Replies

1. 
   Lataxe | Jun 28, 2006 01:13am | #1

   Teak & afromosia from old chemistry lab benches

   Cherry, ash and oak from the 1st and 2nd fittings (skirting, architraves, etc) in revamped or demolished modern buildings (20th century).

   Rosewood and walnut from older buildings that are revamped/demolished (19th century).

   Pitch pine (heart pine) from old barns and factories that are demolished (typically beams and flooring).

   Hard maple from old mills, whre it is used as the flooring in machine rooms.

   Beech battens from the back of low-loader lorries that carry heavy metal artifacts.

   Many strange exotics from deck-packing used to hold pallettes on the decks of merchant ships trading in Africa, South America and the Far East.

   Various large pine offcuts from firms that make windows and doors.

   Left-over planks of cherry, walnut, oak, maple and iroko from a local firm that makes large 1st and 2nd fittings (bought at 1/3rd the normal price, as they want rid of their odds and sods).

   Who knows what else is out there.

   Lataxe, a scavenger on the rump of society.

2. 
   skidkid | Jun 28, 2006 06:30pm | #2

   Mostly cedar roof trusses from demolitions and mahogany from bench replacements along the waterfront.

   Have you got a metal detector yet??  first tool I bought.

    

1. 
   Salvager | Jun 29, 2006 08:02pm | #4

   Maghoney from benches is a great idea, I bet that is a good find.  We do have a metal dector and have been running into lots of nail troubles, but my husband just found an interesting hand denailer on-line.  It shoots nails out backwards, opposite to a nail gun.  check it out http://www.nailkicker.com We hope to get it next week.  I can report back on it's efficiency. 

1. 
   skidkid | Jun 30, 2006 01:07am | #5

   Be interesting to hear how the nailkicker works out.

    

3. 
   trout | Jun 29, 2006 06:22am | #3

   Mostly I've been reusing pine and doug fir from remodels.  Any time we're taking out beams or larger dimentional lumber I'll get in close and check the grain.  Most old lumber is just that, but there's enough tight grained wood that can be cut with near verticle grain to make it worth looking for.

   While not technically recycling, new framing lumber is also checked as it comes to the job site.  Some lots of wider (2x10, 2x12) #1 or structural select grade lumber is so good that it's a shame to use it for framing so it gets set aside, resawn and dried.

   It would be a lot of fun to have access to the scrap pile at a sawmill.  Think of how many million board feet of interesting wood have been burned for cheap heat.