I had framed for him. On inspecting the moulding, it was quite clearly woodworm and I immediately checked my moulding stock which confirmed it was only this one moulding that had the problem. Interestingly, the rest of the same length that I kept showed no sign of infestation and I have sealed it in a polythene bag to show the Rep when they next visit. I made a new frame at no cost to the customer and they are pleased with the end result. My first and last infestation incident I hope.

[Mrs C]

Thanks for all your responses. Update on the situation. Suppliers paid me a visit and put my mind at rest with their assurance that further infestation with other wood highly unlikely. They also supplied me with details about the source (country) of the moulding and the temps at which it had been kiln dried. I in turn, gave my customer this info which concurred with what his timber specialist had said. All in all, pretty sure it was an isolated incident and as such, my supplier provided FOC replacement lengths to make new frames.