Reply by davidroberts

Wish I had an old barn beam to ponder over. You may want to run a metal detector over it if you plan to cut or mill it, in any way. You’re also probably aware of your local fire/ building code. In my hood I believe it’s no wood within one foot of the fire box opening, top and sides. Like cjwillie said, the less messin with it the better. Just my $0.02.

-- david roberts, spinning Tales from Topographic Oceans, no, really.