What to do with it.....?

[Anonymous-0]

I have a "beam" out back that came out of a bridge (I THINK). It is 16" square and 20' long - and HEAVY as all get out. It is a treated and creosoted piece.
Anyone have any ideas as to what I could use it for?

 

[Anonymous-0]

I don't have any ideas for it's use in current form, but if you have any sawmills nearby, you could possibly have it sawn into 2 or 3 inch planks and it would be in a more useable form, provided there were no nails or spikes driven into it before cutting. Seen this done many years ago and Dad made a corral out of many big timbers he had bought.

 

[paul]

Find another & build a bridge across a 16 foot ditch.



The creosote will likely hamper turning it into lumber at a sawmill. Otherwise some old beams of that size are valuble to make lumber from.

Offer it for sale to someone who needs to make a bridge. such things are very valuable to the right persons, why cut it up into smaller bits that are worth less than this big beam should be worth?

--->Paul

 

[Dan-IA]

This sounds like a fine opportunity to develop your new hobby. Choose between 'ham radio operator' or 'wind power enthusiast'.

Either way, you get to dig a hole about 4 feet deep. Then with a tractor you erect the beam as a tower, anchoring it with guy wires. Then you mount your choice of a wind generator (car alternator and propeller) or an antenna of some sort on your new tower.

Finally, enjoy your new creation!

 

[anthonyjandl]

There is a lot you could do with it, if youcould get an old grader blade or sothing like that, you could make a good drag.

 

[Anonymous-0]

There is a company close by here in SD. that goes all over the US taking down old wood bridges. They haul the timbers back here and have a sawmill where they cut them into planks. They resell them for fencing or whatever. I don't know how far they go for just one but there might be others in your area doing the same. It is usually pretty good lumber in them old timbers.

 

[old]

Stick in in the ground and put a light at the top or maybe a wind genny
Hobby farm

 

[Walt Davies]

Sell it you will get enough to buy a pretty good tractor. Its most likely worth around $1000 or more.
Walt

 

[RobMD]

Stick it in the ground and paint up a parts tractor and set it up on top of it.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Now that might be an idea! It would have to be an "F" series IH, though....
DANG! Now I need to find a tractor.....

 

[John S-B]

Ripped lengthwise in half, that ought to make a good set of bridge beams. should support a good size pickup, maybe larger with a support column in the middle of the span.