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The time I found a wasp nest in my recycled lumber!

I was so proud to score some old oak beams from a demo site for a green cabinet job. When I started milling, a whole family of wasps flew out! Had to stop everything and deal with that mess. Still, the cabinets turned out great, and I saved good wood from the landfill.
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4 Comments
cole728
cole7281mo ago
That wasp nest story almost put me off recycled wood for good. But your cabinets turning out great after that mess actually makes me want to try it.
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reed.dylan
reed.dylan1mo ago
Seriously, my buddy found termite damage in a vintage door he was fixing up.
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anna_coleman46
Hidden issues like that make new wood worth the price.
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foster.jordan
You think the hassle was worth it just to save some wood? That sudden danger (wasps are no joke) and work stoppage sounds like a big downside to me. I've seen recycled lumber hide nasty stuff like old nails or rot you don't find until later. The small win of reusing material doesn't always beat the cost and stress of fixing those surprises. Sometimes new wood is just the safer, smarter pick for a smooth project.
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