I’ve got the pin end piece of a bowling alley lane that was salvaged from a demolition. The thing is huge – probably four feet square, about 4″ thick solid maple strips laminated together. Still has the black pin markers. It weighs a ton. I’ve held onto it for years thinking I would do something cool with it, but haven’t come up with anything. I thought it would make a great stairway landing to a downstairs game room, but I doubt if I’ll ever have that situation. It’s too heavy and unwieldy for a table top as is. Do any of you have any clever ideas? I don’t even know how I’d cut the thing.
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Replies
You'll most likely find the laminations are glued and nailed together. I've heard of a number of work bench tops being made with bowling alley sections and the reports usually include dealing with numerous nails. Good luck with it but I'd avoid using any high-dollar blades when sawing it to size.
Having built, refurbished and bowled on, bowling lanes, I can personally attest that there are LOTS of nails in it. It is very hard maple, and is called the Pin Deck. As to what to do with it? It does make a nice bench top. You would probably have to cut it, and about the only way is to set it up and cut it with a skill saw. You'll have to live with the burn marks, because thats what you'll get. However, it will never come apart if abused. good luck.
it would make an interesting picnic table out in the yard! Or use a circular saw with a cheap carbide blade and cut it into 1' squares. Make good cutting blocks for the kitchen. Then your wife could use a cleaver on it instead of you.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy
PlaneWood
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