Ash and durability

[Nelsun]

It's why it famously gets used for other similar applications involving a lot of high-impact stresses

Ooph! I doubt the helmet and faceguard did much to preserve the players good looks there. He most likely got a nice grid pattern imprinted down the front of his face.

Eh.. oh yes... something OT... I made a free standing draining board out of ash about a year ago and it's still good as new with daily usage. Osmo protector and two coats of Poly-x likely help on that front.

 

[Eric The Viking]

It's the springiness, ease of bending, and high strength-to-weight ratio. Imagine making a trad caravan from oak: you could, but you'd need more than one horse(power) to pull it!

Ash is also used in moulded profile for audio studio acoustic treatment. You can make oak and other hardwoods ring quite musically, but ash doesn't, meaning it absorbs sound (some sound, in the right context).

I think the half-timbered car thing is a bit unfair to the wood: you do get a lovely lightweight strong frame, but there are too many places where dirt and water can build up together, encouraging rot to start. And because of the open grain, once it gets going... Caravans are much higher off the ground, further from dirty spray, and anyway years ago ther wasn't enough fast traffic to cause it. And we had lead-based paint, to protect the wood properly.

But then I've only used it for picture frames, because I love the look of it. I need an excuse...

E.

 

[bourbon]

In our re-enactment group, we had a wheelbarrow made by our carpender from a riven log for the frame and split logs for the deck. It lived indoors in the week but at weekends it was outdoors in all weathers not covered up. It was used for moving loads of stuff, Casks of water (2x9 gallons) large heavy chests, Firewood and wet canvas. It also survived a van fire, being dropped off a trailer and countless children being given fun rides on it. It has sadly died now but was around for around 10 years. I'm hoping that the new one lasts as long as that one id oak to a different design

 

[lurker]

If you will permit me wandering some way off topic:

When I was a lad :?
I had a mate with a morris traveller he purposely kept it looking quite manky but fitted with an engine & gearbox out of a Jag; the gear box was partly within the passenger compartment. It was quite fun sitting at lights next to a fast posh car and accelerating off at a rate of knots. Bust several prop shafts !

Anyway; the thing failed its MOT due to rotted box section, so we hammered in a tight fitting Ash spar down the middle of the box, tidied up and slapped on underseal. Took it to another test station where the chap tapped the now sound box section and duely passed the car. :lol: