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Elm

Started by redbeard, October 14, 2011, 01:21:51 AM

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redbeard

Sawed my first Elm log tonight, customer said he thought it was a Red Elm. Thought maybe you guys might be able to identify it with these pics it was dark so i hope these help. It was very heavy and the wood was hard. No problem sawing it, I leveled the center and flipped it twice he just wanted 2'' live edge slabs. One flitch bowed on first cut but it was the only one the rest stayed flat no movement.





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SwampDonkey

Do you see the ribbon pore pattern on the end grain? Looks elmish. The only experience I have is with American white elm.



I had some white elm sawed once, it moved in all directions. It was a 20" log, but not the but log, the next 8' up. The but log was too big to handle with a come along to get onto my pickup. I anchored the come along to a frame of a steel framed boat rack. ;D Actually the sawyer kept most of the lumber, I think he thought it was oak. ::)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

T Welsh

Pretty stuff, any body know how it is to work with. Tim

Rando

Let me first say I've never worked with it.
A customer of mine was having a tri stem elm tree cut down. They were about 20"-24" BHD. Another customer makes furniture for a living. I asked him if he wanted the wood for his shop. He went and got a little book he uses to look up wood species and told me, "NO".
Said the grain was very difficult to work with and very hard on machines like a planer and such.
I have some more in our wood pile now and asked him again and it was still a "NO".

bandmiller2

Elm is very strong and impact resistant good for truck beds, racks est.Years ago it was the wood used in pickup beds from the factory. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

ladylake


I don't know if thats red elm, I dont think it has the white sapwood.  The red elm I've sawed has had the bark off and hard as a rock but sawed ok with a sharp blade. Around here truckers like elm for side boards and outrigger boards as it doesn't split and it's a lot lighter than white oak after it's dry. I sawed some chineze elm on Wen that was the hardest log I ever sawed, even with a sharp blade fibers were wrapping around the teeth on the blade.  I had too saw slow and still got a small dip through one big knot cutting 21" wide, later sawed a american elm that sawed easy.    Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

SwampDonkey

Elm was used here for horse stalls on the floor boards. Horses tread and elm holds up best of our local woods.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

WDH

That sure looks like the red elm (slippery elm) bark around here.  In fact, a dead ringer.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Magicman

I would not have any question about it being Red Elm, but I am curious about the use for 2" live edged slabs.

Yes, Elm is hard, durable, and also has a mind of it's own.
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Tree Feller

Slippery Elm and Red Elm are the same tree, just different common names. The names for Elm are all over the place, depending on the locale. Even the botanical names can be confusing.

Elm has an interlocking grain and is difficult to split. I've heard/read that it was used for wagon wheel hubs back in the day. It makes great chair stock because of the resistance to splitting. I've turned a lot of it and made some keepsake boxes from it. It spalts pretty easily and dramatically. I've got a couple of Elm logs "cooking" right now.

Cody

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shelbycharger400

yep, elm..
one of few species..
one is like yours with the white sapwood
other is all red

red oaks lumber

the red elm around here saws easy and isn't real heavy
the experts think i do things wrong
over 18 million b.f. processed and 7341 happy customers i disagree

tyb525

That's red elm. Not as bad to work with as american.
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

ladylake

Quote from: shelbycharger400 on October 14, 2011, 05:07:44 PM
yep, elm..
one of few species..
one is like yours with the white sapwood
other is all red

   Thanks , I've only sawed the all red species which woodworkers around here like.  Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

mikeb1079

i just picked up a 30" plus diameter american elm which is too big for my mill.  when i started to quarter it with my 066 i quickly saw why they use it for lowboy decking and such:  it's tough tough stuff.  it's taken me waay longer to quarter this log than a similarly sized black walnut.  anyways, i do hope that the wood behaves itself i've heard some horror stories about elm.
cheers
mb
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woodmills1

doesn't slippery elm have a loose yellow under bark

easy to "slip" off and good for what ailes your stomach?
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

WDH

Yes, the herbal people use slippery elm bark as a medicine.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

5quarter

Straight logs make straight boards...never truer for elm. if you can get good logs, it makes great lumber. use it wherever you might use birch or maple.  siberian elm is especially handsome. Dries with less degrade qtrsawn, but looks better flatsawn. I sold a neighbor enough to do the floor of his 3 season room. hasn't moved a bit in 2 yrs. he's now thinking he wants the same floor in his dining room. Though it grows like crazy here in football country, I still have a hard time finding straight logs. any leaners or crooked trees go straight to the wood shed and into my wood stove..
What is this leisure time of which you speak?
Blue Harbor Refinishing

sandhills

5quarter, would your siberian elm be the same as what I've always called chinese elm here, 120 miles or so northwest of you?  All the elm around here has always been called that, and yes straight logs are hard to find.

woodsy

I'll second to what 5quarter said.  I work with Red and American Elm a fair bit.  Straight logs produce great lumber and are no worse drying or using than any other hardwood.

According to my tree book Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila) and Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) are two different species. A common name for Siberian Elm is Chinese Elm. Siberian is more wide spread than Chinese (Ulmus parvifolia).
LT40HDG38, Logrite T36 log arch, 42 hp Kubota, 6 foot cross cut saw, lots of axes and not enough time

5quarter

Sandhills,

   Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) is primarily an ornamental with a dark grey plated bark when mature. the do have the same blue/green wispy look as the siberian elm, but thats about all they have in common. Siberian Elms (Ulmus pumila) are tall, fast growing trees with tiny leaves like a honeylocust. The bark is deep furrowed and runs in a vague, elongated criss-cross pattern. We have 3 Elms here in my area: Red elm, Siberian elm and American Elm. They have a poor reputation in many quarters due to the poor quality of the logs. I live a mile from the Platte river and there are many fairly pure stands of siberian elm. Those trees are all arrow straight with 2, maybe 3 sawlogs per tree. They're considered an invasive tree, but unlike the Ailanthus, I don't mind having them around.  ;)
What is this leisure time of which you speak?
Blue Harbor Refinishing

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