I'm wonder if they'd still be drillable? I know they're oak, and I think they came out of an old barn. The house was built in 1878, and I've no reason to suppose the barn was much younger!
Still, I can see it would be a good method.
almost anything is drillable with the right drill , for re bar sized holes through oak beams a big sds with an auger bit is about the best thing to use or for the more traditional an auger bit with a long t bar handle. Go for an sds