Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Badger on November 29, 2017, 08:28:05 am

Title: Need answer fast splitting ash
Post by: Badger on November 29, 2017, 08:28:05 am
   A tree cutter just called me about an ash he is taking down, I have a bad back so am limited, How hard is it to split ash. I can hire some help if need be. And my 70 years old and smoking habit aint helping much either.
Title: Re: Need answer fast splitting ash
Post by: ksnow on November 29, 2017, 08:33:17 am
If its a nice log, ash splits very easily.  No interlocking grain.  If its really straight, I have kerfed many with a circular saw to guide the splits.

Kyle
Title: Re: Need answer fast splitting ash
Post by: Dances with squirrels on November 29, 2017, 08:34:49 am
The ones I've done were medium sized and split pretty easy with minimal interlocking of grain... a lot easier than elm. White ash? There's no bugs in it is there? The emerald ash borers killed them all here.
Title: Re: Need answer fast splitting ash
Post by: Strichev on November 29, 2017, 08:36:28 am
If it has nice grain it splits easily, the first 3 feet above the ground were harder to split when I did it. The smaller bits can be split in a controllable manner using a froe.  That's with Fraxinus Excelsior.
Title: Re: Need answer fast splitting ash
Post by: upstatenybowyer on November 29, 2017, 08:41:21 am
For me, ash has always been the easiest wood to split. When it's time to split kindling, I always dig out the ash.  :OK
Title: Re: Need answer fast splitting ash
Post by: Badger on November 29, 2017, 08:50:50 am
   That's good news, I was trying to split a 12" log of pear yesterday and my axe just kept bouncing out of it. I beat on it for 20 minutes and never got a split started. I ended up sawing it up and will use it for laminated longbows.
Title: Re: Need answer fast splitting ash
Post by: JW_Halverson on November 29, 2017, 09:00:46 am
Even sopping wet, ash splits easily. 

Good luck!
Title: Re: Need answer fast splitting ash
Post by: BowEd on November 29, 2017, 09:00:55 am
That ash should split nice and clean for a ya depending on the grain run of course.I've split cords and cords of it.
Title: Re: Need answer fast splitting ash
Post by: ohma2 on November 29, 2017, 03:50:17 pm
As said easy to split ,everything around here thats ash has been ate up by borers.the  appearance of small D shaped holes in the bark tells the story.
Title: Re: Need answer fast splitting ash
Post by: Badger on November 30, 2017, 07:31:25 am
   It did split easy enough but I decided to pass on it because it was too light. I took a sample home and dried it in the microwave and it just wasn't as tight grained and dense as I like ash to be.