Hazardous Timber Preserver

[westcoast]

Hi,

I'm new to both woodworking and the forum but having spent the last couple of years renovating an old house and have accumulated a reasonable collection of tools and old timber. I'm especially interested in recycling old timber but I understand that there were a number of old preservatives/treatments that may be carcinogenic – Creosite (or something similar is one such substance that rings a bell).

I have a large old jarrah post that is destined to become a rustic mirror for my sister. It is very weathered so I was going to plane it back and rip it in half. Two sides of the post have remnants of what looks a bit like a small amount of a thin tar like substance in patches.

How do I know what is dangerous and what isn’t?

What precautions do I need to take?


Thanks very much

[echnidna]

the tar is probably only tar.

Creosote soaks in and I've never seen it used on jarrah or redgum

[westcoast]

Thanks very much - whilst on the topic of recycled timber is there an economical means of checking for old nails etc. On the post in question there is evidence of a number of nail holes - all have been removed but I guess there is always the chance of fragments being left inside??

[Bleedin Thumb]

Some recycle yards will xray them for you, at a charge no doubt. As you only have one post (by the sounds of it) just accept that it may cost you a blade or if you have an old one lying around...

[AlexS]

Try getting a rare earth magnet and running it over the wood. They will pick up even small pieces of ferrous metal on the surface.