The Forestry Forum

I'm pretty new to wood working (I've only done a few furniture pieces and a grandfather clock, all with pre cut hardwood boards bought at a local lumber yard).  I came into a bunch of ash logs that I would like to mill down and use on a future project, but I'm not sure the best way to dry them out.

They were cut last November during a field clearing and have been sitting outside for the last 4 months. They were sitting on top of other logs so they've been off the ground the whole time. I don't have access to a kiln so I'm going to have to air dry them so my questions are:

-Should I continue to dry the as logs or cut them up into boards now?

-If I keep them as logs, is their anything I can do to help dry more evenly like coat the ends? (the ends are freshly cut, needed to be able to get them in my truck)

-Since it's already been sitting out for 4 months, what kind if dry time am I looking at, either as logs or boards?

-Anything else I need to know about working with ash so I don't screw it up too much?

Sorry for all the newbee questions, but their us not a lot of places to go for this kind of info in the New York City area.
Thanks.

End coat the logs with anchor seal or any other end sealer.    Have them milled ASAP.   The longer the lumber stays in the log, the more degrade you will have.    Logs should be milled as soon after felling as possible.

You can't kiln dry logs.

you can anchor seal them to help with end checks.  cut them now


sticker well and dry outside maybe till sept oct

plane them to 7/8 and sticker them on dry planed stickers inside or at least under a roof

plane them to 3/4 in another 5 to 6 months an put them in a heated space as long as you can before you make anything from them

I do this to my air dried and my furniture is fine