working with barnwood?

[Bob Riefer]

While rebuilding my 110 year old barn, I saved posts, studs, and barn boards throughout the process. I have a big old stack of gnarly stuff filled with nailes and such.

I'd love to use the materials again, but am afraid of tearing up my machines.

Any advice?

[Mike Wilkins]

I also have a stash of barnwood, attic boards, joists, and siding from an old house. It's hard to see what is under all those years of paint and dirt. I like to take the boards outside the shop and dust things off with a stiff wire brush to look for obvious metal objects such as nails and screws. Then to save your jointer and planer blades, use a belt sander with 80 grit paper to sand off some of the grime. If you don't already have one, I would suggest one of those wand-type metal detectors they use in airports, and Norm uses on the New Yankee Workshop. The only other hazard to watch out for is lead paint found on some of the old boards.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Mike...your first move should be to acquire a "real" metal detector so you can remove as much of the embedded stuff that you can before you consider putting it through any of your machines.

[Rick Bunt]

+1 on belt sander and metal detector. Then it's all about pulling out ALL the nails. I've found the dedicated nail pullers and wire cutters (?) useful. I'm not sure of the exact name, but they have a curved side so you can get in close to dig out embedded nails without gouging the wood too much. A cheap jack plane from HD can be useful too for cleaning up the boards initially. I also use an old saw blade for the rough cuts just in case, and I stand well to the side of the table saw as well. I've done several projects with old wood like that and I really like the rustic look it has. I fill the holes with clear epoxy, but some people like to leave the holes.

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[Peter Scoma]

IMO use a chainsaw and make yourself some firewood. I recently picked up 100+ year old oak beams (8x14) and have spent to much time milling them and cleaning them up for usable stock. I purchased nearly 200BF for a Roubo bench but only have enough stock for the legs and stretchers due to an incredible amount of waste. If I had to do it again I would have paid 3x the price to get clean, nail free stock. That being said, the fruits of my efforts have yielded some decent stock but it just wasn't worth the hassle. I'll be buying clean 8/4 kiln dried stock for the top.

MrR

[Bob Riefer]

Peter, I can definitely see your point. In this particular case, since my own blood/sweat/tears saved the barn, I'm a bit emotionally attached to the wood, so the hassle might prove to be worth it.

Fellas, when you say "real metal detector" can you recommend a model or two for me to look at? Perhaps for a one-time project, a rental is possible?

[Myk Rian]

Keep the wood. What a waste to burn it, even with the time taken to make it usable. I have a few hundred bf of old wood that I cleaned up.
Search Amazon for a nail puller. Lots of them there.
I have a HF metal detector that has worked very well for me. It'll find a staple piece in wood.
http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/small_image/175x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_6887.jpg

[Joe Mioux]

A number of years ago, I made this table. I easily spent 2 to 3 times as much time pulling nails and stuff than I did building the table. It was a PIB.

[Bob Riefer]

Nice, I'll head on over to the local HF and check out the metal detector. Thanks for that tip!

Joe, that table is exactly what i have in mind for my screened in porch. It would honestly be like a member of the family since I spent several years, alone several hours per day, saving my barn. And, it will get a ton of use. Thanks for posting :)

[Frank Drew]

My very first job in woodworking was at a custom millwork here in Virginia; we ran a lot of Old Pine (also called Heart Pine). Even spending considerable time going over every board with an ice pick to find hidden and broken nails, we'd still get that occasional, characteristic "snick" when running the stuff through the planer. By the end of running maybe a thousand lineal feet the blades looked like sawblades!

But what beautiful wood; I'd never seen anything like it before and it was eye-opening, and life changing.

[Bob Riefer]

cool story Frank :)

[Bobby O'Neal]

+1 on belt sander and metal detector. Then it's all about pulling out ALL the nails. I've found the dedicated nail pullers and wire cutters (?) useful. I'm not sure of the exact name, but they have a curved side so you can get in close to dig out embedded nails without gouging the wood too much. A cheap jack plane from HD can be useful too for cleaning up the boards initially. I also use an old saw blade for the rough cuts just in case, and I stand well to the side of the table saw as well. I've done several projects with old wood like that and I really like the rustic look it has. I fill the holes with clear epoxy, but some people like to leave the holes.

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Those really look nice, Rick.

[Bobby O'Neal]

Maybe it depends on how much shop time you have. I dont have much so it would be hard for me to justify the "non productive" labor of it all. I'm a lineman for a living and have brought home old pieces of crossarms and poles. And they still just lay around.

[Frank Drew]

Not all old wood is worth saving by any means; even the nice stuff can be too flawed by cracks, bolt and nail holes, rot, etc. to merit spending any time trying to salvage. I'd imagine utility poles would be in that category (never mind the creosote.)

A lot of the old buildings are gone now, but at one time the South was full of warehouses and barns timber framed with virgin Longleaf Pine, now mostly logged out.

[Bobby O'Neal]

Not all old wood is worth saving by any means; even the nice stuff can be too flawed by cracks, bolt and nail holes, rot, etc. to merit spending any time trying to salvage. I'd imagine utility poles would be in that category (never mind the creosote.)

A lot of the old buildings are gone now, but at one time the South was full of warehouses and barns timber framed with virgin Longleaf Pine, now mostly logged out.


I try to avoid bringing home anything treated with creosote. Most crossarms on our system and the majority of the poles in the 80's and 90's are treated with pentachlorophenol. Not that its worthy of fine furniture, but shop furniture maybe. But you're right, its eaten up with bolt holes and other disturbances. Maybe that's why its just laying around now.

[Bob Riefer]

Frank - If I post some pictures of what I have, do you think you'd be able to help me figure out what I have on my hands and whether it's worth the effort?

[Frank Drew]

Bob,

Sure, I'll offer any thoughts I have, as I'm sure will others; of course, sometimes it can be difficult telling much from online photos.

[Sorry I didn't notice your question until now.]

[Don Buck]

It's not just old barnwood that can mess up you equipment. This was stuck in a log that was delivered to our sawmill a few weeks ago. Tree stands don't make very good lumber....

Don

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[Carl Civitella]

I wonder if you could preasure wash it first to get all the dust and grime off first, then attack the nails. I don`t think i would use a wire brush or belt sander.. Cough!! dust dust.. We borrowed a propane gas heated pressure washer last year to do our deck and i was surprised at how well of a job it did. Carl