# Worth Milling Ash?



## djonesax (Mar 3, 2008)

Hi,

My mother is talking about taking down some enormous Ash trees near her house. I was wondering if its worth paying someone to come in and mill it? I have never worked with Ash so I'm not very knowledgeable about it.

Thanks,

David


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## Red5hft (Dec 20, 2018)

Ash is a good straight grained wood well suited for steaming and bending. I have used it in toboggan making. I say totally worth it.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

Why not do a little homework first?

https://www.wood-database.com/wood-finder/

Type "ash" in the search box. You will see several different species of ash. Click on any of them to see lots of details. You live in North Carolina. That narrows down the likely species, but not precisely. Hopefully you can figure it out, read the details, and then decide what you want to do next.


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## djonesax (Mar 3, 2008)

Tool Agnostic said:


> Why not do a little homework first?
> 
> https://www.wood-database.com/wood-finder/
> 
> Type "ash" in the search box. You will see several different species of ash. Click on any of them to see lots of details. You live in North Carolina. That narrows down the likely species, but not precisely. Hopefully you can figure it out, read the details, and then decide what you want to do next.


Thanks, I've been google and have read some mixed ideas which is why I asked here. If it was oak I'd jump on it but never built anything with Ash..


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## WeebyWoodWorker (Jun 11, 2017)

Ash is a neat wood, I like working it personally. It's very hard and straight grained. Machines well, and turns pretty nice. If you're drying it just make sure to coat the ends enough, I hear it checks pretty bad. 



-T


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

djonesax said:


> Thanks, I've been google and have read some mixed ideas which is why I asked here. If it was oak I'd jump on it but never built anything with Ash..


Well, if youd jump on it if it were oak, you should jump on it. Oak and ash are extremely similar, to the point where a lot of older 'oak' furniture is actually ash that was stained to match. Ash is one of my personal favorites to work with, its like a slighty softer and less splintery oak, joy to work with, finishes nicely, and looks pretty bloody good too. If you can swing the price id say yeah, worth milling


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## MaintenanceMan (Jun 25, 2010)

Just be aware that if there are any dead ash in the area that it's likely to contain a lot of ash borer holes. Just more character to some. If your looking for clear grain it might ruin your day though. Around here the ash is dying off in droves. Every one of them are full of bug holes.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

gotta love the idea of free wood, right? milling is one phase of the project, drying is next. kiln drying typically kills insects which may be infesting your wood, like the emerald ash borer as mentioned. i have a beautiful gigantic dead one behind my house right now. air drying will not kill the eab, and i don't know if the eab will leave when the tree is cut down.

either way, i suspect you don't want bugs in the wood you are going to make things out of.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

You said "some" trees. You may wind up with a lot of lumber out of that. You can probably sell what is excess to your needs if the milling price is reasonable.


george


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## UglySign (Sep 13, 2009)

Nothing like filling your Ash Holes w/ Epoxy no?


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## Ron_J (Sep 22, 2014)

I like working with ash, but you might want to check around for local prices. For me, I can get it for $1.50 a BF. Again, for me, it cost .25 a BF to have someone come in and mill the logs. Then, if I want to have it dried, that's another few cents a BF. If you have plans for it immediately, cool, otherwise you have to store it. It's a lot of work if you are only saving a few bucks.

Might be worth it, but then again, you might get more out of it selling it as firewood.


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## JohnGi (May 9, 2019)

I'd always prefer to see nice trees turned into lumber rather than burned, but with ash you do need to keep the emerald ash borer in mind. There may be restrictions on moving the logs or lumber to control the spread of the borer. These usually occur at a county or state line. Kiln dried lumber is ok, but firewood or air dried ash can't be taken in or out of my county.


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## djonesax (Mar 3, 2008)

My mother decided not to take the trees down so it ended up being a moot point. As it happens thought I just started another thread with a similar question because I have a poplar and something else that I am not sure what it is, that needs to come down.


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