Steve B wrote:
I want to get some 4 x 12 beams for a pergola. I have four, IIRC, down in
Vegas, about 12 to 16 feet long, square on the ends. They are about ten to
twenty years old, and straight as day one.

Are they pine? Fir? What was used for external wood back then? If I was
to go buy some stuff today, what would I ask for? Really, I think I'll put
an ad on Craigslist for old wood, and just use stuff that is old that has
kept straight. Guides for identifying wood would be helpful.

It seems that this old wood is fairly dense (heavy). Just going to band saw
it on the ends, or carve it.



Back in the stone age, we used cedar or redwood for weather-exposed
applications like that. Of course, you have to be Bill Gates to afford
that, these days. For the California-style 'flying wing' houses my
father used to build, ISTR he used doug fir for the beams, and the
exposed ends help up okay, but they were under a roof overhang, and
stained. Your idea of using reclaimed wood is a good one, if there is
any floating around your area. Weather is a killer around here- old barn
beams and such would not hold up well to exterior use here, unless
sealed and refinished often. I guess in LV sun exposure would be the
problem, drying out the wood. Any of the Park Service sites with the old
Spanish missions or Native American structures near you? They should be
able to tell you what the exposed old timbers are on the buildings they
are maintaining.

--
aem sends...