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Oak Sleepers

Sgreen

Sgreen

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Mar 12, 2015
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215
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Sheffield
First Name
Simon
I was wondering if anyone has tried cutting up a railway/garden sleeper to make blanks. Did it work?

The one I am looking at is brand new, untreated 4inch x 8 and is 6foot long. The ones I have seen are £30 but I have been told I can get them even cheaper. I have the tools to re-cut down to manageable blank sizes (Goblets vas etc) They are oak, not everyones favourite wood, but I like it. I know the reclaimed ones are full of nasty stuff - not sure what it is?

It seems to me a cheap way of getting some blanks so I practice on hardwood. I usually use pine for practice.

Thanks in advance
Simon
 
B

Bigblackdog

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Dec 28, 2014
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Leeds
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Mark
they are generally very green. I would have thought that £30 to a local tree surgeon would probably get you better stuff for turning.
 
T

Themackay

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Aberdeen
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Alan
I was thinking the same can get new Canadian oak sleeper for @£30 but I am not covinced it will be as nice as native Oak,I was given a bit a couple of weeks ago to try before I bought one will let you know how I get on with it
 
Sgreen

Sgreen

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Sheffield
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Simon
A landscape gardener friend as given me a website that does old reclaimed sleepers in Azobi and Jarrah as well as Dutch Oak. Apparently they don't treat hardwood sleepers with anything, there's no need. He re-cut the Jarrah and made an outside table. Seeing the table it is quite beautiful although looking a little weathered now. He did mention that they were quite dry but it was a few years ago when he made it.

Used railway sleepers - Railway sleepers .com

I might have to look deeper into this. If all else fails I have quite a large dry space under our stairs were I might be able to dry it over winter.
 
bassethound

bassethound

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Mar 12, 2014
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East Sussex
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Ted
Oak is Oak whatever shape and size it comes in and can be very nicely turned if it hasn't been treated as far as i am concerned!
 
21William

21William

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Dorset
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William
I don't think the old wooden railway sleepers were treated. Every so often though a maintenance train travels the network spraying a very toxic mix of weedkiller to destroy unwanted plant growth on and around the track. Over a period of years the amount of chemicals in the sleepers could be significant if you include the other crap that falls on them. I warned about idiots using old sleepers for gardens years ago but there are still folks daft enough to use them. These days you can buy "garden sleepers" that are treated with the usual green stuff, whatever it is.
 
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