Ash

[PLC'woodart]

I was at a friends saw mill yesterday and came upon some Ash that he cut late last year - Has anyone ever worked with Ash? I know it is a hard wood but how hard is it to work with - cuttin, sanding, finishing

Phillip

[jeff...]

Nothing wrong with Ash - just stay away from green ash it's not all that great of a lumber maker - go for white ash and make some tool handles, ball bats and oars - it's great stuff...

[McRabbet]

I've used Ash for table legs for my outfeed table -- straight, machined very well (they are 1-3/4" square in cross section and have 2-1/2" long x 3/8" mortises near the top to accept mitered tenons from the 3-1/2" high aprons). I also put levelers in the bottoms of the legs and they have held up well even though I shove the table around when I need to move it. It is a rock solid table, thanks to the Ash.

[Bas]

Haven't done much with it, except some shop projects (it's pretty cheap lumber). It is very much like red oak, but slightly harder, and a little more splintery/ chippy, but not too much. Sharp blades are advisable, but then they always are.

Sanding/ scraping is identical to red oak. As for finishing, again it's very much like red oak when it comes to oil finishes (BLO/ varnish/ poly etc.). I've never stained it, no idea how well that would go.

As for looks - think red oak, maybe slightly lighter and less reddish. The grain is usually not as busy (for flatsawn stock).

Did I mention it's a lot like red oak?

[skysharks]

I have actually used Ash by mistake thinking that it was Red Oak.
Seriously you can easily mistake it.

I agree wholeheartedly with Bas's description of it.

In fact I like it. It is really stable wood, mills allot like the Oak's and stains up really well.

[TracyP]

Phillip, these are made from ash


It worked really well.

[NC Scroller]

Philip, I have scrolled ash before and would do so again. Yes it is a hard wood but it does scrolls well. It also sands and finishes well. If the price is right go for it.

[Nativespec]

I like ash but hickory is a bit tough on tools.

David

[Tom Dunn]

I used ash for a simple coffee table a couple years ago, I loved the stuff.
Looked very plain unfinished, but, when I applied the poly, the grain jumped right out! Sweet!
I suspect my 2ndex and her "buddy" are enjoying it's beauty even now!

[DavidF]

It also laminates very easily when up to 3mm thick. I built a fire surround from 10 x 8" wide x 3mm laminates and bent it round to almost a full circle. Does chip out a bit though so use spiral router cutters.

[nelsone]

Ash works nicely. This drawer unit is ash and the I used ash as the secondary wood in this table. I think it works quite well!

[PLC'woodart]

Thanks guys for the info - I am wanting to experiment with some different woods in the picture framing business so that I can get away from doing so much of the Oaks - I will get one cut out soon and see if it reminds me of the RO - I have to frame a puzzle for a lady at church - and I have to make another Cherry frame for the Elephants I scrolled out - Don't know when that will happen since I have to get some concrete poured for the patio - if they ever get out here - the LOML is getting a little unsettled about that - then I have to tear the cedar siding off of the back and replace three windows and reside it with the Hardy board - Oh did I mention that I am working ten hour days on a hot roof

[TracyP]

If you need some ash, I should have enough for you to try a frame out of. Just pm me and let me know.

[PLC'woodart]

I cut out a frame out of the Ash today - It cut and sanded really well - will be staning it tomorrow if it does not rain - but I would rather it rain - it does kind of remind me of a white red oak --

[PLC'woodart]

This is the frame that I done out of the Ash