Just found out last week that we're expecting a bundle of joy. In my
excitement, I've already gone to Rockler's website and ordered the
transitional crib/toddler bed plan, hardware kit and fastener kit. I've got
a bunch of 100+ yr old pine ( 8/4 X 6, 4/4 X 6)salvaged from an old store in
town. Here's the questions. Any problems with using the pine? Going on
the premise that a lot of early american "poor man's" furntiure was pine in
the South, I was thinking it would be perfectly ok. Second question. What
do I need to use as finish that will be 100% safe? I was planning to leave
the wood "natural" with no stain and NO paint. Poly?

On Thu, 19 Jan 2006 14:45:45 +0000, booger wrote:
Just found out last week that we're expecting a bundle of joy.

Many, many congratulations.

Any problems with using the pine?
Going on the premise that a lot of early american "poor man's" furntiure
was pine in the South, I was thinking it would be perfectly ok.

I'm a fairly newbie woodworker too, but a lot of the furniture still sold
in the UK is pine (and my 6 month old daughter is currently having a nap
in her pine cot/crib - handed down from a friend 3 years ago for son).

Second
question. What do I need to use as finish that will be 100% safe? I was
planning to leave the wood "natural" with no stain and NO paint. Poly?

It's got a good couple of coats of poly on it and is fine. The only issue
I'd say is that as they get older they chew on the rails, so maybe getting
one of the plastic rail protectors might be a good idea (our cot is
against a wall so son didn't chew on the wall side as it would squash his
head against a wall to do so).

Cheers,


ANdy


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"booger" wrote in message
. ..
Just found out last week that we're expecting a bundle of joy. In my
excitement, I've already gone to Rockler's website and ordered the
transitional crib/toddler bed plan, hardware kit and fastener kit. I've
got a bunch of 100+ yr old pine ( 8/4 X 6, 4/4 X 6)salvaged from an old
store in town. Here's the questions. Any problems with using the pine?
Going on the premise that a lot of early american "poor man's" furntiure
was pine in the South, I was thinking it would be perfectly ok. Second
question. What do I need to use as finish that will be 100% safe? I was
planning to leave the wood "natural" with no stain and NO paint. Poly?

booger,

Some pine has been known to age as hard as rocks and is difficult to work
but certainly not impossible. I had a small project once that I used some
recovered pine stock that was once used as roof rafters. Exposed to heat
and cold for over a half century and when I went to use them, I could barely
get a new drill bit thru them. May want to test cutting some before you
finalize your plans.

Bob S.

"booger" wrote in message
. ..
: Just found out last week that we're expecting a bundle of joy.
In my
: excitement, I've already gone to Rockler's website and ordered
the
: transitional crib/toddler bed plan, hardware kit and fastener
kit. I've got
: a bunch of 100+ yr old pine ( 8/4 X 6, 4/4 X 6)salvaged from an
old store in
: town. Here's the questions. Any problems with using the pine?

Not as long as it's not painted, or you fully remove any finishes
on it. REmember, toddlers & infanst suck/chew on
anything/everything. Should be fine.


Going on
: the premise that a lot of early american "poor man's" furntiure
was pine in
: the South, I was thinking it would be perfectly ok. Second
question. What
: do I need to use as finish that will be 100% safe? I was
planning to leave
: the wood "natural" with no stain and NO paint. Poly?

Use shellac. Non toxic, looks good but not as hard as poly, etc
so you get to re-furb it now & then to keep it looking great.
Once he quits "eating" everything, you can put tougher finishes
over it.

If you use poly, give it plenty of time to cure and finish
outgassing; about a month I've heard. Shellac's easier and
actually looks better.

HTH,

Pop

:
:

Congrats! I'll second (or third?) the shellac - easy to use and
definitely safe, even while it's drying. Theoretically, any finish is
safe once it totally polymerizes, but shellac is easy, and easy to
apply additional coats at any time, without the hassle of sanding
between coats (unless you want to to smooth it out).
Have fun!
Andy

Nothing wrong with pine. Some of it seems to be as hard as maple.
It tends to have lots of knots, though, so make sure there aren't
any where you'll have joints.

booger wrote:
Just found out last week that we're expecting a bundle of joy. In my
excitement, I've already gone to Rockler's website and ordered the
transitional crib/toddler bed plan, hardware kit and fastener kit. I've got
a bunch of 100+ yr old pine ( 8/4 X 6, 4/4 X 6)salvaged from an old store in
town. Here's the questions. Any problems with using the pine? Going on
the premise that a lot of early american "poor man's" furntiure was pine in
the South, I was thinking it would be perfectly ok. Second question. What
do I need to use as finish that will be 100% safe? I was planning to leave
the wood "natural" with no stain and NO paint. Poly?

Thanks for all of the feedback. I guess I should have mentioned that most
of this is old growth pine and is really clear, as in not a lot of knots to
have to work around. The Lord provides when we least expect it and
bountifully.

I'm setting up the 12" Delta planer and running a bunch of stock through
this weekend weather permiting, so we'll see just how rough this stuff is
when it comes to machining it. That is the only thing that I'm concerned
about.


Thanks again !


"booger" wrote in message
. ..
Just found out last week that we're expecting a bundle of joy. In my
excitement, I've already gone to Rockler's website and ordered the
transitional crib/toddler bed plan, hardware kit and fastener kit. I've
got a bunch of 100+ yr old pine ( 8/4 X 6, 4/4 X 6)salvaged from an old
store in town. Here's the questions. Any problems with using the pine?
Going on the premise that a lot of early american "poor man's" furntiure
was pine in the South, I was thinking it would be perfectly ok. Second
question. What do I need to use as finish that will be 100% safe? I was
planning to leave the wood "natural" with no stain and NO paint. Poly?