White ash uses

[Al_Smith]

Well since I mentioned it a story about ants .I needed to drop a dead ash maybe 10 years ago .Because of possible damage to a nice walnut I topped it  out and chunked it down in 2 foot chunks .So there I was  55 feet high in a borrowed bucket truck with a Stihl 200T getting eaten alive by ants .I had no where to go .Nasty little black things but up high .Would you believe near the ground in a hollow section it was full of big black carpenter ants .Two different ants in the same tree . That bottom section was fire wood .If they didn't leave I would have roasted them .--good riddance .

[Don P]

I've found out hitting nests on the circle mill a few times, ain't nothing madder than half an ant :D.

[Brad_bb]

Sorry, I wasn't clear.  When I say green Ash, I mean generally Ash that is living and fresh cut, not the subspecies of Ash called Green Ash.

[Wilkins]

Thanks for all the input on using my dying white ash trees guys! I have another question that will really show my ignorance. If I choose to mill these logs myself how long can I wait after cutting and hauling the wood out of the bush before putting them on a mill eg months,1 year, 2 years? How should the logs be stored to extend their quality before milling?

[Don P]

From the moment the tree dies it is heading towards recycling by fire or fungi, mill it sooner than later. Anyone in there, critter or 'shroom, has ample moisture and food for longer in a big chunk and the drying stress in a large timber tends to create checks you can't saw around. Saw it to rough size as quick as possible, with any logs. I was working up one of our dead ash yesterday evening. Lots of firewood and maybe an 8' log... or more dimensional firewood  :-\.

@WDH, do you know the term glassworm and can you 'splain it to me?

[WDH]

No Sir, I am not familiar with the glassworm....

[beenthere]

It's an old wive's tale that logs need to "cure" before being sawn into lumber. Saw them asap.

Wonder where this old tale came to be, and thought "procrastination" or "getting round to it" may have been the reason. 

[Schweg2]

I have a bunch of black ash that went down in a storm. Does black ash have similar characteristics/uses as white ash? 

[beenthere]

I have a bunch of black ash that went down in a storm. Does black ash have similar characteristics/uses as white ash?

Which "characteristics" are you interested in?
for lumber?
for firewood?
for posts?
??
What might be your plans?

How about putting your location in your profile? may help with a better answer. 
Welcome to the Forestry Forum.

[Walnut Beast]

What type of wood is used to make Louisville Slugger baseball bats? Approximately half of pro bats are made from northern white ash and the other half from maple. The best timber comes from parts of Pennsylvania, New York and other northeastern states where the terrain and climate are most favorable to its growth.

[kantuckid]

About 25-30 years ago I toured the bat plant in IN-I was there in Louisville, KY for an educational conference. I decided I'd learn more out of meetings and me and another guy went to the baseball bat factory. It's across the river in Jeffersonville, IN. FWIW, that trip was before the current maple bat thing had come about. As you can imagine there were thousands of batt SQ blanks stacked in dry storage. 

I've turned a few ash bats myself (I wood burned the "brand placement" and signed the bats my name as gifts to some nephews) as we eat, sleep and love baseball in my family. 

[Al_Smith]

Baseball, I lived and breathed it in HS .The crack of ash against horse hide is a sound I'll never forget .That thud with an aluminum bat is just not the same .

[WV Sawmiller]

Dink!  :D

[kantuckid]

R.E., baseball, I'm currently building a "baseball rack". Honestly, my notion of collecting a baseball comes from my kid days as a foul ball hawk, ball shagger for the Topeka Owls Minor league, Class D team. I rode the city bus to night games for not much, saw the games for free, got to be around my heroes, etc.. Nobody kidnapped me or other stuff parents worry about now days. Lots of summer days I caddied all day 7-8 miles from the house via my Mom or the bus that took 3 bus changes, then either played night baseball or shagged balls at the Owls park.  
 We got 10 cents apiece to return them-which we "sometimes did" :D, sometimes they got tossed into our secret cubby hole for later use, not collecting.
Fact is that I never got one autograph while I ball hawked there. Saw Mickey Mantle play several times from an OK team. My Mom dated an Owls pitcher, Jack Dean in HS who was later our HS basketball/baseball coach and my US History teacher, He was a WWII Marine as well.
 My Mom switched guys in HS to my Dad who also played pro ball before the war took away his baseball notions as a career "cause there was me to feed" ;D

These racks like I'm making are the size and shape of a real home plate with shelves that hold balls. Top box shaped area has 2 shelves, holds 5 balls each and a shorter shelf in the triangle holds 3 balls and one ball in the tip of the plate/shelf. (I can send you the measurements if you like?)

