More elm (the "good" stuff this time)

[DiscoInferno]

Picked up some more elm, american elm this time I think. Was still sitting in a neighbor's yard from the thunderstorms back in early or mid august. The larger sections were 24"+ in diameter, so I tried out the 24" bar (that I really bought for the 359) on the 455 w/ skip chain (full chisel). I was quite pleasantly surprised how well that combo cut, especially given that the 455 with an 18" bar and full comp (same full chisel) did bog down some. A couple swings of the maul confirmed that the tree was elm, so I noodled everything into quarters. About a cord, the splitting still has a ways to go. I think my new 8lb maul is the right tool (other than a hydraulic splitter, that is) for elm, its edge is sharp enough to cut some fibers and it's blunt and heavy enough to tear the rest. :roll:

Actually, it splits (comparatively) easy parallel to the growth rings, so flaking does work to a point. But here's a couple of pics of what you get when you cross the grain.

 

[Wood Duck]

Glad to see somebody is out there splitting elm - I think it really isn't as tough to work with as you might think after reading this forum, and it is pretty good firewood. I'd rather split oak, but you work with what you got. Keep swinging that maul!

 

[WoodPyro]

I think it really depends on the elm, I had a smaller tree that I am pretty sure was elm, a lot whiter wood than in those pics. Around 8 inch diameter and only 10 inches long round, couldn't even sink the Fiskars into it. Even the Iron and Oak splitter I got had fun with it, sort of just tore through it instead of split. There is no way you could pay me enough to try to split that wood, and I have beat on knotty oak and pine stumps for 20 minutes before.

 

[oldspark]

I agree with WoodPyro I have elm I can not touch with a maul so until I get a splitter I leave it in the woods.

 

[DiscoInferno]

A lot of elm is standing dead from dutch elm disease, and fairly dry. That might make it even harder to split, though I'm not sure about that. Mine is soaking wet, which makes it darker if not more splittable. But if it has a crotch or a knot, I don't even try.

I actually can get all the oak I want around here, I just get bored of it. I wanted a challenge.

 

[firefighterjake]

A lot of elm is standing dead from dutch elm disease, and fairly dry. That might make it even harder to split, though I'm not sure about that. Mine is soaking wet, which makes it darker if not more splittable. But if it has a crotch or a knot, I don't even try.

I actually can get all the oak I want around here, I just get bored of it. I wanted a challenge.

Actually my experience with elm has been that standing dead elm always splits better when it has been standing dead for a few years . . . granted I am using a hydraulic splitter but there is a night and day difference between fresh-cut elm/recently dead elm and elm that has been standing dead for several years -- the really dead stuff almost pops in two and splits cleanly vs. the other elm which is stringy and pretty gnarly looking.

 

[oldspark]

A lot of elm is standing dead from dutch elm disease, and fairly dry. That might make it even harder to split, though I'm not sure about that. Mine is soaking wet, which makes it darker if not more splittable. But if it has a crotch or a knot, I don't even try.

I actually can get all the oak I want around here, I just get bored of it. I wanted a challenge.

. . . granted I am using a hydraulic splitter but there is a night and day difference between fresh-cut elm/recently dead elm and elm that has been standing dead for several years -- the really dead stuff almost pops in two and splits cleanly vs. the other elm which is stringy and pretty gnarly looking.

Dead stuff standing does not splitt worth a crap for me, I cut some red elm last year that had been dead for about 4 years and still could not splitt it.

 

[firefighterjake]

A lot of elm is standing dead from dutch elm disease, and fairly dry. That might make it even harder to split, though I'm not sure about that. Mine is soaking wet, which makes it darker if not more splittable. But if it has a crotch or a knot, I don't even try.

I actually can get all the oak I want around here, I just get bored of it. I wanted a challenge.

. . . granted I am using a hydraulic splitter but there is a night and day difference between fresh-cut elm/recently dead elm and elm that has been standing dead for several years -- the really dead stuff almost pops in two and splits cleanly vs. the other elm which is stringy and pretty gnarly looking.

Dead stuff standing does not splitt worth a crap for me, I cut some red elm last year that had been dead for about 4 years and still could not splitt it.

Hmmm . . . must be like that strange Iowa snow you guys get.

All kidding aside . . . maybe there is a difference between red elm (what you have experienced) and American elm (what I have experienced) since I can assure you (as I am sure you can assure me) that there was a difference in cutting it when dead/live.

