ELVA GRAIN ELEVATORS

You’re probably wondering how in the world is are we going to reclaim the wood from two antique grain elevators?  Our answer, one phase at a time.

 

The following phases 1-5 outline how this project has been broken down into manageable parts providing a birds eye view.

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Phase 1:  Tin Badge

During this phase, we will be carefully removing each sheet of antique tin piece by piece to be packaged in sets of 5 and 10. 

 

We are encouraging pre-sales to help move our project along with accurate inventory reflected in each listing once all salvageable tin has been collected.  

 

Phase 2:  Driveways and Offices

Moving on from the tin salvage will include the dismantling by hand of both grain elevator driveways and offices.  Driveways refer to the area where grain offloading would occur.  From this point, the elevator would take control of the grain for storage and train car loading processes.  In the beginning wagons/carts pulled by horse were used to move grain from fields to the elevator, upgrades to driveways during the 1950’s included larger scales and hoists which made delivery by grain trucks with dump boxes possible.

 

During this phase, antique wood will become available and updated in our listings.  The wood will include dimensional lumber such as 2x6 up to 2x12 (fir) including a range of short beams and roof planks in a variety of attractive dimensions. 

 

Phase 3:  Leg Wood

During this phase we will be accessing and retrieving the heart of the elevator, that being the Leg.  What is referred to as the Leg is how grain was elevated taking advantage of gravity to either store or move grain.  The leg itself is simply a continuous conveyor of equally spaced metal cups stretching from below the center of the elevator called the pit to the top otherwise known as the cupola.

 

Over time the wooden surface of the Leg has been sculpted by the gently sanding action of moving grain, definitely a rare find with very eccentric wood grain patterning.  This is definitely the rustic woodworkers' dream material. 

 

Phase 4:  100 yrs. of Dirt

During this phase, we will be laying over the grain elevators followed by sorting retrieved wood from debris.  Yes, there will still be waste but we will be making every effort to carefully handle the wood to ensure maximum salvage and a safe work environment.

 

Phase 5:  Reclaiming Dimensional Lumber

The final phase of this project will be to separate, de-nail, and stack a mountain of beautiful dimensional lumber into 500 BF lifts for either safe transport or storage.

 

Each lift of either 2x4, 2x6, or 2x8 will be de-nailed, end cracks cut out, protected from weather, and banded together.