Ash and maple questions

[Kerf]

Hello

Finally next month I will have some time to do a few projects, a pair of coffee tables and a couple of night tables, and If I'm lucky, I may have time to start building my daughter's new bed

I have been collecting pretty much of all the mayor tools needed to make any project, an I have been making a few things but always out of pine.

Today I came across 500 bf of 5/4 ash and 500 bf of 5/4 hard maple Kiln dried for $1500
Since I have never used either one, I'm still reading as much as I can about those 2 species.
Now the questions:
is there any advantages one over the other?
is it a good price?
witch one do you guys like better?

Any input will be greatly appreciated
Thanks

[whitecobra]

We just finished a kitchen in American Ash
It is hard has iron so be ready to use sharp tools
It is EASY to work with since it doesn't blow out or splinter but it does need TLC since it will burn EASY (router saw drill etc...)
Cost is WAY high
I bought 800BF of it and 100BF of Walnut for $800 delivered
Now it is true that the Internet Lumber people were not quite above the table and some was QUITE damaged on delivery (the lumber mill's fault for poor palatizing not the trucking company's fault)

I would shop around but the Ash is a NICE wood to use
No comment on maple but for a workbench or two made of it AND we use a ton of scrap in our smoker for great BBQ

Dr D

[drumpriest]

I like working with hard maple. It also is insanely hard and should be used with sharp tools. It profiles nicely, and cuts nicely. I havn't had burn issues with it, but it is very hard.

I was able to get it from a mill around here for something around 2.50$ bf, so the price doesn't seem too far out.

[onedash]

I haven't got any wood for less that $4 a BF yet. I never bought that much at once either. I have been buying bubinga for over $8 BF. Woodcraft ran out so I bought one board at a lumber yard. It was 10 and it wasnt as nice. I bought a couple more boards so I hope I have enough to finish now.

[Knottscott]

Maple and ash are both light colored woods but have very different appearances and working characteristics. I can get rough sawn ash and maple for ~ $2/bf here, so your price looks good.

IMHO ash is just a beautiful wood visually and to work with. It's got an open grain like oak, and grain contrast that's similar to oak, but the grain flows a bit more. It's really quite beautiful when stained to pop the grain. It's a common wood for major league baseball bats.

Another consideration for ash...it's under attack from the emerald borer that could cause an major shortage if the problem isn't contained and addressed in time. This could make your ash projects more rare and valuable in the future. There may also be some quarantine issues when moving it from county to county....you'll want to check first. You'll also want to make sure the stash isn't infested.

Maple is a closed grain wood and it doesn't stain well. Maple can be attractive if it has some figure. Without figure, it's much like looking at a piece of birch plywood. But the stuff that's curly, quilted, birdseye, etc. is really stunnign. It's all subjective for sure. Maple also works pretty well but is more prone to burning than ash. Maple can be hard or soft. If it's hard make sure your blades are sharp and your machines aligned well...never a bad idea anyway.

[JimD]

Around here maple is more expensive than ash and ash is less common than maple. Maple is $3-4/bd ft, the last time I saw ash it was $2-3/bd ft. Maple is getting to be a very common wood for kitchens around here - you probably can see some in the home depot or Lowes, probably stained. Ash looks somewhat like oak. Both oak and ash are very open grained. It depends on what you like but I prefer maple. I use a lot of oak and I think it is a bit more interesting than the ash I have seen but it would depend on the individual boards.

It is true that you cannot dent hard maple or ash easily with your nail but my tools do not seem to consider it very hard. Nothing cuts well with dull tools and with sharp tools, the specie of wood, within reason, doesn't seem to me to make a lot of difference.

Jim

[Kerf]

Thank You guys for the comments, you are the best.
I will make sure the ash is not infected and that my tools are sharp and aligned, I will buy both ash and maple
That will be enough lumber for a wile .
Is going to be stored in one side of a 2 car garage, I have the shop in the basement.
More questions:
How many sticks should I use per board to make the pile? is there any special way to do that?
For how long do I have to bring the stock inside the shop to acclimate before I can prepare it?
Once jointed and planed, can I use it right away? if not for how long do I have to let it seat?
I have a Pellet stove in the basement , near the shop, close to where I will store some of the stock (acclimating), I could change the air intake and run it to outside, that way it will not tame moisture from the air. I don't Know if it makes any difference. The stove is set to 65 Fahrenheit.

Thank You Guys, I really appreciate your help

Kerf

[jackellis]

Sticker it every 24 inches or so. If it's dried, I'd think a week or two for acclimation.

I have about 200 ft of 5/4 kiln dried ash. When I started jointing and then resawing, it moved an awful lot. One 3/8" thick resawn piece about four feet long bowed about 2 inches from end to center. If the stuff is kiln dried, you might want to machine off the outside and then let it sit a while before doing final machining.

[Holbren]

Is that price for all the wood? If so, that's a great deal by my standards. I buy from a wholesaler and he is getting over $4 now for hard maple but I know it's less in other parts of the country.

Just check the quality.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Man if I could get 500bf of decent Hard Maple and 500bf of decent Ash for $1500 I'd be all over it! I would take the opportunity to take a look through the pile first though. Did he give you any indication as to the quality of the wood? Is it graded?

[Kerf]

Thanks for the responses.

The person told me the lumber is from a furniture factory that went belly up.
I looked in to the piles and I did not see boards with a lot of bark or damaged.
I have 2 sample shorts planed, I will post pictures ASAP.

Thanks for the help
Kerf

[Jeffrey Schronce]

I bought 800BF of it and 100BF of Walnut for $800 delivered
Now it is true that the Internet Lumber people were not quite above the table and some was QUITE damaged on delivery (the lumber mill's fault for poor palatizing not the trucking company's fault)

You got 800bf of Ash and 100bf of Walnut delivered for $800?!??! Even common grade of both should be more than that, not to mention shipping.
Could you give some details?

[Kerf]

I have the sample boards planed.
Definitely the Ash grain looks more interesting.
I have the option to buy more ash and less maple if I want to
... decisions ... decisions...

[Jeffrey Schronce]

What are you planning on building? What is your typical finishing technique? If you use gloss finishes and expect smooth surfaces you need to be aware that the Ash grain must be filled. If you use low luster finishes then it is less of a problem, though there are purist who argue there should be no open pores on fine furniture.

[Kerf]

Jeffrey
I want to make 2 coffee tables and 2 night tables, then the next project is going to be a bed for my daughter.
This is going to be my first time using hardwood, I always used pine. I was thinking using thung oil for finish, but I'm open to any suggestions.

Thank You