# Hard luck ash



## sprucegum (Jan 2, 2020)

I need some lumber to build the finish stairs in our new house. The stairway has a wall on both sides so I will use a housed stringer where the treads and risers are rabbited into the stringers. I have used this construction several times over the years and find it to be very attractive and solid construction. I'm thinking ash stringers and risers with cherry treads.

The tree I chose was a good sized white ash that had the log I needed to make my stringer material. It leaned the wrong way so I had to use wedges to make it tip over. Half way through the project the sprocket tip on my bar blew out so I had to go get the backup saw. I ended up burying 2 felling wedges and a big iron splitting wedge before she went over.

Too heavy to lift onto the mill with my tractor so I had to wait for my son with his log truck and loader. Got the cant squared up and made two 6/4 x 13 x 16' planks then hit a spike with my last sharp blade. That was the day before Christmas so it took longer than normal to get a batch of blades to the sharpening shop and get them home. Finished the project this morning and have the lumber on my radiant heat garage floor. I hope to get it dried down to 15-18% by spring then take it to the kiln to finish the job.

Reactions: Like 5 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 5


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## barry richardson (Jan 2, 2020)

Fine looking planks there!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


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## Nature Man (Jan 2, 2020)

Best of luck on the drying process! Takes a huge kiln for planks that long! Can't wait to see the stairs you were talking about! Chuck

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## sprucegum (Jan 2, 2020)

Nature Man said:


> Best of luck on the drying process! Takes a huge kiln for planks that long! Can't wait to see the stairs you were talking about! Chuck


There is a smallish custom kiln about an hour away. They have 3 kilns of various sizes, they are dehumidification kilns with supplemental heat for winter use and bug kill. It is a somewhat gentler process than heat only. They like the lumber to be air dried to 18% or less before it is put in the kiln hopefully my lumber will get down under that by spring. I have plenty of other projects to work on in the meantime.

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 1


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## Graybeard (Jan 3, 2020)

Love to see the finished stairs as well. They should look really great.

Reactions: Like 1


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## sprucegum (Jan 3, 2020)

Graybeard said:


> Love to see the finished stairs as well. They should look really great.



I'm sure I won't be able to resist posting the stairs build. I hope the lumber is dry enough for the kiln by April. Depending on my timing it could be done sometime in May so it won't happen soon.

Reactions: Like 1


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## David Van Asperen (Jan 3, 2020)

Always enjoy following your projects 
Quite the luck on that ash but it appears to be worth the effort

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Allen Tomaszek (Jan 7, 2020)

Nice looking lumber! I love ash. It’s really an under appreciated wood in my opinion. Good luck with your stairs.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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