Oak sleepers

[Palletmangler]

Hi, I'm just about done with pulling apart pallets for scruffy planks that need lots of sanding and denailing.

Has anyone ever tried ripping an oak sleeper? At four inches thick I was thinking its not unfeasible to run it over a table saw (or track saw if available) one face then flip it and meet the middle from the other face.

Theoretically youd end up with 8 planks, four inches wide, just under an inch thick and averaging 8 feet long! Not bad for £25!

Has anyone tried this? Is sleeper oak any good? I'm a trainee joiner (though this is purely for DIY, not business!) and the oak I see is pretty flawless, which has its price obviously.

How bad can a sleeper be? Any thoughts welcome.....

 

[Woodmonkey]

Chances are your sleeper will be green oak, so even if it doesn't banana when you rip it you'll still have to dry it for 12 months plus before using it to make furniture.

 

[Hot stuff]

I had oak sleepers milled from a big wind blown tree. Left them lying outside for a couple of years, took them to the workshop and ripped them to 25mm on the bandsaw. They've been inside now for 6 months or so and no sign of splits so far. I wouldn't expect that to last though, especially once they're in the house as furniture or whatever.
Lovely, lovely wood. Looked really average when I started but just below the weathered surface it's like brand new again.
My storage, drying, sawing etc has all been un-planned and random. More due to laziness, lack of opportunity, more pressing alternative projects, but I have high hopes for the outcome and as you say it's a cheap experiment.
Give it a go, what have you got to lose?

 

[marcros]

I used some for a rustic tv stand. They twisted a bit and split, as I expected and wanted them to. This was more pronounced where the heart of the tree was within the sleeper. It isn't the highest of quality oak, but might be worth a try. I did wonder about them as a source of cheap, large(Ish) turning blanks.

if you were doing it, I would do so on a bandsaw.

They were very green when I cut them.