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Ash tree coming down, worth milling? - mound - 07-29-2020
I have a pretty large and very dead Ash tree in the "forever wild" area of my back-yard that I'm going to have taken down, as if it falls in a certain direction (the same direction the wind always blows) it'll crush my shed and fence.
I doubt there is metal in it due to its location.
Was thinking maybe I'd have the guys take the long straight trunk section (which is at least 30' tall and 18+ inches wide) and fell it in 8' lengths, maybe mill it up one day (how and when I don't even know at this point...)
How wide of a main trunk would the tree have to be to make it worth the bother for getting any furniture grade hardwood from it? I don't ever really work with ash..
And if they fell it in place as 8' logs, how best to store them until I'm ready to try milling it?
edit: due to its location and distance from anywhere a truck could get to, the tree is going to stay where it is, even once on the ground.
Thanks!
RE: Ash tree coming down, worth milling? - Tapper - 07-29-2020
Hope John Teneyck comes along!
Doug
RE: Ash tree coming down, worth milling? - jteneyck - 07-29-2020
An 18" log should yield some very nice lumber. Here's a photo of some 14 - 17" ash logs that had been standing dead for at least 2 years. As you can, they look pretty far gone.
![[Image: ACtC-3dKMKM4QYGb_gen_mSosCmrzaW_pe6PUiis...authuser=0]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dKMKM4QYGb_gen_mSosCmrzaW_pe6PUiisCGcITvL5Bp8p9kIcD1CAqCEMw0GsqflqrB0RyBFR1mtIpB1RPpIsbAYb42ggEJ7QtC5uP9PIeRww9uvjBannkTyB4xeSp9VJb4o68KtdRaQvxlJt4Bh0YA=w1113-h626-no?authuser=0)
But I got some very nice lumber out of them, free of stains or even large checks.
![[Image: ACtC-3ct3gcMdjWBA1HjxmOPmnUKnzkO0JzPrDCT...authuser=0]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ct3gcMdjWBA1HjxmOPmnUKnzkO0JzPrDCT6E-L8zgSkU_zYTL54LnWl3jiKPIp3XZ9TtNguCxF-BVaAh_6p381BVSrmYLvwlxOFsRfvq0wm9NWkvZnXKAJfvu1XKis6-NjYqArUyaNatCcQ8vTfemqcA=w1113-h626-no?authuser=0)
My advise is to either leave the trees standing or store the logs somewhere out of the whether until you are ready to have them milled. If ash lies on the ground very long it will get an unattractive stain in it.
Ash is an under appreciated wood; rather surprising considering how easy it is to dry, how strong it is, and how attractive it is both natural and stained.
John
RE: Ash tree coming down, worth milling? - iclark - 07-29-2020
There are people who have portable bandsaw mills. Around here, the price per hour is very reasonable.
IIRC, 8' lengths is a good size. I had section of a pecan tree that was cut at ~6' and t was too short for the mill.
I would suggest first finding the portable sawmill person and let them tell you what length of log they can handle.
Im a slow season, you could likely find a tow-service operator who would use their tow truck to snake the logs out of the woods. If not a come-a-long could get them as close to the yard as a big strong tree.
I would definitely encourage cutting some 4"x4" sticks for wood turners to make bats and pepper mills.
If you are considering making a workbench in a few years, consider some 12/4 to 16/4 quarter-sawn slabs for the bench top. If they are center, remove the pith before stacking them to dry.
Do seal the ends of the logs when you cut them to length.
Also, you will probably need a lot more stickers than you expect - I certainly did.
RE: Ash tree coming down, worth milling? - mound - 07-30-2020
Thanks all.
How likely is a large dead ash-tree to fall over in a wind-storm?
Leaving it standing is always an option, it's ugly to look at, but if it's safe as it stands.....
RE: Ash tree coming down, worth milling? - tomsteve - 07-30-2020
(07-29-2020, 08:44 PM)jteneyck Wrote: Ash is an under appreciated wood; rather surprising considering how easy it is to dry, how strong it is, and how attractive it is both natural and stained.
John
ive heard it called the poor mans red oak. it grows with a pretty low MC,iirc. great to work with,too.
RE: Ash tree coming down, worth milling? - EdL - 07-30-2020
(07-30-2020, 07:49 AM)mound Wrote: Thanks all.
How likely is a large dead ash-tree to fall over in a wind-storm?
Leaving it standing is always an option, it's ugly to look at, but if it's safe as it stands.....
Ash tend to rot at the roots and fall over, no windstorm needed.
I would get rid of it.
Ed
RE: Ash tree coming down, worth milling? - jteneyck - 07-30-2020
(07-30-2020, 11:38 AM)EdL Wrote: Ash tend to rot at the roots and fall over, no windstorm needed.
I would get rid of it.
Ed
Around me they seem to be OK standing dead for at least 2 years. No argument that taking them down is prudent, but if you want to mill the logs into lumber either do it then or store the logs somewhere off the ground and dry.
John
RE: Ash tree coming down, worth milling? - jteneyck - 07-30-2020
(07-30-2020, 08:24 AM)tomsteve Wrote: ive heard it called the poor mans red oak. it grows with a pretty low MC,iirc. great to work with,too.
That's correct. A living white ash has a MC of only 45%. Most others are mid 60's and up. It's one of the few trees you can cut down, split, and throw into the woodstove w/o waiting.
John
RE: Ash tree coming down, worth milling? - mound - 07-31-2020
(07-30-2020, 04:08 PM)jteneyck Wrote: Around me they seem to be OK standing dead for at least 2 years. No argument that taking them down is prudent, but if you want to mill the logs into lumber either do it then or store the logs somewhere off the ground and dry.
John
Ahh.. This one has been dead at least 3. How high off the ground should they lie? Stack them on some other chunks of the felled tree just to keep air moving under them?