Wood ID

[jatoxico]

So I got some beautiful looking wood from a neighbor courtesy of Irene.

The center is white/blonde and the bark is gray, thinly furrowed. Leaves were single oblong w/ point 4-5" long. Had single teeth all around. Neighbor said ash but according to my field ID guide it's some type of elm.

Started splitting today and wow, fights all the way. The grain is long even and large. Looks like it will split easy and sometimes it does but mostly it's a struggle.

Any ideas from the experts?

 

[jatoxico]

Heres another pic that might help. That's a pc of the wood in question on the block. - Thanks

 

[will711]

Looks like Ash to me. Elm is darker in color very stringer and difficult to split green, it may have been figth'in you but those look like pretty big rounds.

 

[jimosufan]

+1 thats all I burned last year.

 

[Woody Stover]

Yeah, looks like White Ash, and leaves sound like Ash. Was it a yard tree with a lot of branching lower on the trunk? That'll make splitting more difficult...

 

[raybonz]

If that were Elm I doubt you'd be splitting it without a gas powered splitter.. Probably Ash..

Ray

 

[amateur cutter]

If that were Elm I doubt you'd be splitting it without a gas powered splitter.. Probably Ash..

Ray

Sorry Ray, no disrespect, but if that were elm he "might" be splitting it with a gas powered splitter. :bug:
Looks like ash to me too. Nice score!! A C

 

[raybonz]

If that were Elm I doubt you'd be splitting it without a gas powered splitter.. Probably Ash..

Ray

Sorry Ray, no disrespect, but if that were elm he "might" be splitting it with a gas powered splitter. :bug:
Looks like ash to me too. Nice score!! A C

Elm is a real PIA.. My 5-ton electric was a joke and did nothing.. Had to rip it all with a chainsaw..

Ray

 

[tfdchief]

Ash for sure. Great wood.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I don't doubt that Ray could not split it with the small splitter.

Sometimes ash will split a bit more difficult but most times it does split pretty easy. And yes, it looks like ash to me too.

 

[raybonz]

I don't doubt that Ray could not split it with the small splitter.

Sometimes ash will split a bit more difficult but most times it does split pretty easy. And yes, it looks like ash to me too.

I am glad we're not loaded with Elm here I will say that! I have split oak on that lil 5-ton many times and it does great with that..

Ray

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Ya, oak is a different cat altogether. Splits nicely.

 

[jatoxico]

The Ashes have it! Can't find a match in the Audobon guide, starting to wonder if neighbor gave me wrong leaf sample. Anyway the rounds are pretty good sized and especially difficult to split the middle. The outer 2/3 is much easier and the Fiskars can do it as long as there are no branches or knots otherwise doin it old school.

Also got some cherry and some more Locust, have plenty of experience with that. More hunting tomorrow. Thanks.

 

[Wood Duck]

I'd say ash for sure, except that your leaf sounds a lot more like elm than ash. Mybe you're right, and the nieghbor gave you the wrong leaf.

 

[jatoxico]

Oh I should have asked, how long to season ash generally? Will one year do it or should I figure on more? I'm getting most of down to no more than 4-5" max width and alot of less than that. Never had this stuff before that I can remember.

 

[jatoxico]

Yeah, looks like White Ash, and leaves sound like Ash. Was it a yard tree with a lot of branching lower on the trunk? That'll make splitting more difficult...

Was a yard tree but I actually left the nastiest looking stuff and went for the "cleanest" hunks. Also I'm doing this hauling with a suburu :bug: and tree was whacked up quick by tree crew just to save house so some pc's are too large for me to handle alone with just the family truckster. Still got some decent size pc's.

 

[heus]

If it had a single leaf I would say it is basswood. Other than that yes the bark looks like ash.

 

[jatoxico]

I don't doubt that Ray could not split it with the small splitter.

Sometimes ash will split a bit more difficult but most times it does split pretty easy. And yes, it looks like ash to me too.

