WHITE CITY — There’s recycling, and then there is what Brent Ahern calls "functional art."

Spectrum Industries’ president is giving new life to two-millennium-old redwood penstocks that Pacific Power used to carry water to its Prospect 4 power plant for more than 70 years before removal began in September 2002. These were the infamous leaky pipes that sprayed fountains water next to Highway 62 near Lost Creek Lake.

About 200,000 board feet of the 3-inch redwood tongue-and-groove staves were piled up in the nearby S&B James Construction Co. yard until Ahern figured out a way to turn the redwood into gold.

The redwood, which once formed 8-foot pipes is being reshaped into barrel saunas, sized 6-feet 7-inches high and 7 feet long, capable of seating six people.

"Brent Ahern has tremendous vision," says S&B James President Tom Hall. "He’s always coming up with new ideas and new what-ifs."

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Ahern says he got the idea for producing the saunas while traveling to trade shows where he represents his company’s pre-finished fiber-cement wood surfaces

"Everyone was thinking what do with that redwood," Ahern recalls. "Then one day I saw a barrel sauna and that was it."

He hired local craftsman John Craven to work the wood and Colleen Frey of Colleen’s Glass Etching to fashion custom doors. Pro-Weld reshaped the metal bands that held the old penstocks together, and they now adorn the saunas.

"This is redwood from the time of Christ," Ahern says. "I took a 6-inch piece and counted 250 rings and these were trees that were 10 or 12 feet in diameter."

He says his crew began fitting the pieces together six months ago and is just entering the marketing phase.

"We’ve sold two, sight-unseen, to a guy who heard we were doing this," Ahern says.

Ahern has priced the Finlandia-heated saunas — 80 in all — at $11,500 each and is marketing them in Seattle, and in California’s chic Marin County, north of San Francisco.

"They will do really well, particularly in Marin County because a particular percentage of the house has to be made of recycled goods."

While Ahern is paying S&B James a hefty percentage per unit, Hall says, he’s glad the redwood is finding new life.

"In the 200,000-plus board feet we brought here, we have not found one knot, it’s very unique — it’s clear," Hall says.

Hall says some of the wood was converted into rustic siding in Montana and some found its way into a Klamath Falls project.

"I just want to get the rest of the redwood out of the yard now," he says. "And get out of the lumber business."

The sauna series is Spectrum Industries’ second wood reclamation project. A year ago, the company turned five truck loads of hardwood railroad ties — 40,000 board feet — from Malaysia and milled it into high-end flooring.

"From the time we presented it to market," Ahern says. "It went very fast."

Reach reporter Greg Stilesat 776-4463 or e-mail business@mailtribune.com.