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quarter sawn ash, anyone selling much of this?

Started by Kelvin, January 09, 2007, 10:26:06 PM

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Kelvin

We are being swamped with ash up here in michigan, with more to come.  Some mills won't even take it as there is a slump in prices do to the large amount of logs coming out.  i've been finding some nice sized ones and decided i hated plain sawn lumber with its big "clouds" of grain pattern.  Give me that nice verticle grain.  Anyhow i made some floors out of it in my new house and its real nice and stable.  So, what i'm wondering if any of you guys have sold much of it this way, or seen it sold?  Local hardwood sales place sells FAS ash for $1.20 or so, and QS ash for $4.00 or so a bd ft.  Thats something different to do with it.  (They are tub grinding and burning millions of these trees up here up to 30" in dia. goes right in the grinder!)  What markets might i try hit with QS ash?  I thought it might be an economical alternative to the Arts and Crafts guys white oak.  I've heard it said that about 80% of the "golden oak" furniture that came out of our Grand Rapids MICH was really ash stained "golden".  Might try to make a resurgence.  What do you think?
Any ideas out there?
thanks
Kelvin

metalspinner

I love ash QS.  I agree that flat sawn is very busy in ash.  Can't help you with the market.  It sounds crazy that its all just getting ground up.  Do you have a steady supply?  What happens when its all gone?  Can you store your logs for a long time?
I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

bad_boards

what kind of ash is this? like hard ash for ballbats?
or swamp ash used on electric guitar bodies?

Ron Wenrich

I've been selling my ash as 8/4.  Its cut into 2x2s and the defect is either cut out or turned in.  They then glue it into butcher block tops and they are sold as work tables (I think).  They can also be used as countertops.  6/4 can be used as bench tops like you see in locker rooms.

A lot would depend on how much value you want to add to it.  The ash markets have been in a slump for the past 8-10 years, and I don't see any upside to for the near future. 

Veneer logs still sell pretty good.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Rail-O-Matic

If you buy it for knock down prices in the stick, plank it, air dry it properly, hold onto it, then when the market has crashed and there's not much left, then any good cabinet/furniture makers/chairs etc will come flocking.

Choose even the knarly bits at the crotch, even convert the spaltered bits, for the turning guys, the more unusual the looks the more they will want it.

Yurt makers use quite a bit of ash for the bendy bits, there is a huge market for ash if you look around, green ash will make gazeebo's garden furniture, cut it into 8 X 8's 6 X 6 etc
let it air dry, its much better quality lumber if its dried slowly.

Logg-saw bandmill, Stihl 088, Stihl MS880, Stihl MS660, Stihl 017, 018,  Husky 385XP, Husky 395, Husky 350, Echo WES 350ES, Echo CS 27T, Jonsered 2150 Turbo, Jonsered 111S, good old saw still going after more than 20 years hard service.

SwampDonkey

I'de much sooner have white ash over red oak. Up here they make handles from ash at Garant. Been a bustling business for years. Across the river they make flooring at Tompkin's mill. Getting hard to find good ash here, a lot of the big stuff has been cut. Man I remember see'n some nice ash down toward Cross Creek and they were making firewood and pulp outta 300 year old ash.  ::) Just like someone kicking ya in the guts to see it used for such low end markets. Dad cut some big stuff here 25 years ago for handles, that's why my woodlot is so full of white ash regen.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Sawyerfortyish

A couple years back I had a tri axle load of all nice butts 14" on the small end and larger I had sorted out and sent to the handle factory. If I had put it through the firewood processor I would have made more money at 100.00 a cord than what it brought.

SwampDonkey

"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

SwampDonkey

Garant/Ames White Ash

Prem >12"            $   586.80     mfbm     8', 10', 12', 14', 16'     
Sel >10"          $   489.00    mfbm      6" trim    
Gr 1 >8"          $   352.08    mfbm    
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Ron Wenrich

We've never fooled around with the ash handle stock.  I do know of guys who went the ball bat route and they thought that was an OK market. 

Have you ever gone to a hardware store and asked yourself why a shovel handle costs more than a new shovel?  Its all in the handle. The replacement handle is hickory, while the handle on the new shovel is ash.  Which breaks the quickest?  Which is the cheapest?
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Back40x2


   We are having the same problem in Maine right now!  The lumber shortages in the country have caught up with the consumer demands and now is semi over loaded again.  Just think 2 years ago with the war and hurricanes, OSB was reaching prices of nearly 20.00 per sheet.  Now it's back down to 5.97 a sheet.  Lumber prices in general are not very good right now.  I have a nice stand of white pine I would love to cut.  It's just not worth the time and effort of 575.00 mbf.  So it will remain standing.  My ash is the same way.  For 375 a thousand, it's worth more to me for firewood in my outdoor wood furnace. ??? ??? ???

