Ash wood- what can be done with it?

[Squaredy]

Just to add to what a few people have said on this thread, Ash is a very useful timber indeed.  It has been the mainstay of my sawmill business for years now.  More people ask for Oak, but when they see how beautiful ash is and realise that for indoor projects it is just as good and much cheaper they often choose ash in the end.

 

From the point of view of the OP some time might need to be spent searching for small sawmills that are interested.  I would suggest contacting Coed Cymru as they will know all the Welsh sawmills and will be delighted to advise which ones are likely to buy Ash logs and what specs they will need.  They will give free independent advice so may be an excellent place to start.

[Peasgood]

Traditionally used for handles of things like forks, spades, hoes etc. Not easy to find good quality examples these days so may be a market there.

Also used for wooden wheel spokes and cart shafts, probably a limited market there too. Furniture would be the next one, from memory I think the bent hoops used in chair backs and rocking chairs are ash, it certainly lends itself to steam bending.

 

Maybe now is the time to reignite the interest in such things rather than just ignite it in a logburner.

[WelshJayne]

2 hours ago, Paul in the woods said:

Have a search for hurley sticks on here, not suitable for everyone but a possible use.

 

 

Hurley sticks are on my list, do you know of any buyers?

[tree_beard]

Problem being, ash die back quite rapidly changes the structure of the wood. Most of the traditional uses of ash rely on its strength and flexibility, which are lost once die back set in.

 

If it doesn't all shatter when it hits the deck, then it's probably still good for flooring, but firewood and biomass are going to be your easiest sell.

[Woodworks]

26 minutes ago, WelshJayne said:

Hurley sticks are on my list, do you know of any buyers?

Hurley sticks are very specialist and the makers like to fell the trees themselves as they need cutting very low. 

 

[Lowestoft Firewood]

https://arbtalk.co.uk/forums/topic/118123-an-idiots-guide-to-ancient-woodland-management/page/19/?tab=comments#comment-1758207

[Acerforestry]

Further to prior posts on hurley sticks, I'm surprised a few of the Irish blokes who have contacted me in the past have not clocked this thread - by all accounts they must be now getting a bit desperate as stocks must have been hit hard? There has to be some potential customers on Wooodlots. Quite what they are going to make the sticks from when the ash has all gone, I'm unsure. Lets hope they can get some new resistant strains of ash on the go so we don't lose all of them, a complete tragedy for the UK landscape

 

Edited March 8, 2021 by Acerforestry
spelling

[WelshJayne]

19 hours ago, tree_beard said:

Problem being, ash die back quite rapidly changes the structure of the wood. Most of the traditional uses of ash rely on its strength and flexibility, which are lost once die back set in.

 

If it doesn't all shatter when it hits the deck, then it's probably still good for flooring, but firewood and biomass are going to be your easiest sell.

I think we will have to look at that problem in two ways IF the wood is good enough (

Some are pre-emptively cutting the ash down so the wood should be fine)  and the wood that isnt will have to go as fire wood, it could it be used for charcoal too?

[WelshJayne]

13 hours ago, Acerforestry said:

Further to prior posts on hurley sticks, I'm surprised a few of the Irish blokes who have contacted me in the past have not clocked this thread - by all accounts they must be now getting a bit desperate as stocks must have been hit hard? There has to be some potential customers on Wooodlots. Quite what they are going to make the sticks from when the ash has all gone, I'm unsure. Lets hope they can get some new resistant strains of ash on the go so we don't lose all of them, a complete tragedy for the UK landscape

 

It would be great if they did contact me! What is woodlots? I am sure there will be some resistant ones, I have one in my garden that refuses to die no matter what I do to it!

[Woodworks]

10 minutes ago, WelshJayne said:

I think we will have to look at that problem in two ways IF the wood is good enough (

Some are pre-emptively cutting the ash down so the wood should be fine)  and the wood that isnt will have to go as fire wood, it could it be used for charcoal too?

 

Ash makes excellent charcoal