Gloat turns into tears

[Bob Warfield]

About 3 weeks ago I spotted what appeared to be an old farm house about to be torn down. There was a large trackhoe and dozer sitting on the property and all the windows were out of the house. There was nobody around so I left a business card and a note in both machines stating I would like to buy some of the lumber. I never got a call so I figured it wasn't going to happen. I went by again today and the house was down along with all the out buildings includeing a large barn with a loft. I checked the barn the first time and it was built with what appeared to be old growth oak beams about 8" sqqqqqqqquq

[Bob Warfield]

Sorry the q stuck on my keyboard. Anyway the timbers were about 8' square and 10' to 12' tall. it also had oak rafters a full 2" by 12" rough hewn, and 1" by 12" by about 12' high pine verticle siding. it is now all in a giant burn pile!
i just DO NOT understand people sometimes!
Thanks for letting me vent.
Bob Warfield

[Andrew Gibson]

So I take it going through the pile was not an option? sounds Like a gold mine that caved in. What a pity. I would have helped salvage some of that lumber... Oak would be perfect for a work bench I eventually need to build.

[David Weaver]

I'm surprised they didn't at least salvage the beams.

Around here, people sell the beams for more per bd. ft than new lumber, and sometimes the weatherboard, too, though that doesn't bring as much, it does bring enough to make it worthwhile.

But the beams....even if they're eastern white pine here, they go for bucks.

What a waste.

[Bob Warfield]

Andrew, i'm getting too old to try to go through a pile that big. it must be 20' high.
David, i have a line on another smaller barn but the beams are 6x6 pine. I need 5x5 for the legs on my bench and REALLY wanted the oak.
thanks...Bob

[Stan Suther]

Looks like that falls under the rule, "you can't fix stupid!"

[George Sanders]

I work for a farmer who does custom farming. Last year we tore down a 100 year old farmstead. The landlord, citing insurance issues, said that NOTHING was to be taken away. It ALL went into the burn pile. House, barn, corn crib and outbuildings were burned. I could only stand there and grit my teeth.

[Rick Prosser]

That is just wrong:mad:

I might consider some after dark larceny in that situation.;)

[Mark Roderick]

Don't necessarily blame it on stupidity. The fault might lie with our less-than-perfect legal system, or with an insurance company taking an extreme position on potential liability. Those things happen all the time, unfortunately. You might want to just stop by and talk to the owner - he might find a way to let you have some of the wood.

[Prashun Patel]

I feel your pain.
What a waste.

[Doug Donnell]

Beside the potential insurance issues, you probably left your business cards with the wrong folks. The contractor already had his equipment moved on site (expensive to move and more expensive to sit idle) and he probably considered you a potential threat to him getting the job completed in time to move his equipment to the next job. The owner probably never learned of your interest.
If you can get to an owner before contractors move in, many will allow you to spend some time salvaging (he obviously allowed someone to salvage the windows). I don't think you had much of a chance at this one though.
Doug

[Tony Shea]

I work for a farmer who does custom farming. Last year we tore down a 100 year old farmstead. The landlord, citing insurance issues, said that NOTHING was to be taken away. It ALL went into the burn pile. House, barn, corn crib and outbuildings were burned. I could only stand there and grit my teeth.


It's amazing the way this society has turned out with insurance companies and lawyers pretty much telling us what our every move has to be or face terrible legal or financial consequences. Our forefathers must be crawling in their graves. Something that was hand hewn and built back in the good old days is now going up in a blaze due to our new big business/insurance company run society. It's just sad.

[Jeff Wittrock]

A sad story indeed.

I still remember playing in my Granpa's barn as a kid. It was mostly just cotton wood but probably a mix of other woods too. The beams were huge and much of it mortise and tenon construction with large pegs.

When my Grandfather died and my Dad had to sell the place, the new owner promptly bulldozed the thing down, and to my knowledge, nothing was saved.

What I wouldn't give to have some of those beams today, even if they were just cotton wood.

-Jeff

[George Sanders]

When the guy on the trac-hoe had the house down, he snagged the sill plate and tried to drag out a timber. The thing was half lapped and pegged together and the entire sill moved as a unit. He stopped and looked in amazement as the thing was still pretty square and had only moved about three feet. The old timers who built it really knew what they were doing, didn't they?

[Bob Warfield]

I don't know about the house on this property but the barn was all jointed and pegged together. I bet it didn't give up without a fight.
Thanks...Bob