Shopsmith Forums

There are lots of suggestions online about using recycled shipping pallets for projects. I've wondered if old hardwood furniture that has been painted or stained could also be re-cycled for woodworking? (this is definitely a "newbie" question that probably has a really short "NO" answer, but still wondering)

Justification: Old furniture is frequently made of beautiful hardwoods....maple, mahogony, oak, cherry, etc. And if you think of headboards (beds), tables, doors on cabinets, etc....there are large expanses of "raw material".

But, given that I can't find articles online about this, I'm assuming that, either because of difficulty of paint / stain removal or health concerns of tainted saw dust, it must not be worthwhile. Perhaps there are even bigger issues I haven't considered?

YET.....the younger generation seems to be less interested in antiques and "family furniture", and I've seen so much "good wood" headed to the dump lately, it does make me wonder.

Could anyone shed a little light on this?

David

A resounding YES. As you stated, it is often nice hardwood. Recycling it however often requires that the finish be removed. This can be a tedious task,,,which I have little or no patience for.

This tends to lead me to the jointer and planer BUT doing it this way is hard on blades. I sharpen my own so that doesn't stop me but do be aware if you choose this method.

Old desk tops, bed rails and dining room table tops yield some really nice pieces. Under that paint is often some beautiful wood.

Don't let it go to the dump! Gather it up and use it with pride.

Dusty,

I was specifically thinking about repurposing for "turning projects" forgoing the planer / jointer altogether. Just let the turning process remove the outer paint and / or stain, and I think the lathe chisels are easier to sharpen.

Any health concerns with turning pre-stained / painted items that you know of?

d

I agree with Dusty, reuse the wood. One thing to be aware of, some of the older/antique pieces have veneered top layers.

djscruggs wrote:Any health concerns with turning pre-stained / painted items that you know of?

d

Lead paint comes to mind.

djscruggs wrote:Dusty,

I was specifically thinking about repurposing for "turning projects" forgoing the planer / jointer altogether. Just let the turning process remove the outer paint and / or stain, and I think the lathe chisels are easier to sharpen.

Any health concerns with turning pre-stained / painted items that you know of?

d

There are always health concerns when creating dust - whether it be sawdust or paint dust. Use a mask of some sort. Ask me how I know. I was at one time invincible.

use it !
some times the wax or oils go deep into the grain and may create issues with refinishing or gluing but ,if you know what finish you are dealing with , be it varnish, shellac, or a oil finish it can help .

If it's covered with old paint, you should probably test it for lead (about $10 for two tests at HD). If it has lead paint, I'd take a pass on it rather than messing around with trying to safely remove it.

I have used recycled wood for segmented turnings, vase etc. I have also contacted a local cabinet shop for there plywood cut offs. The vases seem to go faster than I can make them.
Friend gave me a maple table top that I have been working on.
Bob

I have a friend that makes beautiful custom guitars from old piano soundboards, works great and they don't have finish.