First bit of ash

[woodfarmer]

Today, after fixing my bandsaw I cut up an ash firewood log I noticed in the woodpile. It was about 8-9 inches diameter and about 20-22 inches long. Cut it in half, the stood the pieces up on end and cut them in half. With hindsight it would have been better to have cut an inch and a half planklet out of the middle so to remove the pith. Then i cutthem round, much easier than a chainsaw. So I ended up with 4 useful looking bowl blanks. Never having turned ask before I picked the one with the worst splits at the end and rough turned a little bowl to wax and store for finishing in the winter. Was quite please with its simplicity although not sure how I will finish it. What surprised me was the warmth of colour from the wood. much better that the grey/white I was expecting. It turned really well . like cutting cheese, even had a slight caramel smell to it as it was being turned.

 

[KimG]

Nice one Woodfarmer, I find Ash smells slightly of oatmeal, sort of like porridge I guess. It's a very nice timber to turn with and take a surprisingly good finish considering how open the grain is too. It's a lot harder when dry as well, surprisingly so.

 

[CHJ]

If you get another Ash log that has developed significant radial splits, all is not lost.
Consider either cleaving it into staves or bandsaw it into spindle blanks to dry off so that you have a stock of suitable material for tool handles.

 

[woodfarmer]

If you get another Ash log that has developed significant radial splits, all is not lost.
Consider either cleaving it into staves or bandsaw it into spindle blanks to dry off so that you have a stock of suitable material for tool handles.

Thanks, I found a couple of about 1 metre lengths of 8-10 inch diameter logs over in the woodyard. It is my intention to cut them into planks of about 30mm thick to set aside to make segmented bowls. Hopefully to intermingle it with some of the walnut I have here. Stealing an idea from some of your boxes Will do the same to some cherry I have as so far had very poor luck with cherry splitting.

 

[winemaker]

Nice bowl should look good when finished

 

[Grahamshed]

Missed this one.
It will be good to see the finished article, ash always surprises me, I think of it as being bland and boring but it comes up with some striking shades and patterns sometimes.