Termites in cabs?

It's possible it could be powder post beetles too, they eat wood.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powder_post_beetle

Actually the damage really does look like that of this beetle from the google images I found. I just "assumed" it was termites - I have never actually seen any evidence the than the holes. I guess an exterminator would properly identify them?

EDIT: I have read up on this a little more and I'm now pretty sure this is what I have. The fine talc-like powder they produce is definately something I have seen. It also seems you can get an insecticide to paint on to the unfinished wood (inside the cab) which will penetrate up to 4 inches.
 
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I just went through this with a mspac cab. After I tried a few treatments at home (and failed) I ended up taking the entire cabinet to a professional exterminator. They put it in a small shipping container that they use for furniture treatment and gassed it. It cost me $75.

And does it seem to have completely worked? I'd be happy to take this route is I knew it would put an end to it.
 
This thread is gross. Honestly, burn the cabinet and get another one.

Oh, if I can't get rid of them I'm scrapping the project and thats it - I have been workign on it for waaay too long! I had just applied stencils this weekend ready to do some artwork when I saw the holes again.

I don't *think* there are a lot in there, whatever they are (could be very mistaken of course!) because there were no new holes for months, then we had hot weather recently and the holes reaappeared. Its also localised to the lower back panel below the door and the left side panel, I see no signs anywhere else.
 
Heat also kills termites.
120 degress will kill them off.

http://articles.sfgate.com/2003-08-..._heat-treatment-fumigation-chemical-treatment


30-minute dry sauna of about 120 degrees is lethal to the little creatures, but because they live deep inside the home's wood framing, the air inside the house has to be heated to about 160 degrees for four to six hours, or until the core temperature of the heftiest wood beams is raised to 130 degrees for an hour.

Now I know the wood won't burn at 160 degrees. I wonder if side art can come through a bath heat of 160 degree for an hour..
 
I read that too... and like yourself I was concerned about sideart!

I am talking to a pest control place tomorrow to see what they recommend. I'm pretty sure this is beetles now, not termites, and have found some insecticide that seems like it will do the trick (painted to the cab insides). Its pricey but if it saves the cab thats all that matters.
 
I read that too... and like yourself I was concerned about sideart!

I am talking to a pest control place tomorrow to see what they recommend. I'm pretty sure this is beetles now, not termites, and have found some insecticide that seems like it will do the trick (painted to the cab insides). Its pricey but if it saves the cab thats all that matters.

What cab is so valuable? Seriously, I'm curious. What cab is this?
 
Its not *at all* valuable, financially or in terms of rareity. I have spent a couple of yrs on and off restoring it from a rusted shell to something pretty nice, so its more principal (and the thought of the money I spent on it) than anything. Its a Stern Scramble, happens to be a favorite game of mine and my first full restore.

Seems kinda ridiculous to throw away 2 yrs work just "because". I'm totally prepared to do that, but at the same time why give in when I can try something out first?
 
And does it seem to have completely worked? I'd be happy to take this route is I knew it would put an end to it.

Yes, it looks to have killed everything in there.

One side of my cabinet was completely infested - the termites had eaten most of the middle layers of the plywood. The outer 1/8" with the original artwork was in good shape but you could basically pull the entire thing apart by hand:

DSCF1952.jpg


Before I gave up and took it to the exterminators I had tried spraying/pouring different insecticides in there in hopes it would soak into all the termite passages. Once I started pulling the plywood layers apart I found out the stuff I had put in there had only soaked in about 4" from the edges and the termites were happily living deeper in the wood. So I stopped working on it and took it to be professionally treated.

When I got the cab back from the exterminators I pulled more of the wood apart and found lots more dead termites. I ended up trashing the entire side except for the outer 1/8" with the original artwork, which I glued that to a new piece of 5/8" plywood and put the cabinet back together. I also painted all the wood with termite prufe.

Here in Hawaii original arcade cabinets are very hard to come by so we have to save what we can.
 
When I got the cab back from the exterminators I pulled more of the wood apart and found lots more dead termites. I ended up trashing the entire side except for the outer 1/8" with the original artwork, which I glued that to a new piece of 5/8" plywood and put the cabinet back together. I also painted all the wood with termite prufe.

OMG thats pretty bad, I hope mine isnt that way! I think I caught it early though. The stuff you linked to seems similar to the pesticide I was looking to use but supposedly it can penetrate much deeper.

How was the cab when it returned from the treatment? Was it clean and ready to re-fit everything or did it have remnants of the powder (or whatever it is they use) all over the wood?
 
Cab was clean when it came back, no residue. The exterminators used Vikane gas on it overnight.

OMG thats pretty bad, I hope mine isnt that way! I think I caught it early though. The stuff you linked to seems similar to the pesticide I was looking to use but supposedly it can penetrate much deeper.

How was the cab when it returned from the treatment? Was it clean and ready to re-fit everything or did it have remnants of the powder (or whatever it is they use) all over the wood?
 
Cab was clean when it came back, no residue. The exterminators used Vikane gas on it overnight.

I spoke to a guy who suggested the same thing and said that would totally eradicate them, but he couldn't do it himself and referred me to some other guy who I am waiting to hear back from. However he also said the chemical treatment would more than likely have the same effect on this particular type of wood - its "Boracare" and they can come out and treat it for me. I am guessing this will be a cheap option and will not require mt to totally strip the cab.

So - I have options that do not mean breaking up a completely repairable game. Thankfully!
 
Quick update on this. So I purchased the Boracare which seems to have gone on pretty nicely and has dried completely cleanly - you cannot tell it was there. I applied about 3 applications to the inside of the cab... so far I didn't see any more holes but I need to spend a little time filling everything again and then its a waiting game I guess. I asked the exterminators about gas and also about getting them to apply the Boracare themselves and each option was > $250! So for $70, which is still a lot of cash for the chemicals, I did it myself and hopefully that's the end of the little bastards!
 
I dunno, the thought of that cab inside my house no matter what was done to eradicate would not sit well with me. I'd rather get a new repro cab and put the effort into that instead. It just seems like a lot of effort and it would still nag at me. There could be that one "supertermite" who escaped because he was safely tucked under some glue or varnish or air pocket.

Bill
 
This thread is gross. Honestly, burn the cabinet and get another one.

This right here is the correct answer. No game is worth saving or risking an infestion of termites into you home.
 
This right here is the correct answer. No game is worth saving or risking an infestion of termites into you home.

Did anyone read the thread? They aren't termites!!!! Sheesh seriously I am giving an update, and advice to anyone who may not want to destroy a cab they are restoring, I didn't ask to rehash the whole "burn it!!!" opinions!
 
Hey don't let other stop you from updating. I am still interesting in what happens to your cabinet.

Some art work is just not available or expensive. There is no option of just finding another cab if the cab is rare. I learn that you can gas them out and I know You can cook them out.
 
AFAIK termites do not dig visible holes on the wood surface, but only one entrance hole generally in a non visible place (cornes i.e.), so i would bet they are woodworms.
 
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