Re-sawing old sleepers

[trigger_andy]

Anyone attempted to re-saw old oak sleepers that have been creosoted?

 

They are 10” x 4-5”. If I could get a 8” x 3-4” beam out of them I’d be happy.

[richyrich]

Blunt chain quickly and carcinogenic 👎

[Bob_z_l]

Cut old sleepers with a chainsaw to make a garden retaining wall.

Blunts chains faster than anything else I've cut. 
Ended up using a 9" grinder and metal cutting disc.

 

I imagine it'd be just as hard n your band saw. I'd be very interested in your experience and results. 

[woody paul]

Are they just bits of Oak been creosoted, or railway sleepers there's a big difference. 

If railway sleepers just go and cut timber the right size and sell sleepers. 

[trigger_andy]

1 hour ago, woody paul said:

Are they just bits of Oak been creosoted, or railway sleepers there's a big difference. 

If railway sleepers just go and cut timber the right size and sell sleepers. 

They are literally old railway sleepers that have been dry stored. I seem to have a very high demand for Mantles just now. But I need them somewhat dry, especially for the Stove Shop that I'll be supplying. Luckily Ive (hopefully) scored some Oak Beams  (4.8m x 8" x 4" ) from an old warehouse that I can cut to size and hopefully make nice dry mantles from. But once they are gone I'll be a few years away from being able to supply seasoned mantles. So Im looking at alternatives. I thought the Sleepers would be a long shot so I think I'll just forget that idea.

 

Thanks guys. 

[Big Beech]

They will not be Oak in my experience, some exotic hardwood and will be heavily contaminated with all sorts.

Vapour release from.ov3r a stove would not be adviseable if imagine

[trigger_andy]

3 minutes ago, Big Beech said:

They will not be Oak in my experience, some exotic hardwood and will be heavily contaminated with all sorts.

Vapour release from.ov3r a stove would not be adviseable if imagine

Thats a very good point. 

[5thelement]

I have cut old sleepers for landscaping jobs/retaining wall plenty of times. They can be a surprising variety of timber species, ranging anywhere from Oak to exotic rainforest growth. I usually scraped the surface first to remove any large lumps of bitumen/stones then cut with a combination of chainsaw with tungsten carbide teeth (Stihl Duro) or large chop saw for neater joints/corners. They are still hard on the cutters and I suspect it would ruin a bandsaw blade per mantle, if not quicker.

[richyrich]

31 minutes ago, Big Beech said:

They will not be Oak in my experience, some exotic hardwood and will be heavily contaminated with all sorts.

Vapour release from.ov3r a stove would not be adviseable if imagine

I seem to remember in local paper-  bloke got cancer- blamed on creosoted mantle piece.. A few years ago, so might have remembered it wrong..either way- agreed.💀

[Stere]

Can gum up inside chainsaw etc,  it took hrs too clean all the crap off it etc after last time i cut one, so I now  refuse to cut any stuff like that with my  own saws...