  Go figure!  The way I look at it,  I am just growing equity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My JD 4120 Loader/Hoe/fransgard winch, a 10,000 pound Warn winch, STIHL 460,  Timberking 1600,  Lots of logs, a shotgun, rifle, my German Shorthaired Pointers and a 4-wheel drive, is all this Maine boy needs to survive!! Oh Yeah, and my WIFE!!!!!!

Furby

Ash will contiue to drop in value until there is little to none left.
Rail-O-matic has the right idea in this case I belive.

SwampDonkey

With the emerald ash borer around in your region of the country that is putting pressure on ash I suppose and flooding markets. Trouble is the ash borer does not prefer the white ash as was stated in those bug threads and the loggers and anyone cutting ash, well there just cutting ASH unless someone is marking the proper tree species.


As far ash ash handles go, I've never broke any. If you want to take a shovel and use it like a 1 x1 steel lever bar to pry rocks, the handle will break no matter what it's worth. ;)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Mr Mom

     SwampDonkey...That is how me and my brother used to get out of work by breaking the shovel handle 8) 8) 8). Then dad stopped fixing handles and replaced the wooden with and pice of aluim pipe >:( >:( >:( could bounce on that all day long and never broke.



     Thanks Alot Mr Mom

SwampDonkey

As my father would say, 'Where's them spoiled rotten kids gone to now'. :D :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

ohsoloco

That's funny you should mention that about shovel handles, Ron, I bring that one up all the time with people, and never really knew the answer  :D  My dad has a couple extra spade heads lying around the house, and when I bought my own place I was just going to buy a handle and save some money  ::)  I walked right out of the hardware store, and made my way to Sears to buy Craftsman shovels and rakes.  Last year the flat shovel was behind the skid loader, and I didn't feel like climbing out to move the shovel...heck, it's fiberglass anyway, what could happen  ;D  Squashed that handle like it was nothing.  Sears replaced the shovel w/ no questions asked, and I already had a story about a big rock rolling on it while building a stone wall  :D

As far as quartering ash, I've never done that, but it does look nice with all that vertical grain when I'm splitting firewood.  Of course, I think the flat sawn ash is DanG pretty too.  I know clear ash billets are a joy to split.

SwampDonkey

Back to the ash handles again. I brought home a broken aluminum shovel with a perfectly good ash handle. The shovel spade was made from aluminum and wasn't much. But, I kept the handle for years in the shop. Then I remembered last summer I have an old hay fork that has a broken handle, been broke for many years. So I grabbed both one day this summer and put that shovel handle into the fork. A perfect fit.  8)

Since i done that, I found a second hey fork sitting up on the lumber pile in the loft of the barn. Don't know where it came from, now I got two old hay forks.  8) 8) 8) Next I see an old nail hammer that needs a handle. It wasn't an ash handle that was in the broken hammer either.  ::)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

SwampDonkey

What I find problematic about hickory handles is they use wood that is cross grained, and that snaps in two every time. Then you have a sharp pointed handle with a sharp pointed piece sticking out of the tool. If they'd use a straight grained hickory like ash is noted to be, it would hold up a lot better. An old fella I knew used to try and make handles out of red oak, might as well be popple. He gave my uncle 3 or 4 and he had them broke up before the first cord of kitchen stove wood was cut.  :D :D :D :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Don_Papenburg

Mr Mom you all had it easy , My dad made us finnish the day with the tools we brought . It didn't matter to him if our handles were a bit shorter than when we started.
Frick saw mill  '58   820 John Deere power. Diamond T trucks

metalspinner

I bought one of those Fiskar's steel handled shovels after breaking three wooden one's. Heck it's almost as good a prybar as my Logrite cant hook. :D
I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

Ron Wenrich

But, you never see hammer or ax handles made out of ash.   ;)  It seems that when you talk about handles, you immediately talk about shovels.  Lots of other tools with handles.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

SwampDonkey

Quote from: metalspinner on January 11, 2007, 10:19:17 PM
I bought one of those Fiskar's steel handled shovels after breaking three wooden one's. Heck it's almost as good a prybar as my Logrite cant hook. :D


Well I gotta laugh right along with ya man. :D :D :D I don't know what to think of some of you fellers sometimes. ;D  ::)

I suppose the same could be said about me to.  ::) :D :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

SwampDonkey

Ron, I got no real affinity toward shovel handles. That just happened to be what some of us was talking about. ;D There's going to be at least one hammer handle though with ash in it. ;D :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Dana

Ron and SwampDonkey, so who's got a better truck, Ford or Chevy? ;) :) :)
Grass-fed beef farmer, part time sawyer

SwampDonkey

"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Ron Wenrich

Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

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