Jay -- In PA, you are closer to the heart of the Plain Community (Lancaster County) than most of us are. I have not yet connected with the Plain Community here. The community we left had several Mennonite and Amish mills that would do custom milling ... but you had to bring them the logs.
Search out woodworking sites and forums to see if there's any info on old pines like that. But for some of that tight grained long leafed southern pine ... IF you find it, I bet it's going to be some pricey stuff.
I doubt I will have to replace my truck's original bedwood in my lifetime (and, for that matter, my grandson won't likely need to replace it in his, either). But if I did, and I was going for originality ... which requires the wood to be coated with a black coating anyway .... I'd probably go with something like a mahogany or a redwood or even an oak which, when painted black, probably looks very similar to the original tight-grained long leafed southern pine anyway.
And if you're not going strict original and are planning on going with a glossy clear coating like a polyurethane or a spar varnish ... then you are already broken the "originality seal" so what's the point of the unobtanium wood?
Just something to consider... Not a sermon, just a thought (to quote Lon...)
Last edited by John Milliman; 03/17/2025 4:20 PM. Reason: horribal speling
