Tips for working with Ash.

[Matt Woessner]

I recently finished assembling my new table saw and gearing up for the next project. I will be building a bookshelf for my daughter. She has a dresser that is made from alder I think. I am planning on using ash for the bookshelf and have never worked with it before. Any on have any tips. This is 4/4 rough, and picking it up for 1.25bf. I hope this will be a close match with the alder. Thanks for the tips!

[John Keeton]

I have not worked with alder, but doubt that ash will be a good match. The grain of ash is much more prominent, and it will not take stain like alder.

That said, I enjoy working with ash. It seems to machine well, but can be tricky to stain/dye. Testing is certainly mandatory if you hope to attempt to match anything of another species.

That is a good price if the ash is of good quality.

[Jack Ellis]

I have a bunch of it and I like it for its grain and its general appearance. As John points out, it is not a good match with alder - ash is better matched with coarse-grained woods like oak, elm and chestnut. Unlike oak, it doesn't appear to splinter easily and has a nice, warm, slightly amber color when a clear finish is applied.

My experience resawing ash is that it tends to move quite a bit - so much so that it caused the blade on my bandsaw to bind.

I forget the reference but one writer opined that the grain in ash was much more dignified than oak.

[Chip Lindley]

Alder is a reddish color akin to cherry. If you are tring to match alder, consider cherry! Ash is very light to tan in color. Ash works much like white oak. Use a sharp blade and go slow, but not TOO slow. Ash machines well with sharp tools. Its open grain is spectacular when stained, and is often mixed with, or substituted for plain-sawn oak, but lacks the ray flecks of quarter sawn oak.

[Mike Langford]

I love it's grain appearance also....Here are some cam clamps out of Ash that I made for a friend of mine for a Christmas gift!

Like Jack said notice the nice, warm, slightly amber color when a clear finish is applied (tung oil/wiping varnish)
111044
111045
111046
111047
111048

[Bob Slater]

Those clamps are great. Is that your design?

[Mike Langford]

Those clamps are great. Is that your design?

Bob, they're loosely based on a style I've seen on a on-line Luthier supply site....I've made the old "chunky" looking ones before but I like the lite, thin, streamline look/feel of these!

Here's da chunky ones....;)
These I made out of Maple and I use 1/4" thick steel bar stock..
111049
The others are much lighter with the 1/8" Aluminum bar and thin profile!

[Mike Langford]

Matt, Sorry I didn't mean to highjack your thread and ignore your question....I just posted the cam clamps to show-off 111063....er, I mean....to show you the grain patterns in Ash (look at the very first picture and notice the many different grain changes in each piece) and the coloring with a clear finish.

Like the others have said, I think you'll find that Ash won't match the Alder dresser....You may have to save the Ash for another project!

Good luck with your build......And post us plenty of pics!

[Dewey Torres]

Every time I have worked with ash I have experienced Chip Out City USA! No one here mentioned it but I doubt that was just me. Not a pretty wood but strong and cheap.

Good luck.

[Larry Edgerton]

I find when running a profile on Ash that running a light climb cut pass or two before the final pass eliminates most it not all blow out. Other than that I love the wood, much nicer than oak in my opinion, and with much the same character.

[Todd Hoppe]

I was using it for some drawers this weekend, and my wife commented that the basement smelled like a smoked ham... I find taht it cuts and machines well. It gives splinters, so be careful with you fingers

[Brian Kent]

I have used it for strong workbench and router table bases. In that context they wide grain is beautiful. No problems with workability.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

When you route it keep the bit moving. When ash gets a burned spot it seems that you have to sand a half inch deep to get it out.

[Jack Ellis]

I forget the reference but one writer opined that the grain in ash was much more dignified than oak. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/misc/progress.gif

Dignified was the wrong word for my earlier description. The reference said Ash was more elegant than Oak.

I'm using some right now to make replacement handles for a wheelbarrow. It machined very nicely - no splinters or blow-outs. I think the secret is light passes with the router.

[glenn bradley]

Every time I have worked with ash I have experienced Chip Out City USA! No one here mentioned it but I doubt that was just me. Not a pretty wood but strong and cheap.

Good luck.

I too found ash to be a bit picky about grain direction while machining. Planing one direction will yield a smooth surface. Run the board through the opposite way and to quote Dewey "Chip Out City". This holds true for pattern routing as well (DAMHIKT). Just watch your grain and you'll be fine.

Ash does match white oak well but has a definite yellow cast to it so you may have to tint your finish a bit for a match. I will chime in with it being a bad match for alder. I use alder and birch together with good results though. Let us know how things go.

[Matt Woessner]

Thanks for all the responses guys. Love those clamps by the way. The "alder " dresser could be a different wood. I chose the ash for it light color much like the dresser. The dresser could be a birch as well. The dresser seems to be a soft wood with light creamy color, finer grain, I am sure it came from overseas. It was a gift for our daughter. I might get a picture of it and post it as well to see what everyone thinks. Thanks again.