Ash

[Striker]

I am wondering what the market for ash is in the central Ohio area. Is the emerald ash borer affecting the sale of ash? Does the eab affect the quality of the log?Trying to decide wheather or not to sell some ash or not.

Jeff

[Sawyerfortyish]

It's hit and miss with Ash. Not long ago I had a pile of it from a job sold a little for veneer sent the rest to a handle mill. It would have been worth more if I split it for firewood. Unless I have to cut it I don't look for it any more. I don't understand why it's not worth much. It was worth good money at one time. It used to be when the oak market was up so was ash but not any more.

[Tom]

Used to make a pretty good baseball bat until somebody decided that aluminum was better. :-/

[Sawyerfortyish]

I'm not so sure about that Tom. I sold a lot of ash and hickory to a small bat company.A lot of the pros still use wood.

[Ron Wenrich]

There is 3 or 4 plants up on the PA-NY border that makes bats.  They make the Louisville Slugger.

Ash lost its market appeal about 10 years ago.  We still sell the veneer quality.  We've been selling our ash lumber for butcher block counter tops.  They take all we can make.

Some guys have been making ash into flooring and selling it as "Golden Oak".  

[SwampDonkey]

Tompkins mill in Bath makes Ash flooring, I prefer ash over red oak any day of the week. I do have red oak flooring but its wasn't my choice. White ash is even quite resilient against decay. Who knows why the market is so sluggish. There is an Ash sawmill in Woodstock (Garant's) buying at $586.80/th CDN for no. 1, 12" tops, 8' min. length, most sawmills are paying a little more than half that price ($300-350). Its so hard to get good white ash up this way now, its so high graded and sparse. I see alot of people cutting it for stovewood. My father cut some big stuff back in the 80's and sent it to a tool handle plant. Now all I have is regenerates and pole-sized ash, but all kinds which I'm going to thin and prune. Long term project obviously. My favorite tree.  

[AtLast]

There is a varity of markets for Ash.  Presently if you have a GRADE log you can even sell the log to vaneer buyers. On the bat thingy.....majic word now-a-days is Maple... ;)
You FAS can be marketd easily and your commons and centers are also very marketable. Keep in mind...Im in Michigan ...I know my ash from a hole in the ground  ;D  :D