Maybe I'm just comparing to the locust and oak I have been doing recently or maybe after humping and cutting all day I was the one out of gas!

 

[Woody Stover]

Oh I should have asked, how long to season ash generally? Will one year do it or should I figure on more? I'm getting most of down to no more than 4-5" max width and alot of less than that. Never had this stuff before that I can remember.

A year should be more than enough if it's Ash, and split that small. I've got some, stacked for 2 months so far, that I'm planning to burn this Winter. It was dead standing though, split rather small, and started at 25%. I bet it'll be below 18%, but not sure since I'm new to the dry-wood game. Hope I won't be disappointed. Before I started reading here, I burned strictly dead standing Red/Black Oak...stacked for a few months. :lol:

 

[Joey]

You will be surprised how fast that Ash will season if its stacked out in the wind. One of the fastest seasoning woods available.

 

[jatoxico]

Well, I cannot find an example of an Ash that has leaves like the tree I have. Ash leaves grow directly opposite another on the branch. The leaves on my tree the leaves alternate as Elm's do. The bark does look very much like Ash but leaves are not at all right for Ash.

The neighbor says it was a nursery tree, so not likely american elm though it sure does look like it but I think it must be some type, maybe Slippery? (and still a PITA to split compared to the different oaks [live and dead standing], locust and cherry I also did today!).

Sorry If I'm obsessing too much for some of you :roll: especially since it's just getting burned anyway, but accurate ID interests me and can be tough, there's alot of different species out there!

 

[Woody Stover]

Well, I cannot find an example of an Ash that has leaves like the tree I have. Ash leaves grow directly opposite another on the branch. The leaves on my tree the leaves alternate as Elm's do. The bark does look very much like Ash but leaves are not at all right for Ash.

Yeah, bark is like Ash, but it doesn't look quite right. Many of the various Elm leaves are described as having "rounded base with unequal sides." Can you post a leaf pic, underside and top, leaf twig pic? From what you said, it would be a lot of work but maybe you can split another one for closeups of split grain and end grain.
Obsessed? No, I'm not obsessed. :lol:

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Oh I should have asked, how long to season ash generally? Will one year do it or should I figure on more? I'm getting most of down to no more than 4-5" max width and alot of less than that. Never had this stuff before that I can remember.

I've posted before that one winter we burned freshly cut white ash. It was not by choice to be sure and was a long time ago. Yes, we did stay warm but we also burned a lot more wood and had to clean the chimney many times. So it can be done, but certainly is not ideal.

So how long for ash to be ready to burn? If I cut ash early in the year, or before March, and then got it split and stacked in the sun and wind I would not be afraid to burn it the following winter. Still, a year is best and 2 years is even better. We've burned it 7-8 years after being split and stacked and it burns wonderful like that.

 

[jatoxico]

Well, I cannot find an example of an Ash that has leaves like the tree I have. Ash leaves grow directly opposite another on the branch. The leaves on my tree the leaves alternate as Elm's do. The bark does look very much like Ash but leaves are not at all right for Ash.

Yeah, bark is like Ash, but it doesn't look quite right. Many of the various Elm leaves are described as having "rounded base with unequal sides." Can you post a leaf pic, underside and top, leaf twig pic? From what you said, it would be a lot of work but maybe you can split another one for closeups of split grain and end grain.
Obsessed? No, I'm not obsessed. :lol:

You read my mind. Gonna take my Yamaha over there and see if I can get another, fresher twig w/ leaves. Cheers

 

[jatoxico]

Can you post a leaf pic, underside and top, leaf twig pic?

Went back to the pile of branches, brush and assorted bramble from Irene. There were branches from at least 3 different trees . Was definitely given wrong sample by owner. Pretty certain I have the right leaves now.

To make a long story short none of leaves are in good enough condition to be positive. Could be White Ash could be Green Ash or even one of the hickories.

I'll go with the first opinion of experts here, should never doubted you ;-) but I knew something wasn't adding up, thanks all.