Central pith

[Lucasade]

I felled an ash tree for a client today and she let me take a half log. I've roughed it out enough to actually pick it up, but I'm not sure whether I need to remove all of the central pith before I put it away to season?

[Pat B]

I don't know about ash but I've seen other woods check down the pith as they dried. Can you split it in half?

[Lucasade]

I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean - I split the log in half on site then squared it off with hatchet and drawknife when I got home. There's still pith on about a third of its length but it got dark. It would probably only take about 10 more minutes with the drawknife to get the last bits out but I just wondered whether that's necessary?

You may have realised I'm new to this business...

[Del the cat]

AFIK it doesn't matter in the slightest... I've seasoned Elder with huge pith channels exposed along the split no prob.
I like the dark pith line in Yew, it's natures centre line
Del

[DC]

What are you meaning by "pith"? What part of the tree?

[Lucasade]

The thin strip of soft tissue running down the very centre:





The bottom third of the stave still has it as you can see.

[DC]

OK just checking. Something in my pea brain just thought you might be referring to something else. I'm all right now . I'm not sure about Ash either, but it would only take a second to get rid of it and I can't see it hurting anything.

[Lucasade]

That's what I'm thinking. I'll get the drawknife back out tomorrow.

[simson]

I see no problem seasoning that stave. I have about hundred looking just as yours. They are now from 1 - 6 years seasoned, no checking.

[Perkinator]

I have a stave that is hollow in the middle from being a home to ants. It was hollow black and full of sweet oil. I hope it wont make a difference.