Johnny submitted a couple of great projects made from recycled timber! I envy folks who live in areas that have the option to recycle. Its environmentally friendly, its cheap, and the wood itself brings a sense of age and maturity that can’t be achieved with stain or dye. And for anyone who isn’t familiar with Southern Pine, its worth looking into. This isn’t the same knotty pine shelf stock you see at the big box stores. Its incredibly strong and durable for a softwood and it happens to be relatively cheap. A great material for workbenches too. Just ask The Schwarz. If you want more information on Southern Pine, check this out. And without further delay, let’s hear Johnny’s story:
Not sure if this qualifies as a Viewer Project but I have a different twist on woodworking. Instead of going to the lumber yard, about 80% of my projects are from recycled wood. I live in Plano Texas and I drive around on country roads looking for old vacant homes that where built in the early 1900’s.
Once I find one, I start knocking on doors until I find who owns the land and home and get their permission to take some wood. Most of the wood is old growth southern pine. It’s a lot of work cleaning up the boards because in the early days, they used small tacks to hang the cheesecloth wallpaper, but it adds that distressed look that looks pretty cool.
The bed and end tables where made about 10 years ago. The dresser/entertainment/bookshelf I just now completed to match the other bedroom furniture. The cool thing about this wood is the tight grain pattern and patina (because of the large amount of rosin) for pine. You just can’t find pine like this today.
Now here is the interesting thing about the piece I just completed. I designed it for the bookshelves to be on each side of the large piece, as you can see in the photo. When I put it in the room, my wife said “it looks great…but, I want the center piece angled in the corner and put the two bookshelves together”. I told her that is not the way I designed it and she said, “I know but that is the way I like it”. Now I did what any successfully married man of 23 years would do. I stood up tall, bowed out my chest, folded my arms and said, “Yes Dear!” I hope you enjoy.
12 Responses to “Born Again Southern Pine – Viewer Project”
You are both a talented woodworker and a wise husband. Great job on both fronts!
Is southern pine the same thing as heart pine? I commonly hear the term when referring to the old wooden flooring here in Charleston, SC. Thanks, and the pieces are spectacular!
I just love this look.
I think recycling or reclaiming wood is very cool. The best part about using an older “recycled” piece of wood is that you get something that you can’t find at the home centers or even your local lumberyard: stable, tight-ring wood. I love this stuff! It has a look and feel like nothing grown recently does. A friend of mine has a business reclaiming old lumber (vintagelumbersales.com) just like you did with these pieces. It’s fantastic to see projects like yours made from material that might just as easily get burned up in a trash pile. Keep up the good work!
Wonderful furniture! I like the mission style bed. Like Ray, I also have a question. Is this the same wood as “long leaf yellow pine”? I know that Norm Abram has made some things on his show from reclaimed long leaf yellow pine, and it had that same wonderful grain pattern as yours does.
Nice work! What did you finish it with?
Excellent work! Especially like the bed. I love the look of pine with just a simple finish.
Nice work. I like the way the small drawers on the cabinet are made from the same piece of wood and maintain grain flow. Well done with standing your ground and sending the message to your wife about the design element of the piece…I know how you feel, intended design doesn’t equal final display. Your work is commendable.
Hmmm… maybe I should be hitting the backroads a little more. This is the second story in as many days (different sites) where people are getting fantastic old wood from driving the backroads and looking for old buildings. Fantastic idea.
Quite amazing work, and quite interesting story behind the material. I would do the same thing with my wife and we have only been married for 2 years. Got’a love’em.
I like your original plan with a book case on each side. Don’t tell her I said that though. lol
All your pieces are beautiful. Your efforts with recycling have really paid off.
Vic
Great Job! I like the concept of recycled wood and use it as often as I can in my work. I might look at the design in a different way. It is a design that works equally well in either display. Any time a design has that kind of flexibility it increases its value in my mind. I also liked the mirror in the picture, Is that your work as well?