Jump to content

Question about using real wood in making minis


james dean

Recommended Posts

I have a question do you need to treat real wood (like twigs from trees) before you use them for a mini project. I saw a cool fairy house in a magazine that I wanted to try to duplicate using twigs and such. Thanks ahead of time.
:wave:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:wave: To be "politically correct", yes. I have, however, used twigs straight out of the yard for stuff and never had a problem. I guess it's a bit of a crap shoot. The ones I did (so very many years ago) are still perfect . . . I always look at it like this: you can make it and see how it goes - if (much later) something goes wrong, just do it again. I haven't had to, but I always thing "well, so what . . . I did it the first time, I could do it again".
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm with Rhonda. I have used twigs and vines etc, straight out of the backyard for years. I usually let them dry out a bit before bringing them in the house. I figure that if anything is living in them they will move out since the plant is no longer alive. I have some that are 20 years old or so.....They are still fine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't baked the wood..but I generally do either varnish or shellac it for effect..and assume that the treatment would kill any critters. The shellacking gives it a bit of a shine and a bit of strength, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Because the critters that like living wood tend to move out when the wood dies doesn't mean that the critters who like to digest dead wood and return it to the soil don't move in, especially in my part of the world. 200 degrees for 20 minutes? I preheat the oven to 450 degrees, wrap my vegetation in foil and pop it into the oven, turn off the oven & remove the package next AM; pop it into the freezer until that ev ening, preheat the oven again and repeat that process; then I use it. I stick the pieces together with Probond.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me too. I cut bits and pieces from the trees and bring in cones and such for the Christmas tree. I do put everything i a bag and put it in the freezer for a week! When I take it out I shake the things out really well. Outside. I don't have a problem with any bugs ..........

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always give the wood, twigs, etc. a clear coat to seal it. To glue it, I use a good grade wood glue & often use a very small nail to hold it down. I use my Dremel & a tiny bit to drill a hole first before I nail it, so it don't split.

Steve in PA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Freezing your stuff will not kill the bugs. Think winter.

I use a 10% bleach solution for a quick wash, let it air dry. If I am worried about something actually living in it I spray it first with Raid, then wash. For branches for the birds, I do the bleach wash, rinse well and bake 150/175 for 20 minutes keeping an eye on it so it doesn't get too hot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Freezing your stuff will not kill the bugs. Think winter.

I use a 10% bleach solution for a quick wash, let it air dry. If I am worried about something actually living in it I spray it first with Raid, then wash. For branches for the birds, I do the bleach wash, rinse well and bake 150/175 for 20 minutes keeping an eye on it so it doesn't get too hot.

Temperatures in our northern winters can dip to minus 30 and minus 40 degrees. Our winter temperatures drop down this low several times over the winter and often stay down there for a week or more at a time. One winter we had 30 days of minus thirty temperatures with no break. Every Spring the bugs crawl out from under the bark and multiply quickly.

I prefer to bake my twigs in the oven.

-Susanne

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...