The Forestry Forum

Have a chunk of ash slab that I'm going to make into a bench.  Just noticed it's got about a half dozen holes a little over an ⅛" in dia.  in the face.
Is ash prone to beetle in air drying stack?

Too big of hole for PPB.  Probably a bug that likes wet wood and has already left as the wood dries.  PPB will eat ash as it air drys.

Yes.  PPB's love ash. 

If you set pitch, whatever it is will be cooked off anyway...

The bad PPB is the lyctid PPB, while the ambrosia PPB will attack ash during air drying, but not dry ash.

Last ash I sawed, used solubor to treat the boards.  Used an old Fry Daddy to heat the water and dumped the solubor powder into the hot water to mix it.  Mix was clear soon after mixing it.  Only turned the fry daddy up to 250 to make it hot enough to mix.  Then I used a roller pan to hold the mix and a roller frame and pad to soak the boards. Yes it is a bit of a pain, but worth it to keep the ppb out of my lumber.  Last time I sawed ash, the insects ruined it.

I just use warm tap water, when available. I'll end up with creek water before the day is over tomorrow I suspect. If I don't hit poplar right off the saw this time of year they'll be in it by the next morning.

Yikes....sounds like I need to check the ash I have air drying.