posted
A customer brought in an old new england farm sign that has been painted oh about 4 different times since he had it, he Claimed he could never keep paint on it.
I am replacing the main panel as well as reworking the accent peices, found out why he never could keep paint on it, the panle always sat in a trough of water.
Anyway upon removing the main panel and flaking off the paint I realized this is one piece of wood, no seems, the panel is 24.5 x 29.5, I can just imaging being able to buy 24" wide planks at one time. He claims he bought it from an older farmer that claimed it was made around the turn of the century. I dont know about that, but I do know I have never seen boards this wide in a single piece.
[ October 30, 2003, 04:46 PM: Message edited by: Bob Rochon ]
-------------------- Bob Rochon Creative Signworks Millbury, MA 508-865-7330
"Life is Like an Echo, what you put out, comes back to you." Posts: 5149 | From: Millbury, Mass. U.S. | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I can relate Bob. Old wood like that is a real gem. My boss brought in some "scraps" he had lying around the barn that he was going to cut up for shelving in the shop. These boards are about 1.5" thick x 16" x 16 ft. I talked him out of cutting them down, but, now I have these huge boards lying around that keep getting in the way.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I lived in NH in the late 60's, in a house that was built in 1780. It was made from timbers that were pegged together. the side walls were about 3" thick boards that were about 18" wide, stood on end. In the basement, which was really a root cellar made from piled rocks, there was a room made from wood boards, where the potatoes and stuff were stored. The boards were real wide just like the one you describe. An old timer up there called them "Queen Anne" boards. They were cut from old growth cedar is what I have been told, and they are valuable. The one you have may be older than you think. Some of the New Englanders on this BB may want to check to see if my facts are straight, but that's what I was told as to the species of wood involved. Those giant trees disappeared a long time ago.
-------------------- Jeff Ogden 8727 NE 68 Terr. Gainesville FL, 32609 Posts: 2138 | From: 8827 NE 68 Terr Gainesville Fl 32609 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Joe this is the bottom of the sign, as you see the water runs down the sign into this channel.
If you look at the sign the bottom edge you see is not the thicknes but rather the 3/4 of an inch that slides into the groove. Notice the trimmed corners
[ October 30, 2003, 05:17 PM: Message edited by: Bob Rochon ]
-------------------- Bob Rochon Creative Signworks Millbury, MA 508-865-7330
"Life is Like an Echo, what you put out, comes back to you." Posts: 5149 | From: Millbury, Mass. U.S. | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Bob, that is some fine wood. I'll bet it is heartwood.
I have a client down at the marina that also pulls up old cypress sinkers. Sinkers are cypress logs that were felled or lost during the hey day of logging in the swamps here.
He showed me a log that he was milling for a client who is building a steam powered paddle wheeler. This piece was to be used for the main runner or beam which was to be 30"x18". Pretty stout piece of wood. The grain was really tight due to the age. I am told that before polution wood had a tighter grain.
-------------------- Kathy Joiner River Road Graphics 41628 River Road Ponchatoula, La.70454
Old enough to know better...Too young to resist. Posts: 1891 | From: Ponchatoula, LA | Registered: Nov 2000
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hehehehe Bob, I have a coffee table here that's made of a solid piece of maple. it has a chess board carved into it and pegs for playing cribbage. I swapped a rolling TV cart for it. Definitely got the better end of THAT deal.
There are a few old mills up here that still will do some "big cuts" on occasion, but rarely these days.
I got hold of a piece of Mahogany once that had been a bar top in Vermont. What a find that one was. Was planning on making a sign of it someday, but got an offer for it from a customer and let it go last summer.
Just plunking on the keyboard... Rapid
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
Bob Yea You can Keep paint on it.. Ask to take it down and allow it to dry for 1-3 months in your shop...
Next after drying... is prep. (Sanding.(Seal/Prime).....Painting & Coating. I have never work on anything that is Wet.. (Water) "Insurance Damage" is something else ETC.FLOODS/HURRICANES/Etc.
Sorry Edit will mean... (Maybe Plain the Board)
[ October 30, 2003, 06:22 PM: Message edited by: Stephen Deveau ]
-------------------- Stephen Deveau RavenGraphics Insinx Digital Displays
Letting Your Imagination Run Wild! Posts: 4327 | From: Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000
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posted
We've got plenty of Doug firs out here that are pretty stout. I've ridden my motorcycle next to a few that have dwarfed the bike. I don't know when my garage was built but the ceiling joists were true 2"x12" and 26-28' long. They were so warped from the long span with no support that we had quite a leaking garage when I purchased the place. I've since built a nice A-frame roof with new joists.
Pretty neat that you get a chance to work on such an old sign. I hope your work lasts 100 yrs
-------------------- Brian Diver PDQ Signs Everett, Wa
posted
Well the guy needs his sign back by thanksgiving so I'm going to retrofit 3/4 MDO in its place, I thought of 3/4 hdu but the strength of such a thin panel at 24 x 29 turned me off. The grooves in the top and bottom are 3/4" so if I did sandwich HDU I would have needed 1/2", my supplier didnt carry it.
So my sign will NOT last a hundred years but it will look awesome for quite a few anyway.
And I DO get to keep the wood. lol
-------------------- Bob Rochon Creative Signworks Millbury, MA 508-865-7330
"Life is Like an Echo, what you put out, comes back to you." Posts: 5149 | From: Millbury, Mass. U.S. | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Just yesterday a customer brought in a "plank" 21" wide and 29" tall all one piece never been joined. I'm going to do an "old time' sign for him on it. He told me it was from a cotton wood tree and he had more just like it at home in his barn.
He bought it at an auction somewhere local...apparently someone close had a saw mill...by the way this thing is a full 4/4 thick and hard as a rock.
If I can get a picture to load when I'm done I'll post it.
-------------------- "Werks fer me...it'll werk fer you"
posted
Bob, if I were in your shoes, I would get permission from the old guy to swap the panel out for HDU with a hefty warranty and hang that piece of history on my shop wall.... as it is..... and preserve it for posterity.
Just my dos centavos
-------------------- John Smith Kings Bay Signs (Retired) Kissimmee, Florida Posts: 817 | From: Central Florida - The Sunshine State | Registered: Jan 2000
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posted
That signboard may be over 150 years old! It can be much more valuable than you (probably) realize.
Check out "Lions & Eagles & Bulls" -Early American Inn Signs- edited by Susan Schoelwer of the Connecticut Historical Society. This awesome book is available from our pals at "A Magazine About Letterheads". 812-723-2095
posted
Maybe these aren't as wide as the ones on that truck.....but this is some pretty wide stuff! www.berkproducts.com This place is about 4 miles from me....maybe we'll take a tour during this years Chisel Jam....NO DROOLING ON THE BOARDS!!!
Joe, Makin Chips and Havin Fun!
-------------------- Joe Cieslowski Connecticut Woodcarvers Gallery P.O.Box 368 East Canaan CT 06024 jcieslowski@snet.net 860-824-0883 Posts: 2345 | From: East Canaan CT 06024 | Registered: Nov 2001
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Maybe these aren't as wide as the ones on that truck.....but this is some pretty wide stuff! 
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