Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer General Forum Help with some wood work

So a friend of mine who is a history buff found something very cool. A recent flood uncovered a piece of a bridge from the civil war. It's a documented bridge that was blown up by the union upstream from where he discovered the piece. I'm guessing the wood has been underwater for a very long time and is beautiful inside. I want to plank it out and make some sort of table for my fiance for our wedding. We had to cut the cross beam of the bridge into 3 pieces, he kept one and I got two. Each piece has to weighs 500 lbs and were a pain to get out in this nasty weather. My question is do you guys think I could get a mill to plank it out for me or do I need to find someone without a commercial business? What's the best way to go about this. The wood is uneven from age and where it was connected to other parts of the bridge. Any suggestions would be awesome... Unfortunately I don't know anyone with a small mill.thanks guys, here are the two pieces, remember these two and another were all one chunk, it was huge. I love the history behind it and think it would be very special for my wife to be!

Find someone in your area with a bandmill. A circlesaw will waste to much of the wood. Go to woodmizer.com and they have a link of sawyers I'm your area and I'm sure they would be more than happy to slice it up. I'll have one in a couple-few months but that don't help ya.

thanks man, we ain't getting married till October and I heard you gotta let the wood dry for a couple months anyways

It'll dry quicker cut up. They say it will sit dry at an inch a year. (Thickness). It will dry a little quicker than that tho. Id cut it and stack it. Just make sure you got stickers between the boards every foot and a half or so. Best to use dry stickers as a wet sticker will stain some woods.

Where are you located? I know a guy with a wood mizer around mobile and baldwin county. I can send you his number if you would like.

You going to be hearing a lot of that after you are married

Hahaha, surefire, I'm way north close to the state line, thanks though. And thanks for the extra info hay bale, what do you mean by stickers? Like spacers to separate the wood?

Yes just a dry stick of wood 3/4 thick or so.

Whoever cuts it should have some laying around.

That's the damn truth if it's ever been told!

I think that will turn out awesome! Be sure to post after pics.

Probably heart pine. As rough as it is, it may be hard to square up and get much usable lumber out of it. Be sure to run a metal detector down each one before you saw it, a nail will ruin a saw or planer blade. If it's not feasible to saw them, you might could use them like they are for legs on a big farm table or as mantles.

I know of a guy close to the stevenson area with a small mill if your around the area p.m. Me and I'll get his #.

I don't think you have enough there for a big table with the shape it's in. You could probably make a couple of end tables or a hall table. Would look good as a rustic mantle too.

Yea I'm not wanting a big one, just something smaller, I need to draw up a design

That's cool stuff right there!

Where are you located or where was the stream located? I don't want exact details, county or city is fine , if you don't mind sharing.

What model is that truck 94-96? Would like to see some pics of it.. Loved them trucks

And that one looks straight as a arrow.. no scratches in the bed, thing like a new one.

Where are u located? Know a guy in Cullman Co with a woodmizer. Does great work but from pics looks like its gonna be tough to get much good lumber from those logs

It's a 93' DW with the 5.3 in it. You think the outside is clean, I'll put some more pics of it up tomorrow, interior looks just like it did in 93, bought from a rich guy a couple years ago for dirt cheap.

Madison county