# covered wagon lumber needed



## greg4269ub (Sep 1, 2009)

I had a customer contact me recently wanting lumber to build a covered wagon with. (little house on the prarie style) He needs very specific dimensions for his project which i don't have enough in one lumber type. He is also ok with using mixed lumber types but would preferr one type. I do however have 5 or so ash logs which i could mill for his needs. how badly will ash move if i mill it and he builds this wagon with the green lumber? when i was a teen i worked on a farm and the farmer always harvested & milled ash trees when he needed to replace a deck on the hay wagons. i worked on the farm for a few years and the wagons were fine the whole time. my customer is ok with rough lumber (the whole wagon will be built with rough lumber) but wants to make sure it doesn't splinter badly. Would white oak be better if he chose to use green lumber? i have some of that too.


----------



## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

I would hate to use green lumber over 15%, sounds like quite a project and would not want it coming apart. As far as ash vs white oak...white oak is superior for wagon construction, but...white oak is going to move more than ash drying. Apple to apples, dry white oak would be best, if green wood _has_ to be used I would go with ash.


----------



## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

I just checked to confirm what I said. Green to dry shrinkage:

White Ash
Radial 4.9%
Tangential 7.8%

White oak
Radial 5.6%
Tangential 10.5 %


----------



## greg4269ub (Sep 1, 2009)

thank you much for the info. i will go over his options when he gets out here sat afternoon.


----------

