ASH
THE TREE
ASH OCCURS WIDELY IN THE NORTHERN TEMPERATE REGIONS AND IS IMPORTANT COMMERCIALLY IN EUROPE, NORTH AMERICA AND JAPAN. TYPICALLY, IT COMES FROM MEDIUM- TO LARGE- SIZED TREES 20 TO 35m IN HEIGHT, WITH BOLES 60cm TO 1m IN DIAMETER.
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THE WOOD
ASH IS WHITE, WITH A PALE-PINKISH TINT WHEN FIRST CUT. IT IS RING-POROUS WITH A CONSPICUOUS GROWTH-RING FIGURE, ESPECIALLY ON FLAT-SAWN SURFACES. TYPICALLY STRAIGHT-GRAINED, ITS DECORATIVE APPEARANCE IS SOMETIMES ENHANCED BY A WAVY GRAIN, PARTICULARLY IN JAPANESE ASH. ITS WEIGHT CAN VARY APPRECIABLY: ON AVERAGE, IT IS ALMOST THE WEIGHT OF BEECH, BUT SLOW-GROWN WOOD IS LIGHTER.
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TECHNICAL PROPERTIES
ASH DRIES READILY AND IS MODERATELY STABLE IN USE. IT IS A STRONG WOOD AND IS ESPECIALLY NOTED FOR ITS TOUGHNESS. IT SAWS AND MACHINES EASILY, TAKING A GOOD FINISH, AND RESPONDS VERY WELL TO STEAM-BENDING. IT IS PERISHABLE AND UNSUITABLE FOR USE OUT OF DOORS UNLESS TREATED.
USES
ASH IS VARIABLE IN CHARACTER: SOME IS EXCEPTIONALLY TOUGH AND IS SELECTED FOR USE IN SPORTS GOODS AND FOR LADDER-RUNGS AND THE HANDLES OF STRIKING TOOLS. OTHER USES OF ASH ARE FOR THE HANDLES OF GARDEN TOOLS, FOR THE FRAMING OF LORRIES AND BUSES, FOR THE WOODEN PARTS OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY, AND FOR BENT WORK IN FURNITURE AND BOAT-BUILDING.
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SOFT WOODS:
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