    
European ash (Fraxinus excelsior)
Family: Oleaceae
Common names: Ash, Belgian ash, Common ash, English ash, European ash, Europeesche esche, French ash, Fresno, Hungarian ash, Italian olive ash, Olive ash, Polish ash, Slavonian ash, Spanish ash, Swedish ash, Vanlig ash, Vanlig ask
Distributed in: France, Hungary, Libya, Turkey, United Kingdom (Africa, Eastern Europe, Mediterranean Sea Region, Oceania and S.E. Asia, Western Europe)
Distribution overview: Throughout British Isles and Europe into Asia Minor and Caucuses. Rare north of Great Glen in Scotland. Prefers mostly calcerous soils although found on all except poorest and acid soils (above ph 5.5). Prefers moist but well drained fertile soils. Up to 450m in altitude. Grows well in mixed stands provided not shaded.
Common uses: Agricultural implements, Artificial limbs, Baseball bats, Bent Parts, Billiard-cue butts, Boat building (general), Boat building: framing, Boxes and crates, Broom handles, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Chairs, Chests, Coffins, Concealed parts (Furniture), Core Stock, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Handles: general, Handles: woodworking tools, Hatracks, Hockey sticks, Interior construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Ladders, Living-room suites, Marquetry, Mine timbers, Oars, Office furniture, Paneling , Plywood, Posts, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Skis, Sporting Goods, Stools, Tables , Tool handles, Turnery, Utility furniture, Vats, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wainscotting, Walking sticks, Wardrobes, Wheel spokes, Wheels
Environment profile: Vulnerable
Tree size: Tree height is 20-30 m
Colors: the heart isWhitish, Yellowand the sapwoodWhite to yellow, Yellow.The grain isWavy, the textureMedium coarse to coarseand the lusterLow
Natural durability: Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles, Very durable
Odor: No specific smell or taste
Kiln Schedules: UK=E US=T6D2/T3D1 Fr=5
Drying Defects: Slight surface checking, Slight twist/warp
Ease of Drying: Moderately Difficult to Difficult
Tree Identification: Bole/stem form is straight
Comments: European ash is quite variable in quality. It is similar to European beech (Fagus sylvatica ) in most properties, but is considerably higher in toughness. The wood is often cleaved, instead of sawn, to retain the strength of each piece. Selected logs are split into segments, which are then shaped with hand tools or turned on lathes, into its final form. General finishing qualities are rated as good General finishing qualities are rated as satisfactory
Blunting Effect: Little
Boring: Fairly easy to very easy
Carving: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Cutting Resistance: Satisfactory sawing characteristics
Gluing: Satisfactory gluing properties
Mortising: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Moulding: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Movement in Service: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Nailing: Pre-Boring Recommended, Pre-boring recommended
Planing: Very Good to Excellent
Resistance to Impregnation: Sapwood is permeable
Response to hand tools: Satisfactorily
Routing recessing: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Sanding: Satisfactory sanding characteristics
Veneering qualities: Veneers easily, Veneers moderately easy
Steam bending: Very good
Screwing: Screwing yields good results
; Turning: Turns with moderate ease
Painting: Good; Polishing: Poor; Staining: Good staining qualities; Varnishing: Good;
- Numerical data Metric
- Numerical data English
- Strength properties
- References
 |
 |
 |
 |
Item |
Green |
Dry |
Metric |
Specific Gravity |
0,49 |
0,64 |
|
Density |
|
689 |
kg/m3 |
Bending Strength |
636 |
1056 |
kg/cm2 |
Crushing Strength |
268 |
483 |
kg/cm2 |
Hardness |
|
670 |
kg |
Impact Strength |
114 |
104 |
cm |
Shearing Strength |
|
145 |
kg/cm2 |
Stiffness |
104 |
125 |
1000 kg/cm2 |
Tangential Shrinkage |
|
|
% |
Radial Shrinkage |
5 |
|
% |
Weight |
673 |
641 |
kg/m3 |
Maximum Load |
1,4 |
1,47 |
cm-kg/cm3 |
Toughness |
|
288 |
cm-kg |
Static Bending |
|
|
kg/cm2 |
|
 |  |  |  | Item | Green | Dry | English | Bending Strength | 9059 | 15020 | psi | Density | | 43 | lbs/ft3 | Hardness | | 1479 | lbs | Impact Strength | 45 | 41 | inches | Maximum Crushing Strength | 3819 | 6877 | psi | Shearing Strength | | 2065 | psi | Stiffness | 1487 | 1785 | 1000 psi | Toughness | | 250 | inch-lbs | Work to Maximum Load | 20 | 21 | inch-lbs/in3 | Specific Gravity | 0.49 | 0.64 | | Weight | 42 | 40 | lbs/ft3 | Radial Shrinkage | 5 | | % | Tangential Shrinkage | 8 | | % | |
Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. 0 Max. crushing strength = medium 0 Bending strength (MOR) = medium 0 Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. 1 Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Radial = large Hardness (side grain) = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = small Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Hardness (side grain) = soft Bending strength (MOR) = low Toughness (total work) = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Max. crushing strength = low Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft
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