After reading the article on low cost wood, I started to wonder why more people don’t build workbench tops out of Ash. Beech is a common material used for workbenches but it is less stable than Ash. Is Ash unsuitable for workbench tops because it has open pores? Or is it just not “customary” to use it for workbench tops?
– Lyptus
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I think it must be a habit and / or personal preference thing. All hardwoods have pores, and the only big difference between ash and beech is that ash is ring-porous (very distinct earlywood and latewood pores) and beech is diffuse porous (indistinct earlywood/latewood pores).
It could be that ash is much more useful elsewhere, since it has such a high shock resistance. With that being said, you would think it would make an ideal workbench top. Its hard to break old habits, especially when most people equate 'cheaper' with 'not as good'.
It's only since the advent of the emerald ash borer that ash has become plentiful and inexpensive. Not long ago, it was at least as expensive as maple.
Beech is the traditional wood for European benches, not because it has any especially outstanding qualities, but rather because in Europe, it is common and relatively inexpensive, and "good enough" for use in a bench. A lot of inexpensive European furniture is made from beech, for the same reason. (Sort of like run-of-the-mill manufactured furniture in the US is invariably made from red oak.)
I'm planning on making a workbench from ash, by the way. Probably later this year. Right now, here in Ohio, ash is cheaper than any other hardwood except yellow-poplar.
-Steve
I started looking for ash a couple of years ago for a workbench project figuring there should (unfortunately) be a good selection at reasonable prices. The saw mills owners about here all looked at me like I had two heads. "Nobody wants that stuff, we just buck it up for firewood." I'd like some....... was met with a blank stare. Tried a coupld of times.
I suspect that the reason is that you don't have emerald ash borer in Massachusetts (yet). Ash is reasonably plentiful here in Ohio. Muterspaw Lumber in Xenia OH lists 4/4 white ash at $2.00/bd ft.
It's distressing to see the pattern of EAB spread in Ohio; it's clearly following the paths of human movement. And it's not like we're not indundated with information about not transporting wood.
-Steve
Oh, no, we have it in spades. Many, many large (3-4' dia) roadside ash trees are gone (firewood). The few left are the solitary ones, off somewhere by themselves.
I think that must be something else (maybe ash dieback--a fungal disease?). According to all of the info out there, EAB is mostly limited to a 200-mile radius around Detroit (where it was first introduced), with just a few scattered infestations beyond that. Affected states and provinces are:
Illinois
Indiana
Maryland
Michigan
Missouri
Ohio
Ontario
Pennsylvania
Quebec
Virginia
West Virginia
Wisconsin
-Steve
I did my workbench top in ash 3 years ago and have been very happy. It was $1bf in 4/4 and I just ripped it to 3 1/2" and glued up 6"x3 1/2" blanks and then glued those together. When jointed and planed it ended up at 3" thick. Top has held up well.
Scott
In Ohio, it is illegal to transport ash logs/firewood across quarantined county lines. Transportation of such wood is why EAB has spread much faster than left to its own. Frank Miller Lumber in Union City, IN has stopped processing ash logs. So unless you have an in-county mill, you are not likely to get much wood.http://www.agri.ohio.gov/eab/eabquarantine.aspx
Edited 4/24/2009 8:22 pm ET by byhammerandhand
Yes, I'm aware of the quarantine. The point I was trying to make was that the quarantine is ineffective. If you look at the maps from just five years ago (when there were only three Ohio counties in the quarantine area) and see how the quarantine area has increased over the years, it's pretty clear that despite the quarantine--and all of the surrounding publicity--the primary mode of EAB transport is humans.As for the woodworking consequences, the Ohio quarantine allows the movement of ash lumber, as long as all of the bark and outer 1/2" of sapwood has been removed. The Federal (interstate) quarantine adds green lumber to the prohibition. In either case, dry ash lumber is not restricted.-Steve
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Yes, I'm aware of the quarantine. The point I was trying to make was that the quarantine is ineffective. If you look at the maps from just five years ago (when there were only three Ohio counties in the quarantine area) and see how the quarantine area has increased over the years, it's pretty clear that despite the quarantine--and all of the surrounding publicity--the primary mode of EAB transport is humans.
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Steve,
I'm not sure you can attribute the spread of EAB to a failure of the quarantine. Those insects can move around you know...
ZoltonIf you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It's not a pet. - Jackie Moon
Natural spread of EAB wouldn't have them jumping several counties and showing up in far-flung metropolitan areas (Chicago, Columbus, Cincinnati, Montreal, etc.)-Steve
Well that just shows to go you... Certainly people smarter than I were talking EAB, but I note on the state website that we ain't got it (They didn't say what we got, however.). Whatever, ash trees are being decimated.
Ed, take a look at craigs list. Do a search in materials, there are several listings for native wood. Including ash.
N.H, Vermont and Conn. Western Mass usually have listings for pine, cherry, ash, maple and occasionally other locally grow wood.Often very inexpensive.Best of luck
Ron in Peabody
It's only since the advent of the emerald ash borer that ash has become plentiful and inexpensive. Not long ago, it was at least as expensive as maple.
Actually, in my neck of the woods, ash has always been plentiful and inexpensive. Good thing, too, because it is one of my favorites.
I'd say Ash is tough but NOT hard. Bends great! I love Ash! And Hickory
Why not a Hickory bench top? Hickory is Hard, stable, and just not given credit it deserves except fer' Ax handles!
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