 I was asked to make it for the grandson of the guy who's sawing my White pine logs for my cabin build-so sort of an important guy to do a favor, huh? ;D

My version I copied from web pics-lots for sale on Amazon @ around $50-60, more if they have a glass door cover, mine is just the shelf for a little league kid. I give stuff away as not crafting for money. I'm using walnut cause it was on top a pile and have lots. These are made from a 1x4 about 8' or so and an easy project that could be a money maker for craft sellers here.
 
Back to ash which could also be a ball rack wood. 

[kantuckid]

Baseball, I lived and breathed it in HS .The crack of ash against horse hide is a sound I'll never forget .That thud with an aluminum bat is just not the same .

Before the KC Athletics were "born" and the KC Royals too, I was a Cleveland Indians fan as a kid.
 FWIW, in KC games at their old ballpark on The Paseo Blvd, I saw Negro leagues games with my Dad then later the KC MLB teams same ball park.
 My Dad got free tics from trucking companies he worked with in KS.  

[Al_Smith]

There is something about ash for ball bats that neither hickory or maple has .As for tool handles I guess some are made from ash but more, like hammers shovels hickory works out better than ash .Whatever it is they figured out years ago, in days BA--before Al .

[Don P]

Here's a good explanation of glassworm in an article by Dan Cassens;
Hardwood Lumber and Veneer Series: Ash (purdue.edu)

We tried a run of ash furniture in one shop I worked in, it didn't make it but was fun to work on. One of the characteristics that I thought was cool was the glassworm tracks that would occasionally come by.

This is a paper from the early 20's on ash and other woods in motorcars;
Substitutes for ash in atomobile bodies (fs.fed.us)

[Stephen1]

I have a bunch of black ash that went down in a storm. Does black ash have similar characteristics/uses as white ash?

Yes I can not not tell the difference. Ash is a nice wood. The poor mans oak tree I have heard it called. 

[Stephen1]

Thanks for all the input on using my dying white ash trees guys! I have another question that will really show my ignorance. If I choose to mill these logs myself how long can I wait after cutting and hauling the wood out of the bush before putting them on a mill eg months,1 year, 2 years? How should the logs be stored to extend their quality before milling?

As soon as you pull the logs out the bush is best to saw them . I believe all woood is best sawn fresh, stacked and stickered properly. Sometimes it is better to hire an experienced portable sawmill to come and mill your logs. Ends up costing less and can ussually get more than enough wood in a day of sawing to do you for years to come for wood working or building small projects. 

[Walnut Beast]

Here's a good explanation of glassworm in an article by Dan Cassens;
Hardwood Lumber and Veneer Series: Ash (purdue.edu)

We tried a run of ash furniture in one shop I worked in, it didn't make it but was fun to work on. One of the characteristics that I thought was cool was the glassworm tracks that would occasionally come by.

This is a paper from the early 20's on ash and other woods in motorcars;
Substitutes for ash in atomobile bodies (fs.fed.us)

Great information!

[wkf94025]

Just reading this thread top to bottom for the first time.  @Magicman, your flooring is gorgeous.  Did you sell it, or gift it, or use it yourself?  

I've got a large ash coming my way from urban sources next month.  Jones'ing to make bats for my local little league, which of course will justify a lathe and a CNC toy.  Every player has to have his name and number on their bat, right ??

[Magicman]

It was for my own use beginning here:  LINK  and continuing on the next page.

[Al_Smith]

Not to rain on the parade but if my info is correct a bat for regulation  little league has to have a certification sticker .

[wkf94025]

No rain at all.  These aren't for use in games.  These go on the wall at home, maybe signed by your teammates and coaches, or something like that.  What's cool to a 9yo is that:  1) it's not aluminum, which is all we use now; 2) it has your league name, your team name (and logo?), and possibly your name and number on it.  Totally custom, and old school to boot.