I agree with Tom but want to add to the subject of freezing furniture. Of the dozens of furniture conservators I know I’m unaware of any that recommend freezing. They prefer anoxia. The complexity of issues of differences in thermal expansion and contraction of disparate (and aged) materials that Tom refers to are a major concern. Add to that gilding, painted surfaces, modern materials like PU foam and so many other concerns associated with trying to control condensation buffering during the cycling below and above freezing and it is just too risky to recommend generally. There will be the odd ladder back chair and simple chest that can get through it without noticeable trouble and I think that encourages the continued perception in some quarters that furniture freezing is safe.
Steve Steven L. Pine Decorative Arts Conservator The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston P.O. Box 6826 Houston, TX 77265 sp...@mfah.org From: pestlist-ow...@museumpests.net [mailto:pestlist-ow...@museumpests.net] On Behalf Of bugma...@aol.com Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2010 5:18 AM To: pestlist@museumpests.net Subject: Re: [pestlist] detecting woodborers Katie - PPB's usually go through a one or two-year life cycle, depending on the species. They leave small, round exit holes. They are not like some of the structural, long-horned beetles, which may take up to 10-13 years to emerge as adults. These beetles leave large, usually oval exit or flight holes. Some have used portable x-ray units to find them in furniture. Injection of the exit or flight holes with a pesticide is not a logical approach for the beetles have already emerged. In my career working with museums and conservators, most furniture and objects can be successfully frozen without harm to the piece. One should not freeze inlaid or parquet pieces, because of the dimensional problems previously mentioned. Tom Parker -----Original Message----- From: Hugh P. Glover <hglo...@williamstownart.org> To: pestlist@museumpests.net Sent: Fri, May 21, 2010 11:42 pm Subject: Re: [pestlist] detecting woodborers Katie If you are going to listen for these borers then late spring/early summer may be best time. Amplified, digitized, and recorded sound of their activity has been described in a recent WAG paper by a French person, and not yet online/published. Listening can help monitor, but not solve the problem. Is your issue with wood beams (structural) or decorative material? Hugh Glover. WACC On Fri, May 21, 2010 at 5:05 PM, <wlou...@aol.com> wrote: With training a stethoscope can be used. You need to discern background noise from insect sounds. Most of us have lazy ears. Freezing and warming cycles are not good for wood Art, specially mixed media. Mixed media has different contraction rates, does not respond well to dramatic temperature change. Some will say they did it without consequences, may be luck. You need to understand the risk and how much you are willing to gamble. CO2 measurements can be obtained down to parts per billion. You can use this method to monitor one insect in an object. It does take time and experience. With newly developed equipments times have been cut to a few hours. Ten years ago almost 8 hours on a FTIR. With good equipment a CO2 analyzer balanced with a O2 analyzer can offer some results without an FTIR. Bill ACI In a message dated 5/21/2010 4:42:41 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, bugma...@aol.com writes: Katie - Hydrogen phosphide is not a good penetrator of wood for control of ppbs. If the items are small a freezing process, followed by a warming, then plunging the materials again into freezing will elimiinate active infestations in wood. The first time do it at -20 degress F for 72 hours; then warm the object up to room temperature, then freeze 'em again for 3 days at -20 degress F. Your problem will be elimanated. Tom Parker -----Original Message----- From: Katie Fisher <kfis...@glenbow.org> To: pestlist@museumpests.net <pestlist@museumpests.net> Sent: Fri, May 21, 2010 2:02 pm Subject: [pestlist] detecting woodborers Hi, My name is Katie Fisher and I’m the new Pest Control Technician at the Glenbow Museum. I just wanted to ask a somewhat out-there question regarding the detection of wood borers… this museum has been battling Powderpost Beetles for quite a while. Every 5 or so years a new wave will appear, a large-scale treatment process will happen (phosphene), but it just doesn’t seem to be effective in getting rid of the Powderpost population. Since it takes years for them to exit the wood, I feel like I’m somewhat just twiddling my thumbs in the meantime, wondering if the last treatment did the trick. A friend suggested that I might be able to use a stethoscope to hear the larva inside the wood… does anyone do this, to detect woodborers? Does anyone think it would be at all effective in hearing them? Cheers, Katie Katie Fisher Pest Control Technician Glenbow Museum 130-9th Avenue S.E. Calgary, Alberta T2G 0P3 Tel (403) 268-4235 Fax (403) 265-9769 riopelle painter email 2.png
