Craigslist score or I need a bigger planer.

[jfoh]

Found a pile of lumber on Craigslist. Even better than it looks. Mostly 4/4 and 5/4 walnut on top 8"X 9-10' . Then the white oak 12"+X5/4X 9'. Then four maple 4/4 X 14+" X 12'. And for the cream 9 ea. 18-21"X4/4'X9' Cherry and one 21"X8/4X9'. It did have a crack is each piece but will still make a 18-21"X 5+' These are sequenced boards. Total price $300.00. As my usual thing to do I brought cash to bargain with but this was so good I paid the asking price and delivered three pens as a extra thank you.

Stored under a porch for 30 years. Old wood, from a barn find, when bought 40 years ago. The cherry must have been cut from a massive tree. I used my thickness sander to cleanup one piece of wood. It was heavily curly, dark color, quarter sawed and no heart check or knots. The log must have been 4-5' in diameter.

Told my wife I need a larger thickness planer. Instead I'll find someone local to plane it after I let it dry a little in my shop. Or cut it down to fit into my 13" thickness planer. Not too often it is too small for my needs but even if it was 18" it would be too small.

 

[dansills]

Nice score - if I may ask what were you searching under to fund it? I peruse the building materials section but hardly ever see wood for sale

 

[GaryMGg]

Good deal for you!
There's a lot of furniture in that score. What'cha planning to make?

 

[wyone]

wow... what a find.. and old dry wood to boot.

 

[Curly]

Your going to hate me but you don't need a bigger planer. Just a few good bench planes, not anywhere near as noisy.

 

[SDB777]

Having the ability to make boards 20" wide and up to 3" thickness in my backyard, I sometimes forget that not everyone can score this type of 'bigger' lumber. But seeing that someone else still gets excited about a 'find' like this is pretty cool.

I agree, it would be shameful to strip the bigger pieces into more narrow offerings..... There is always a 'router planer'-jig?




Scott (youtube has them) B

 

[CrimsonKeel]

or maybe a local lumber yard has a large belt sander

 

[jfoh]

There is no more old growth Cherry around here. This stuff is much denser than what is currently being cut, plus has a deep, dark rich color that only time gives Cherry. I agree that to cut up such wide boards into narrow ones is not a great use of their special nature. From what I was told it was cut at least 70 years ago, perhaps longer.

I tore a old farm house down back east, salvaging what timber I could out of it. There were a number of red oak and chestnut floor beams which were 24' long, 3X10+ that were old growth timber. The growth rings were so close that you need a magnifying glass to see and count them. The heart pine flooring was so nice I used it all in a new house I built. Some see old used wood or salvage, some see wood that is just impossible to find these days.

I have a 10/20 and can sand most of this with great effort. I know that I can find a larger belt sander locally. But first I want this wood to stabilize in my shop. It has been stored in not so perfect areas for a long time. Give it awhile under roof and in a controlled environment before final use.