I have a chance to buy some redwood. Pieces are 2 1/2" x 5 1/2". they came from an old cooling water tower and have been stacked for some time. Probably close to 2,000 bd feet. I am planning on buying and resawing to 4/4 to resale. any body have any ideas what it's going for? Thanks. I am located in central WV. Not really what you call redwood country.
There will be a difference between 1/4 sawn and flat sawn. The pickle barrel redwood that I got is about 50% 1/4 sawn.
Shoot, that wasn't even worth a penny for my thought.
Gilman, any info is appreciated. :D
Bear in mind where this wood lived for years, cooling towers are nasty places. Concentrations of carcogens (sp) and heavy metals.
I am no expert, but I have worked on a couple of cooling towers, we were always cautioned about splinters and such, as much a CCA treated wood, several warnings. This was from the people that thought we were expendable and did not like to tell you any more than OSHA required.
I am not sure how the concentration of nasties accumulate but I would guess that as the water evaporates the heavies are left behind. Cooling tower water is usually used over and over again and as it evaporates, fresh water is added. When the 'basin' is emptied everything goes to a contained waste landfill.
Kinda makes ya wonder when they put a hand wash station beside the porta john and tell you to wash your hands BEFORE you use the john.
Not knowing anything about the history of this wood, how long, type of cooling tower and all I would suggest using with care. Extra caution about dust and possibly a finish to seal the finished product.
Maybe someone that knows more about this than I do will chime in, I do not claim to be an expert. Good luck.
WH_Conley, you sure brought up enough thoughtful, plausible "what ifs" that I sure would be heading the udder way.
WH thanks for that info, I know this tower was used in a coal mine prep plant. I'm not sure about "heavies" in that instance but it would make a lot of sense if it came from a chemical plant. I have seen a lot of those torn down before but never really thought of the heavy metal possibility. Thanks again.
The cooling tower does not necessarily have to be from a chemical plant. Here is a list of chemicals that are used to treat water in all cooling towers to reduce scale formation, corrosion, and inhibit algae formation. All have restrictions on breathing and skin contact.
Corrosion Inhibitors CAS No.
1,2,3-Benzotriazole (BTA or BZT) 95-14-7
Scale Preventing Dispersants: Carboxylic Acid Polymers
Polymaleic acid (PMA or HPMA) 26099-09-2
Maleic acid/acrylic acid copolymer (MA/AA) 29132-58-9; 26677-99-6
Polyacrylic acid/sodium polyacrylate (PAA/PAAS) 9003-01-4; 9003-04-7
Acrylic acid/hydroxypropyl acrylate copolymer (AA/HPA) 55719-33-0
AMPS/AA Copolymer
Scale & Corrosion Inhibitors: Phosphonates
1-Hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP or HEDPA) 2809-21-4
Amino-tris-methylene phosphonic acid (ATMP or ATMPA) 6419-19-8
2-Phosphono butane 1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid (PBTC or PBTCA) 37971-36-1
Diethylenetriamine-penta-methylene phosphonic acid (DTPMP or DTPMPA) 15827-60-8
Hydoxyphosphonoacetic acid (HPA or HPAA) 23783-26-8
Biocides
5-Chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one / 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one
(CMI/MI) 26172-55-4; 2682-20-4
Dodecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (1227) 139-07-1
Solid Chlorine Biocide (Sodium dichloroisocyanurate) 2893-78-9
Dibromo nitrilopropionamide (DBNPA) 10222-01-2
Glutaraldehyde Biocide 111-30-8
smiley_horserider I would not mess with that redwood. smiley_skull
Gee, no wonder OSHA required that they warned us about that stuff. Company I worked for couldn't 'find' the MSDS sheets. Wonder why? Thanks for the details Gary, I think I will print that out and give it to a couple of buddies still in the trades.
WOW Gary my head hurts just trying to read all that stuff!!!
Ya the company I pulled that list from is in China. I think there are too many OSHA restrictions to make that stuff here. Plus, nobody wants to live next to a chemical plant. :)
Back in the early 70's I had an uncle that was a chemist working for a large water treating company. He got liver cancer and did not live for more than a month after it was discovered. I believe he was working with benzene and that has been proved to be one of the most dangerous carcinogens known. :(
Ok, done some more research and I was wrong on the first post. Redwood came from a spring fed water tank used on the rail to fill steam engines. Should be ok on contaminents. Gary, I work in a chemical plant and trust me the federal and state regulations on chemicals now is very severe. I am in no way supporting what the companines done to workers and communities in their early years before EPA,DNR, and others. I DO! beleive it is our responsibility to take care of the enviroment for future generations. However that is why we are losing our manufacturing to oversea places like China, where you got your info. Those countries have not wised up yet and have no regulations on hazardous wastes. Unfortunatley they will pay the price in 15-20 years health wise that our parents and families have gone through or are still going through. I do feel that with regulations in place in this country today that chemicals are made and handled safely. Again thanks for the input about the redwood. I have never considered the chemicals of the water treating in a cooling tower.