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Cutting Ash Wood
tapwater
Member Posts: 10,335 ✭✭✭
..My neighbor dropped off a couple loads last week in 6-8' chunks. Man, does that dull a saw quickly. I feel like my back is going to fold up. Haven't split any yet. I sure hope it splits semi-straight. It can't be any worse than the crap poplar, willow and cottonwood that I've been working on, but that's all I had on hand. I missed getting out for the hedge (Osage orange) before the crops were in.[:(]
Comments
I hope it splits like Madrone. The Maul just bounces off[:o)]
..Maul? This old broken body needs 25 tons of hydraulics. They mesh
like the bolts and pins that hold me together.
..(picture Howdy Doody without the strings...[:0]) What's Madrone?
If its seasoned it makes the very best chopping block. Had a 15lb maul that only bounced off it. Had to take a chain saw and cut it into quarters to burn it. Did keep one piece for years as my block for splitting.
I bet I could split it with my Monster Maul.
Osage orange!?! Between the spikes on the trunk, always hidden where you don't see them until it is stuck in your hands and how hard it is on your chainsaw to cut it, that is a whole lot of painful work.
we used to split a lot of Madrone, when I live up in Humboldt(CA) County. Trick is split it green, pops real easy.
Yep Did not learn till later.
I have never tried to split seasoned ash but once upon a time I split boogobles of fresh cut ash. I well remember that that was easy splitting.
Osage orange!?! Between the spikes on the trunk, always hidden where you don't see them until it is stuck in your hands and how hard it is on your chainsaw to cut it, that is a whole lot of painful work.
..Maybe a different strain. I've cut and split many tons of hedge and never saw spines on the trunk. On the branches, sure. You just have to be willing to bleed a little and wear Carharts. That wood sure is a pretty color. My Pops made a rifle stock from a chunk! Coarse grained but pretty.
My (custom made) bathroom vanity and ceiling-tall cabinet are constructed in ash. It looks somewhat like pine but has more pleasing grain. Wisconsin is fighting ash borer bug now too. There will be 10's of thousands of mature trees cut and destroyed in the next few years. They line the street terrace in very many communities.
..The ash is pretty and fairly fine grained. Once past the cambium layer, it's a nice brown/grey color. I'll bet it does make nice furniture. That pesky ash borer is in the news every week. They've been "inoculating" trees up in the city. I hope it works, rather than destroying those stately trees.
quote:Originally posted by dreher
I have never tried to split seasoned ash but once upon a time I split boogobles of fresh cut ash. I well remember that that was easy splitting.
Osage orange!?! Between the spikes on the trunk, always hidden where you don't see them until it is stuck in your hands and how hard it is on your chainsaw to cut it, that is a whole lot of painful work.
..Maybe a different strain. I've cut and split many tons of hedge and never saw spines on the trunk. On the branches, sure. You just have to be willing to bleed a little and wear Carharts. That wood sure is a pretty color. My Pops made a rifle stock from a chunk! Coarse grained but pretty.
It depends on which type locust you're dealing with.
Around here we have honey locust.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/HoneyLocustThorn.JPG
I wouldn't doubt the damn things have thorns in the root ball.
I bet I could split it with my Monster Maul.
I split hundreds of cords of wood back in the day with this guy....the famous Monster Maul! In the 70's I heated by home in the woods with a German ceramic woodstove for over eight years and this MM was "my guy"...and it put me in the best shape in my life! But man was it work and it would do the job on just about any wood....but I had my hands full with gum and ash. The rest........no problemo. Allen....bringing back lots of memories of hard work and sweaty days! But that stove put out the best heat I have ever had in a house...thanks to the MMaul and lots of elbow grease!
Around here we have honey locust.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/HoneyLocustThorn.JPG
I wouldn't doubt the damn things have thorns in the root ball."
Hedge(Osage Orange)has a multitude of thorns(most under 1/2) that will ensnarl a person like barbed wire. I actually had to unsnap and remove my safety chaps to get loose last spring. Hedge is the top of the line fence post material due to it's oily nature.
Black Locust also makes excellent posts is fairly straight and has fewer spines. This wood splits easily and makes excellent firewood.
Honey Locust is the scourge of the Midwest with it's gruesome thorns up to 4-5" long. An interesting note about honey locust is that it's lumber is quite weather resistant (above ground) and the type that produces seed pods(female) and few thorns makes good firewood. If fully cured it burns hot and fairly clean. The green wood will cause lots of oily soot and tends to plug and'/or cause chimney fires. I splits great and makes a nice odor. Attracts ants to the woodpile.
Hedge and Locust are exceptionally hard on saw chains and require higher horsepower saws to cut efficiently.
quote:Originally posted by allen griggs
I bet I could split it with my Monster Maul.
I split hundreds of cords of wood back in the day with this guy....the famous Monster Maul! In the 70's I heated by home in the woods with a German ceramic woodstove for over eight years and this MM was "my guy"...and it put me in the best shape in my life! But man was it work and it would do the job on just about any wood....but I had my hands full with gum and ash. The rest........no problemo. Allen....bringing back lots of memories of hard work and sweaty days! But that stove put out the best heat I have ever had in a house...thanks to the MMaul and lots of elbow grease!
I have had one of those since 1983 and its split tons of wood from WA to NC. Mine still has the black handle but its kind of chewed up.
I love this type of handle because that black plastic or foam sticks to my hands a little, I prefer just the steel.
Another great feature of this maul is the handle is oblong. This makes it easy to align the blade and makes you sure to make a straight strike on the wooden block.
Gary I have had the Monster Maul since 1981. It is the best maul ever made, I love my Monster Maul. I have split many, many cords of oak and locust, and walnut with this maul.
Allen...no question about it. I first used a wedge and sledge and that was lousy as was an axe. But the MMaul solved that problem the day I got it. Combined with my Homelight XL with a (very dangerous) bow chain, I could do some wood really quick! My daughters were just kids and on Sunday pm the four of us would do the "wood job"...me splitting with the MM and them stacking beside the house...the youngest girl (four) did the "twig job" while the older sisters stacked. It was a fun time that the four of us still laugh about!! They are 41, 38 and 36 today! Thanks for the MMaul memories!