Good point Fretworn. I can't picture what that might look like, but we've all seen examples of blue turning green with Tru Oil.
Worth doing some test pieces if you can get some scraps of ash. If not, Tasmanian Oak might work as a readily available substitute.
An excellent approach. That's how a lot people get started (myself included).I have invested in a few tools, particularly for doing the frets. So I will have them, just no experience using them yet. I think I may grab one of the real cheap ebay necks to experiment with before starting the real one just to build some confidence.