April 29, 20178 yr Good Morning Friends, In years gone by, what was the lumber that was known as a poor man's Oak? Edited December 6, 20178 yr by Ron Dudelston tags added
April 29, 20178 yr Ash? How was your trip Ralph? If you have already posted it, I missed it. And Happy Birthday - again! Cal
April 29, 20178 yr Mornin' Ralph - Ash ! no doubt in my mind about it! Dave Edited April 29, 20178 yr by Wirebender
April 29, 20178 yr Call Hit it right off the "Bat", pun intended. Read about it here. http://www.guidemetobed.com/beds/ash-the-poor-mans-oak/
April 29, 20178 yr I have used a fair amount of ash and red oak. I can tell you from a finishing perspective is where they really differ. Using a (Minwax) Golden Oak (dye) Stain. Ash will come out very yellow. Red Oak will come out a light brown. So a word to the wise -- don't ever use both in the same project and expect them to look the same. A defect you'll see in ash is tunnels from glassworm that are full of frass (fancy term dendroligists use for "bug poop") https://woodadvocate.com/2014/05/22/characteristics-of-wood-pith-fleck-turkey-tracks-and-glassworm/ Emerald Ash Borer is going to end the ash business at least here in the midwest. Had to cut down the two ash trees in my yard last fall as they were looking sickly, even though looked fine in April. Once I got to cutting I could see lots of tunnels in the cambium layer. RIP, Ash. Ash, if you haven't inferred HandyDan's comment is a common baseball bat wood. Some now are using maple, but it's prone to splitting violently and throwing parts of the bat into the infield. If you're ever in Louisville, KY, be sure to visit Louisville Slugger's factory there. What was once all hand-turned is how automated and spits them out like clockwork. Edited April 29, 20178 yr by kmealy
April 29, 20178 yr Keith made a good point about the borer, a hundred years from now folks may be looking back at why we called oak the "poor man's ash" (hmmmm, rolls off the tongue a little awkward, huh?). Personally, I think ash is a very nice wood in it's own right.
April 30, 20178 yr 4 hours ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said: Keith made a good point about the borer, a hundred years from now folks may be looking back at why we called oak the "poor man's ash" (hmmmm, rolls off the tongue a little awkward, huh?). Personally, I think ash is a very nice wood in it's own right. Yes, I've made a couple of bedroom sets from ash. When a tornado went through the family farm, my dad salvaged about 15 trees for me and had them sawn up. Mostly ash, some butternut, and one hickory. The hickory did not turn out well, but worked in the smoker for Christmas turkey many times. Yes, ash is going the way of chestnut and elm. It's sad to roll down the interstate and see all the standing deadwood. Never knew so much of it was ash.
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