reclaimed timber

[Wildman]

I have just collected a huge trailer load of reclaimed timber with lots of nails in it. removing most of them no problem. I do happen to have a metal detector that I could use to check for hidden nails before putting it through the planer, what do you use? Are the stud finders any good to find stray metal? I find removing nails and screws to be quite therapeutic and as I am retired with no deadlines to meet time is no bother so any reclaimed bits and bobs just save me money and allow me to continue my various hobbies. (hey it's even a source of reuseable nails and screws).

 

[blackrodd]

I've only seen metal detectors used before the logs were bandsawn, The result was pretty dodgy if they did hit a post
hinge pin, so I'm told.
I would say a decent stud/metal finder will be just as good, have a butcher at this link, you may already have one,
I'm told they are really good for the purpose.
Regards Rodders.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390614534427? ... EBIDX%3AIT

 

[blackrodd]

I've only seen metal detectors used before the logs were bandsawn, The result was pretty dodgy if they did hit a post
hinge pin, so I'm told.
I would say a decent stud/metal finder will be just as good, have a butcher at this link, you may already have one,
I'm told they are really good for the purpose.
Regards Rodders.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390614534427? ... EBIDX%3AIT

 

[Adam9453]

Its an interesting tool you've linked to, I must say though i've never had any real trouble just removing nails with a claw hammer so i'm not sure I see any real value in it.

 

[Wildman]

Its an interesting tool you've linked to, I must say though i've never had any real trouble just removing nails with a claw hammer so i'm not sure I see any real value in it.

I have come across parts of nails left below the surface as well as parts of staples where the outer shows no sign of them. Planer blades are expencive so I have always checked. Sometimes the treasure hunting metal detector seems a bit of extra work the work with so wondered about the handheld jobbiesl.

 

[Wildman]

Its an interesting tool you've linked to, I must say though i've never had any real trouble just removing nails with a claw hammer so i'm not sure I see any real value in it.

The point of that tool is it can reach beneath the surface when you find a nail with head broken off as happens some times.

 

[ColytonJohn]

I use almost exclusively reclaimed timber and my preparation is thus:

Using a claw hammer I remove all the nails I can see (and if they've been holding battens then there will be hundreds!).
Then I check with a stud and metal finder and mine, even though cheap, is quite capable of finding any bits of rusty nail left behind.
Occasionally I have to dig around with an old screwdriver to expose them before pulling out with side cutters.
When satisfied all the metal has been gone I go over it all with a belt sander to remove any dust or grit.
And only then does it go anywhere near my planers.

A lot of work but well worth the effort as studs and joists from a 150 year-old house that have sat covered in plaster for all that time is dry, tight grained from slow growth and just beneath the surface is the most wonderful colour so lacking in anything bought from a timber merchant. Sadly, most non-woodworkers are of the opinion I use reclaimed wood for economy (although I also save any nails and screws )

What is really important though, particularly if raiding a skip, is to salvage the wood and get it under cover ASAP as being so dry it will suck up rain like a sponge. I was approached once by someone who wanted a strange bespoke low boxed-in coffee table with storage made from some timbers being removed from his neighbours early Victorian terrace house. I agreed I would and told him to get the timbers into his garage immediately they were removed and store them until I could start work. When I collected them he assured me none of it had been left out in the weather and it machined well enough so I didn't doubt his word. Sadly, after construction, the top has shrunk across the field leaving a step where I'd attached the ends. When questioned my 'client' did confess rather sheepishly that he had left the wood out in the rain for a few days before getting it under cover. Still, they were delighted with the rustic nature of it and even asked me to make a smaller, more conventional, one.

Cheers,
John

 

[will1983]

i often break up pallets for the timber which as we all know are stuffed full of nails. I use my partners pin pointer metal detector to find the left over bits of nails buried below the timber surface.

this is the one i use, surprisingly accurate;
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garrett-Pointer ... ro+pointer

 

[wallace]

The problem with old nails in timber is that the rusty nail leaves deposits which blunts blades. I have an old 9" planer which I use for reclaimed timber before it goes to the good planer

 

[timber]

The problem with old nails in timber is that the rusty nail leaves deposits which blunts blades. I have an old 9" planer which I use for reclaimed timber before it goes to the good planer

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/posting.php?mode=quote&f=1&p=1009904#
Must be short nails thenhttp:
I clicked on a smilie for a little humer something went wrong though
I was trying to say nails do happen to go rusty to there full depth

 

[Nelsun]

I use a handheld metal detector (think security guard wand type) after getting all the visible metalwork out. It was pretty cheap (£15 IIRC of Amazon) and has found countless bits (even down to little bits of staples) my eyes have missed.

If the wood's dirty I'll give it a good wash & dry as stones and general muck ain't going to do anyone any good. After a blast with some 80 grit I'm relatively happy to put anything with a blade near it.

 

[scholar]

For metal detecting, I use a Lumber Wizard - Norm used to use one. It has never failed to find the tiniest fragment of a nail etc.

Extraction requires a whole range of different implements - the nail puller linked to above is pretty extreme, but they do work amazingly well.

The problem I find is that often it is a broken rusty bit of screw beneath the surface - by the time you have drilled out around the offending article and dug around and prised out the metal, you are left with a pretty big hole. What I now find works best is to use a plug cutter to drill around the screw or whatever - this cuts a neat core that you can then prise out gently or break it up from around the screw giving you something to grip onto (eg with long-nose pliers). Then I patch in with a plug cut from a corresponding larger plug cutter. The advantage of this method is that you usually get out most of the rust stained wood around the metal.

Hope that all makes sense.

Yes, and then I sand the surface before planing, but you do find that there is often some sort of fine grit embedded somewhere.

Always worth the effort to reclaim timber IMO.

Cheers

 

[Wildman]

thanks for all of your replies, in the end I settled on this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291606940154? ... EBIDX%3AIT
ex MOD and a quality bit of kit for not much money, been playing at home and distance depends on the size of the metal, toolbox flagged 2ft away, a miniscule screw flagged at 2" so looking good will try it out tomorrow on timber and try punching nails below the surface.