A wood what is it, but really its a why is it? 110 year old balloon construction house

I don’t know the answer but I am intrigued…
Are they driven into shakes or did someone take the time to make a hole to put them in?

-- Do or do not, there is no try

damn good lather.

-- Sawdust and shavings are therapeutic

Could they have been put in to “swell” an edge makin’ it more even?
Bill

-- bill@magraphics.us

I would guess a shim or knot fill. just a guess.

-- A lack of money forces you to find creative solutions to problems you wouldn't have otherwise.

They have a few names, it depends what part of the country your in and what country the craftsmen came from.
It is a wedge of wood drive in to a “green timber” to even out the drying. The end grain of the wedge acts as a wick (wick-wedge) to allow the pith to dry about the same rate as the faces of the board. They also help to stop a check from running the length of a board. Hope this is helpful

-- http://littleredshop.net " Have Fun, Go Fast, and Take Chances for Christ's Sake!!"

I love info like that ^. Good stuff David.

-- "there aren’t many hand tools as awe-inspiring as the #8 jointer. I mean, it just reeks of cast iron heft and hubris" - Smitty

That’s really cool. As slave labor to my home-building step-dad, I pulled nails from many native lumber rough sawn boards. I also worked as a remodeler for the last 20 yrs. of my working life. I have never seen that before. Thanks for posting.

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David, it sounds good, u got anything in writing or on online to verify? i’d like to learn more?
thank u

-- wrenchguy mike, nw indiana, armpit of the nation!

Wrenchguy
This information came from several sources, all older men who worked in the late 1800’s & early 1900’s in the timber/balloon building era. Two from the Fall River/New Bedford MA area and one from Maine. They each had their own name for them, “SHAKES PIN”, SHAKES WEDGE, SHAKES STOP & Wedge Wicks”, They all said that this was a learned technic, passed on from master to apprentice. It was explained to me that these pins help stop faming from drying to fast. They were use more in the hot summer months when framing was exposed to the sun for weeks or months at a time. Remember that nearly all framing and sheeting lumber at the time was “green” usually delivered to the job site the some day it was cut from the log. In balloon construction, a 2×4 that is nailed to the bottom plate at the foundation is also nailed to the top plate at the roof line. Sometimes these 2X4’s can be over 20 feet long or longer, with better than 60% moisture, standing on end, in the sun to dry and already fasten to other wet lumber. Like you I have not found any written verification for this, just hearing this from the old-timers that worked in this era. Hope this is helpful.

-- http://littleredshop.net " Have Fun, Go Fast, and Take Chances for Christ's Sake!!"

yep, wedge wicks, as they are known to folks in my area. not at all common with today’s pre-dried lumber. I’ve seen them myself in many many many centennial aged buildings and construction. they were usually put in at 45’s on the corner to keep the hole they made (or used) from splitting the timber any farther. most wedges were sourced from the same board they were put into. probably from scrap cutoffs or such