Profile of European ash

E UROPEAN ash. Fraxinus excel- L sior, is found throughout Europe with the name changing in various regions. English ash, French ash, Belgium ash, and others are all the same tree.

Grown all over the continent. the British Isles, and even Asia Minor, the tree reaches a height of 80 to 100 ft. The clear bole (trunk) will measure from 30 to 50 ft. high, depending on growth conditions, with a diameter of 2 to 5 ft.

In color the wood ranges from white to light brown, temporarily turning pink when freshly cut. Occasionally a tree will be found with an irregular dark brown or black heart, not necessarily related to decay. The sapwood can not be readily distinguished from the heartwood with the naked eye.

Growing conditions have considerable effect on properties. Weight fluctuates from 32 to 52 lbs. per foot at 72oh moisture content with the average being 43 lbs. There is a definite contrast between porous early wood and dense late wood although the grain is straight in both. This contrast can be an advantage because it produces a decorative figure in plain-sawn timber or rotary cut veneer.

As a general rule the timber having wide growth rings is preferred, especially for the more exacting purposes. Very slow grown trees have narrow rings with a high proportion of porous early wood. This tends to result in lower strength and density.

The wood dries fairly rapidly with little splitting or checking. If the kiln temperature is not kept low. there will be some distortion. Severe end-splitting also can occur. Material which has shrunk greatly or become distorted during kiln drying can usually be reconditioned.

On the whole, working properties are satisfactory. Pre-boring is advised for nailing except with less dense material. Steam bending qualities are excellent unless there is irregular grain or knots. Since conditions of growth for the tree may cause variables in bending qualities, the classification is very eood.

Sfory at a Glance

Ash trees and logs are susceptible to attack by forest longhorn or Buprestid beetles. The sapwood is often attacked by powder-post beetles and common furniture beetles. The ash bark beetle will tunnel in the bark, but cause no damage to timber. Heartwood is perishable. Although wood with black heart is resistant to preservative treatment, other wood accepts the chemicals moderately.

Although ash varies considerably in quality, good selected material is outstanding for toughness and bending properties. These characteristics make it ideal for many uses including sports equipment. Tennis racquets, hockey sticks, baseball bats, billiard cues, and gym equipment often are made of ash. Handles for tools such as picks, shovels, axes, and hammers also are frequently formed from it. Ash also is used for furniture manufacture in both cabinet work and chairs.

Any use which requires bending is suitable for ash. Much of the wood is utilized in boat building for bent parts, tillers, oars, boat hooks, deck beams. Additional uses include fancy turnery and bent handles for walking sticks and umbrellas.

Although ash is classified for use in plywood manufacture with good staining and polishing qualities, it reportedly is seldom seen in markets such as the United Kinedom.

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