- Joined
- Apr 28, 2010
- Messages
- 1,155
I was out running around with a friend of mine today. He recently purchased a farm along the Pomme De Terre River (or "Tater Creek" as I call it), and us and another guy are partnering up to go into the sweet corn business this summer. We were out on his farm working on stuff relating to the sweet corn project when we made a discovery that changed our plans for the day.
It was a huge, hand-hewn, timber beam laying in the river. Of course, we had to fish it out.
With the help of a tractor, three chains, a pry bar, an Estwing axe, and my BK-9, we finally managed to pull the beam out of the river.
A rough measurement with a BK-9 indicates that it's over a foot wide.
We got it loaded onto the tractor.
We got it balanced fairly well on that pallet carrier, but one side wanted to ride a little lower than the other. In the picture above, he is trying to add extra weight to the left end of the log. Shortly after the picture was taken, he hopped up and sat on the beam. However, the weight of the beam plus the weight of one man was sufficient to lift the front end of the tractor from the ground. So I, being a bit heavier than the guy on the log, climbed up and sat on the hood of the tractor. This balanced everything perfectly, and off we went, laughing at the sheer improbability and absurdity of our balancing act.
In this manner, we proceeded across the corn field, maneuvered through the gate, went a hundred yards up the road which was significantly narrower than our load, and crossed the other crop field to the barn.
Over 30 feet in length
14 inches wide
by 10.5 inches
numerous mortise holes
We called a guy that buys old timber and were offered a dollar per board foot, which would be about $400 for the whole thing. We could cut it into six-foot lengths and sell them for mantles for probably a few hundred each.
We thought it was a great find. It made for an interesting day and may provide some cash for our upcoming farming expenses.
Any BeckerHeads with experience in salvaged timber? Any guesses on type of wood? I know my plants, but lumber I can't ID so well. It's likely oak, but maybe someone can tell for sure from the pictures. I'd like to find out its origin as well. There was an old mill a few miles upstream. May have been part of that.
It was a huge, hand-hewn, timber beam laying in the river. Of course, we had to fish it out.
With the help of a tractor, three chains, a pry bar, an Estwing axe, and my BK-9, we finally managed to pull the beam out of the river.
A rough measurement with a BK-9 indicates that it's over a foot wide.
We got it loaded onto the tractor.
We got it balanced fairly well on that pallet carrier, but one side wanted to ride a little lower than the other. In the picture above, he is trying to add extra weight to the left end of the log. Shortly after the picture was taken, he hopped up and sat on the beam. However, the weight of the beam plus the weight of one man was sufficient to lift the front end of the tractor from the ground. So I, being a bit heavier than the guy on the log, climbed up and sat on the hood of the tractor. This balanced everything perfectly, and off we went, laughing at the sheer improbability and absurdity of our balancing act.
In this manner, we proceeded across the corn field, maneuvered through the gate, went a hundred yards up the road which was significantly narrower than our load, and crossed the other crop field to the barn.
Over 30 feet in length
14 inches wide
by 10.5 inches
numerous mortise holes
We called a guy that buys old timber and were offered a dollar per board foot, which would be about $400 for the whole thing. We could cut it into six-foot lengths and sell them for mantles for probably a few hundred each.
We thought it was a great find. It made for an interesting day and may provide some cash for our upcoming farming expenses.
Any BeckerHeads with experience in salvaged timber? Any guesses on type of wood? I know my plants, but lumber I can't ID so well. It's likely oak, but maybe someone can tell for sure from the pictures. I'd like to find out its origin as well. There was an old mill a few miles upstream. May have been part of that.
