Thread: Milling old timber

Ive seen stuff on youtube on squaring timber with table saw, so a search is worthwhile. persistance and patience

No timber yard will touch your timber, theres always chances of hidden gravel/nails etc.

They are likely to be extremely tough - a lot of hardwood posts and rails were red or grey ironbark. I would not want to square them with the kit you're probably thinking of using - it'll be a real challenge for the sort of kit that most people have in that department... I would find your local mens' shed, and make use of their heavy duty thicknessers and jointers - safer, easier and quicker in the long run, with a good result simply achieved.

Depends on what you want to make with the old 'posts', which if they're left over from renovating an old house I'm guessing are studs that are 4"X2" or less unless you've removed some, at least where I am unusual, 4"x4" corner posts.

Sometimes it's easier and more in keeping with the timber to work to the timber as it is and make things that suit the timber and keep its age and features, rather than making the timber suit what you want to make by machining it so that it's pretty much the same as new timber you could buy from a retailer.

But if you're determined to resize them, forget about the electric hand planer as it's a tool designed to do everything but provide consistent flat and square thicknesses in the hands of anyone except the rare and mysterious Zen masters of that aggressive tool. Either use the table saw to square them and or the router on a sled to flatten them, or perhaps the router on a guide strip to cut a straight line if you have a bit long enough that will do the job.

I can imagine the mens shed reaction if you arrived with timber as you discribed. Think you would be shown the outside of door very quickly.

Dont know where you live mate but go visit a timber recycling yard, just have a walk around and see their pricing, it aint cheap for that very reason. The amount of damage old timber can do is crazy.

Maybe cut up a few smaller pieces say around 150-300 mm long each and (try) finding someone who would turn them on a lathe for some sort of memorial.

Originally Posted by CD77

Finished a home renovation and I’ve salvaged some hardwood posts. They are very dry and heavy but aren’t perfect- some are twisted, some edges nowhere near 90.

I have a tablesaw, router and an electric plane - so no jointer, thicknesser or bandsaw

Are there any good options for getting these boards milled with what I own?


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CD77

Welcome to the Forums.

Small electric planes are not much use for straightening timber as they are not long enough. However, you may be able to do something with your table saw if you are prepared to persevere. I would cut them down to the shortest length you can for any projects you have in mind. leave some long if you wish, but the longer the timber, the more difficult it is and more wasteful of timber.

You will need to attach an extra fence to your saw preferably at least as half as long again as the longest piece of timber. You can see now why I suggested to cut them no longer than you need. The timber for the fence or metal if you have it, such as RHS, needs to be straight and strong enough not bend as the wood is fed through the saw. Select the best face of each length of timber for the first cut: This should probably be the flattest and not twisted face, if possible, and lay that face down to cut first. The long fence acts like a jointer on it's side.

Once you have a good face you can keep rotating the timber to end up with something that is a lot straighter than it was and possibly useable. The main issue will be to do with the capability of your saw as far as cutting old dense hardwood and of course the depth of cut. use a good quality, sharp ripping blade. You talk of posts, but what size are they? 100mm x 100mm perhaps. Your saw may not cut right through at one hit. That is going to be a problem as you will have to cut from both sides, although that will be easier on the saw. If the "posts" are, say, 100mm x 50mm the job will be much easier. You could consider cutting down larger posts to a smaller dimension and then working with that to straighten. Much will depend on your intended usage.

Regards
Paul

If all else fails, cut it into chunks and sell it as firewood

It is a lot easier to cut wood down to suit the needs of specific projects than it is to find projects which make use of odd sized wood you end up with. I would leave it be until you have specific projects to consume it.

I made a planner sled as per the attached photo, I also made an 8 ft table for my thicknesser to run it on. It works great, I work with a lot of rough sawn and air dried timber that I mill myself and also lots of reclaimed timber. I have also done longer bits up to 6 ft by using builder wedges and cleats securing the timber to a big piece of mdf. Once you have one surface true you good to go. The metal detector is also your friend. I am also lucky enough to have access to a wood wiz at the woodworking club for doing really big bits. With a bench to thicknesser and the sled and bed you will be able to dress up your timber.