Guys,

My dad is a carpenter. His grandfather was a carpenter as well. We had some saw horses from his grandfather and they were pretty beat up. They’re made from Doug fir and are about 100 years old. Dad was throwing them away so I cut one of the top pieces out. It’s got plenty of character with the cuts on it. It’s a 2x4 and is about 18” long. I’m trying to think of something to make from this piece for dad. Any ideas?

A shelf, coat hook board

Wood burn something into it then do an acrylic coat over it.

Or have a picture of your father lazered onto it an put a couple coat hooks on it.

I would bet you still have a hammer or other tool that was important to him. Put a couple pegs or old nails in the board and use it as a display of your heritage.

Moosetrot

Or maybe HIS father, where it came from. Howzabout all 3 of you!

Do you have a pic of what you have to work with?

Make a new pair of horses using the old one as a template.

I like Moosie's idea of hanging tools from it. Easy to do a coat rack- not my pics but just some thoughts

If the wood is straight grained and free of knots - you could send it to somebody who makes turkey calls and have a couple box calls made out of it? Dry straight grained Douglas fur should make a pretty sweet sounding box call. Could probably have a couple made from a piece that size .

It WOOD be pretty cool using a turkey call made from somthing that was your grandfathers!

Wind a bit of rusty barb wire around it and hang a bleached coyote skull on it.
If you're a religious man, you could rip it in half and make a crucifix (cut edges to wall) with a simple lap joint... would probably look pretty nice.
*Edit to add that the cross is also the symbol of a fairly important carpenter

A picture frame would be cool especially if you have a picture of your grandfather. You could also make a frame for a mirror.

Use a wood burnere and etch into the wood "PROUD FATHER OF A UNITED STATES MARINE". Perfect for hanging on the living room wall for all to see.

I like this idea, something that leaves the integrity of the aged wood. I would never even dream of a finish coat of any kind on it, or an etching...but it's not MY grandfather's either. Let us know what you come up with.

Great ideas here!

Here’s the front and back.

About all i can think of is a coat rack or have it laser engraved with a saying

Wind chime

There is a trailer at our fair that does the wood burning signs with like peoples last name or whatever to hang in front of your camper kind of thing. You probably have something similar somewhere? Do something like that and take them your starter piece. I'd leave the cuts in it. Good luck.

Example

Another Example

Send it to Airport Trapper have him Lazer something on it for you. Maybe family names or such then put some other old small family items with it. Hand tools, old trap whatever things to make a display.
Can be whatever you want.

Mac