"Elm splitting frustration" Disease. Help Me.

That looks like the stuff that get's started with an 8lb maul and finished with an axe when I do it.

On the rare occasion that I come across an elm, I leave it in the woods to rot. I hate elm. We don't have much around anymore. I can think of only one green and one dead right now anywhere within my firewood cutting area, which is ok with me. Nasty stuff.

I set the round up on end and run the chainsaw down the center half way or so then throw the wedge to it. Once ya get it split in half it makes it easier to knock off the corners/edges.

I got some elm ready to burn now and that's how I split it.

I got a splitter now and just split it from the outside in instead of trying to blast down the center.

Elm was cut for barn flooring. The twisted grain kept the animals from wearing it thin, and it's has a tenancy not to rot. Have done tree work for years my rule was if you can cut it and use it OK. If it needed to be split, chuck it, not worth the effort. In fact as mentioned above you can beat on it so much it can be dangerous. This does depend on what you have available for wood too. Hemlock is another one that will give you a run for your money.
Some body mentioned splitting when cold. Yes ! Cut down trees when cold, disk up and separate. Let them freeze solid, 2 or 3 days below freezing and then split. Now your cracking ice. The colder the better.
Rob

Are you serious? I can barely get through that piss elm with a power splitter and that usually tares the rounds to shreads. That Fiskars must be magical?

...and you're left scratching your head wondering why I just spent 15 minutes producing this goat screw. I hate when that happens.

Red elm is hard stuff to split but I do it regularly with my 20 ton ssplitter. It slows down a lot and some times stops but it does the job much better than the maul and wedges. It's great firewood but it is not my first choice. I have mostly bought my wood for the last eight years. When the wood guy asks if I would like elm c/s/d I tell them yes. But I almost (almost) feel guilty as I sused to sell wood.

since we are on the topic can I put an ID request here?

Heard it might be chinese elm, leaves look like an elm to me, so I can't argue with that.

FYI, that trunk is about 32" through right where it's cut.

Certainly does look to be in the elm family, though you would almost have to see the leaves to tell which species.

looks like it might be red elm , figure on using a splitter I got a cord or so from a buddy this year and the splitter had little trouble with because most of it was 14" and smaller. Last year (pre splitter)I had a whole red elm that was about 30" and after a few pieces put the rest aside to borrow my neighbors splitter its a home made job 30 ton and it even had a little trouble.
I think I'll save a chunk for a splitting contest with my brother and I'll take some mighty oak just to make it "even"
should be fun, maybe a small wager would be nice.

I cut almost cut nothing but dead or dying elm. It burns great. Since I have an outdoor furnace, I don't split that much. I do split all the larger butt pieces by hand using a sledge hammer and a couple of wedges. The trick is to wait till the wood is good and frozen about 10 below. I find it split alot easier and I can split enough for a couple days in an hour so so. It is a good winter activity. I do get some very twisted pieces once in awhile. I just put them into the furnace whole and they burn in a day or two. Still have alot of live elm. Think the disease spreads slower in very swampy areas.