Here's what I found today. Made about 1/2 mile from this resting place, older than the house (for sale) which had jettisoned it. Maker's name penciled on it. Looks like 7/8" pine. Top and sides are two pieces factory joined; the seam is really tight and nearly invisible. This time I saved everything except the splinters.

 

 

 

 

 

Nice score!

Nice looking vintage lumber. 

Excellent find Jim plus great eye for what it can be, once was versus what it is today. Would have been sad to see that become firewood or landfill fodder.

Nice find. Guess I will have to start cruising on trash day

Nice score is right!

This drawer front is new to me, planes into buttery shavings. I was hoping it was something more exotic, elm or chestnut, but you'all will likely tell me it is maple.  Look how tight the grain is.  

 

 

The drawer sides are the first to see my repurposing. Seem piney to me. Could it be red pine? Pinus resinosa?  

 

 

Still to come, the century-old slab of fine-grained spruce, I think, which makes up the top. Suitable for guitar tops, no doubt. 

First picture looks like Douglas Fir to me.  Firry Pinus?  I've found plenty of it in vintage panel doors.  It can have the red color as seen in the second picture too.

 

 

 

Edited March 15, 20224 yr by HandyDan

Here's the first pic, the drawer front, more cleaned up. Now reminding me of sugar pine. But wow, it sure has a tight grain.

 

Here's a short piece of beam a friend gave me today. It's likely douglas fir c.1880 or earlier, cut on a gigantic blade.  After some ripping with an older 15amp Craftsman circular saw mated to a fairly new Oshlun SBW-072540 7-1/4-Inch 40 Tooth ATB Finishing and Framing Saw Blade, I took a break. The blade does not quite make it through.  The bulk of the sound part, squared up now, will rest quietly until I reacquire a table saw.

 

 

 

Edited March 16, 20224 yr by Dovetail
hemlock vs Douglas

That's probably aged and hardened more than most new cut hardwoods. Beautiful close grain and color in it.

FWIW, Jim, you may want to switch out to a 24t blade for ripping when using a handheld circular saw. Might need a little more cleanup after but perhaps not??

Edited March 17, 20224 yr by Grandpadave52

@John Morris...this thread probably should move to General Woodworking Forum too. Lot of good stuff here.

8 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

move to General Woodworking Forum

I'm fine hiding the post here.    You have not yet begun to see the rubbish I haul home and attempt to salvage. 

 

The 15amp Craftsman circular saw cut nicely; it was purchased for one shelving job, has only been lightly used since, and never on a jobsite. With blade fully extended, the shoe dangerously raised to its highest position, the cut is about 1/2" shy of full through. The nice thing about 40T is that smooth cut. I'll mount my 60T Oshlun on the next 10" table saw I acquire. Both these blades were a bit of an investment for me, together costing more than the last saw.

 

I'm thinking of ripping my post into 1/2" planks and arranging / laminating them into a sturdy step stool / low bench. Timeline projection, 18 months.

 

54 minutes ago, Dovetail said:

Timeline projection, 18 months.

Sounds like our shops are on like schedules, where the clock has less relevance than does the calendar. 

Phyl is always quick to remind me that my projects always take three times as long and cost three times as much as my projections.   

Motored past this typical West Philadelphia gut today. A little more involved that typical maybe, with joists coming out. Double-parked, walked back. Most of the joists are wide-grained but after several circumnavigations, I found one I like. Will go back with a Hamilton, get the mason to drag it out of the pile for me.

 

Year Built 1925 (estimated). Sale price 10/2020 - $18,000. I must have been trashed with an open roof. I'm thinking / hoping it was built a little earlier, maybe 1905-1915.

 

 

 

 

@reclaimedlumber @reclaimedtimber

When structures that old are torn down around here, all's left is mud and vigas (saguaro ribs).

On 3/18/2022 at 6:12 AM, Woodman said:

 You have not yet begun to see the rubbish I haul home and attempt to salvage.

 Let us know when you get to five or is it six?  Semi-trailer sized storage units. 

5 hours ago, Larry Buskirk said:

 Let us know when you get to five or is it six?  Semi-trailer sized storage units. 

 

 It's six. 

6 hours ago, Larry Buskirk said:

 Let us know when you get to five or is it six?  Semi-trailer sized storage units. 

Yeah, I should know better than to boast about collecting. 

 

It would be like being the poorest rich man on HBO's Succession. "Five's a nightmare".

1 hour ago, Woodman said:

Yeah, I should know better than to boast about collecting. 

Very narrow line between collecting & hoarding. VOE