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I've recently heard of a barn in the area that may be demolished soon. Plus, I saw another that must have blown recently. The question I have to any barn scholars out in luth-land is am I looking at potential tonewood or firewood? I'd hate to let the possibility pass me by and be kicking myself later! TIA

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DES - Shepherd, MI

I'd check it out, for sure. Barns were usually built of local wood, but up where you are if it's of a 'certain age' it might just be walnut: I've heard of that being done. I've got some really nice Red spruce bracing stock that was cut on Mt. Ascutney in Vt. in 1869, and spent a long time as a covered bridge before I got it. It's not only well aged, but treated with the luthier's secret ingredient: horse piss!

I agree, it would be worth it to check it out. The barns in our area that have some age are like Alan stated made from local woods they could easily obtain at one of the small saw mills. Down here mostly of the Oak varieties.

Mike
White Oak, Texas

At the least, you'd have a ton of brace wood. At the least.

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Definitely check it out. I've got a flamenco with b&s made from florida cypress that was cut in the 1850's, and used as bridge supports for a railroad. If you find something nice, and make a guitar from it, there's a 'story' to the guitar to make it special. The "Barn Guitar"....the "Church Door Guitar", etc.

CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

You might really luck out if the beams are Chestnut. It's a gorgeous wood, and when quartered can be beautiful like old golden brazilian. I've got an old dresser I'm tempted to dismantle....

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[QUOTE=Don Williams] You might really luck out if the beams are Chestnut. It's a gorgeous wood, and when quartered can be beautiful like old golden brazilian. I've got an old dresser I'm tempted to dismantle....[/QUOTE]


That reminds me that i found a couple of old dining chairs with thick seating plates, maybe i could ue those plates for mandolin construction later ?

Hmmm...you've got me pondering Chestnut quite seriously now. Very commonly found wood around the part of Italy my folks have a home, and there's a local mill/lumber yard around the corner that specializes in it. Should tell them I'm looking for defect-free quartered Chestnut, and see what comes up...really nice guys.

Well, wish me luck! I'll let you guys know what I find, if anything. BTW, what's a good source for I.D.'ing wood, so I know what it is I may find? (that which is not obvious) Darin Spayd38796.6638773148

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DES - Shepherd, MI

Go for it Darin. If Taylor can make pallet guitars, you might just be on to something with barn guitars. Definitely worth checking out but be sure and check for hidden nails before sawing into it.   

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

The sides are very often cedar. I hear that they are great for making cedar strip canoes.

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

Thanks, Mattia! I may have been too late on the fallen barn. As I went by today, I noticed a hay wagon with a few planks on it. Possibly someone beat me to it, but I'll inquire anyway.

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DES - Shepherd, MI