Author Topic: Curly ash  (Read 2228 times)

Offline GANGGREEN

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Curly ash
« on: December 27, 2019, 04:07:37 PM »
I think that the widest portion of this could probably be milled to 10/4" and nearly 11" wide at 40" long.  Do you suppose it's safe to assume that the middle section will have that nice curl throughout?  Worth purchasing for a half-stock rifle (I don't own it but know the guy who's selling it)?  I'm inclined to purchase it (I think the price is reasonable), but was curious what others' thoughts may be.




Offline t.caster

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Re: Curly ash
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2019, 05:57:42 PM »
WOWSER! I don't build halfstocks often but if it is reasonable, why not, unless it includes the heartwood. You want the wood outside the center core.
Tom C.

Offline rich pierce

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Re: Curly ash
« Reply #2 on: December 27, 2019, 06:17:57 PM »
That’s going to be curly through and through.
Andover, Vermont

Offline Jim Kibler

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Re: Curly ash
« Reply #3 on: December 27, 2019, 06:42:52 PM »
Where's the rest of the tree!

Offline GANGGREEN

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Re: Curly ash
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2019, 04:46:44 AM »
I'll have to find out what happened to the rest of the tree.  I'm buying it from a guy who sells this type of stuff a lot and I'd think he knows where this came from.  We'll see.


Smokey Plainsman

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Re: Curly ash
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2019, 10:41:43 PM »
Curly Ash might be the only prettier wood than curly maple!

Offline GANGGREEN

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Re: Curly ash
« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2019, 12:06:48 AM »
here are two pieces cut from that blank. Do you suppose I'll be able to get a half stock out of each?





Offline GANGGREEN

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Re: Curly ash
« Reply #7 on: December 29, 2019, 12:49:47 AM »
By the way, I asked where the rest of the tree went and you all don't want to know......they made baseball bats with it.  Seriously, the guy I'm buying it from snatched it at the bat company when there was still some left.


Smokey Plainsman

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Re: Curly ash
« Reply #8 on: December 29, 2019, 02:28:16 AM »
By the way, I asked where the rest of the tree went and you all don't want to know......they made baseball bats with it.  Seriously, the guy I'm buying it from snatched it at the bat company when there was still some left.

 :(

*begins projectile vomiting*

Offline Mauser06

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Re: Curly ash
« Reply #9 on: December 29, 2019, 03:01:41 AM »
How thick are the slabs??? Maybe camera trickery...but they don't look like they are much more than an inch thick?   



Offline GANGGREEN

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Re: Curly ash
« Reply #10 on: December 29, 2019, 04:03:27 AM »
No, I'm pretty sure that they're both 10/4", but I haven't seen them myself.  I made it clear that I needed 10/4" and he seemed to fully understand.

Offline Mauser06

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Re: Curly ash
« Reply #11 on: December 29, 2019, 05:00:16 AM »
Hopefully you can turn them into some beautiful stocks!     Looks like a good save!! 


It's amazing what highly figured wood is discarded or used for low value applications.  The trim at my place of employment is clear coated maple...some pieces are highly figured. 


I've helped my buddy with firewood for years....the stuff he burns makes me cry at night. 

Offline GANGGREEN

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Re: Curly ash
« Reply #12 on: December 29, 2019, 04:13:58 PM »
Yep, the prettiest piece of curly maple I've ever found was on a guy's wood pile.  I grabbed that piece and made a few trinkets out of it, but couldn't find the matching pieces anywhere and don't know where they got to.  It happens, but you wonder why people don't recognize the unique wood that they see and save it.

Offline ed lundquist

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Re: Curly ash
« Reply #13 on: December 29, 2019, 05:42:58 PM »
Years ago I begged a friend who owned a mill to let me work with his sawyer and cut for figure and grade. One half day a week and we could  have put up some amazing specialty stuff. No interest, cut for volume. Most was sawn into bolts and shipped to eastern europe to be made into furniture and shipped back and sold he. Hard to imagine there could be profit in that. Some was shipped to NYC and used as cribbing. No interest.

Offline GANGGREEN

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Re: Curly ash
« Reply #14 on: January 01, 2020, 03:20:10 PM »
Yeah, it's a shame.  I found some incredibly amazing curly maple in an Amish mill once.  At least they hadn't sold it as straight grade or ruined it by cutting it to 5/4".  I paid $2/board foot for it and wish I could find about a million more board feet like that.  In my area we have Amish mills (they're starting to catch on) and the baseball bat factory, not to mention a lot of commercial timber mills (also catching on, but if you know someone, you might get lucky).