Old Barn Beams

[carhartt]

I was offered some old barn beams and I have a band mill. Are they worth more as beams that no one wants or can I cut them up for some rustic boards. I was told they might be chestnut and I would love to cut some chestnut. Since I will never have a chance to cut it in my lifetime around here. I have seen the wood grain before but never on my mill. Where is the value in this wood? As beams or lumber? Too me it would be in the lumber, but what about to the person buying chestnut?

 

[deeker]

If they are chestnut, it can be worth quite a bit. It is one of the more expensive woods due to its difficutly in getting good healthy lumber from them now.

Open one or two up. Might be surprised. Don't forget the pics...

Kevin

 

[excess650]

I would think chestnut more valuable as 3/4" paneling than as beams. You may want to take the "rustic boards off the outside and place them in a pile to be used "as is", and the remainder in another pile to be surface planed.

Before this cold snap hit I dropped a chinese chestnut for a guy and started to mill it up. I did slab one of the smaller logs(CSM), but still have a couple of big ones to do. Unfortunately, I see some ring slip, but it'll be cut into lumber anyway.

 

[tomtrees58]

heres some chesnutt i got from a 350 year old house tom trees

 

[carhartt]

Tomtrees. Did you cut them into lumber? If so, how much metal did you run into. Is there any right or wrong way to cut them? Straight cut them or work around the timber?

 

[tomtrees58]

Tomtrees. Did you cut them into lumber? If so, how much metal did you run into. Is there any right or wrong way to cut them? Straight cut them or work around the timber?

they had so Manny nails i sold them for kitchen beams the barn look tom

 

[TraditionalTool]

they had so Manny nails i sold them for kitchen beams the barn look tom

That is often the case. Chestnut is a great score though, and was a great timber to work with, until the blight hit around 1908.