 

[oldspark]

A lot of elm is standing dead from dutch elm disease, and fairly dry. That might make it even harder to split, though I'm not sure about that. Mine is soaking wet, which makes it darker if not more splittable. But if it has a crotch or a knot, I don't even try.

I actually can get all the oak I want around here, I just get bored of it. I wanted a challenge.

. . . granted I am using a hydraulic splitter but there is a night and day difference between fresh-cut elm/recently dead elm and elm that has been standing dead for several years -- the really dead stuff almost pops in two and splits cleanly vs. the other elm which is stringy and pretty gnarly looking.

Dead stuff standing does not splitt worth a crap for me, I cut some red elm last year that had been dead for about 4 years and still could not splitt it.

Hmmm . . . must be like that strange Iowa snow you guys get.

All kidding aside . . . maybe there is a difference between red elm (what you have experienced) and American elm (what I have experienced) since I can assure you (as I am sure you can assure me) that there was a difference in cutting it when dead/live.

I can get it to splitt if it gets real dry and I cut it short, you remember the Iowa snow post huh? :lol:

 

[IndianaTech]

I have some elm rounds I have been working on here lately...... I like to call it "Concrete wood". The only way I can get through it is with a wood grenade, and a 10# sledge. I have commited myself to at the very least one round per day, or it will never get finished.

 

[oldspark]

Any difference (btu wise) to speak of between american and siberian elm?

 

[firefighterjake]

A lot of elm is standing dead from dutch elm disease, and fairly dry. That might make it even harder to split, though I'm not sure about that. Mine is soaking wet, which makes it darker if not more splittable. But if it has a crotch or a knot, I don't even try.

I actually can get all the oak I want around here, I just get bored of it. I wanted a challenge.

. . . granted I am using a hydraulic splitter but there is a night and day difference between fresh-cut elm/recently dead elm and elm that has been standing dead for several years -- the really dead stuff almost pops in two and splits cleanly vs. the other elm which is stringy and pretty gnarly looking.

Dead stuff standing does not splitt worth a crap for me, I cut some red elm last year that had been dead for about 4 years and still could not splitt it.

Hmmm . . . must be like that strange Iowa snow you guys get.

All kidding aside . . . maybe there is a difference between red elm (what you have experienced) and American elm (what I have experienced) since I can assure you (as I am sure you can assure me) that there was a difference in cutting it when dead/live.

I can get it to splitt if it gets real dry and I cut it short, you remember the Iowa snow post huh? :lol:

Yeah . . . I can barely remember what I had for dinner last night or when my wife's birthday is . . . but I can remember woodstove threads and other things that I really don't need to or shouldn't remember.

 

[Chargerman]

I am in the process of splitting a standing dead elm and it has been a joy compared to anything else. I do use a hydraulic splitter but the 12-15" rounds are splitting so clean that after sinking in 2-3" I can reverse the splitter, rotate the round, and have 4 splits in about 10 seconds. I have at least 4 more large dead elms to fell and I hope they go just as nice. Dry as a bone except for the very bottom and no bark.

After those easy splits are some 18" Cherry logs and a bunch of walnut tops for next season.

 

[IndianaTech]

Another picture here. Not sure which particular flavor of Elm this is.

 

[DiscoInferno]

The siberian elm I got from my neighbor split like butter, no stringy or interlocking grain at all. The rest of the elm family should disown it for being so easy.

I did get some elm a few years ago from yet another neighbor, it had been down and dead for a long time and some was getting punky. No idea what species but it also split easily.

 

[Flatbedford]

This hand splitter lets Elm rot in the woods.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

I have some Elm that has been dead for many years, after being split I measured the moisture and it is at 17 percent. I burned some last night and it burns great. Even after being dead all this time ( it splits way better than fresh elm) but I ended up doing damage to my elbow because it hurt so much trying to split it. Licke hitting a rock. It may force me to buy a log splitter. I did not know it was elm when I cut it because there was no bark. It looked like red oak because the wood was redish. I will never take an elm again unless a logsplitter can handle it.

 

[DiscoInferno]

At several points this weekend my arms were screaming from shoulder to wrist. You normally swing a maul expecting at least some give, but all too often with elm you get the dreaded "bounce" and your own energy is returned to you. I don't plan to make a habit of it. The problem with a hydraulic splitter, I would think, is that you would need the full throw of the piston on each split to cut all the fibers. I can feel them tearing with the maul.

 

[Chargerman]

At several points this weekend my arms were screaming from shoulder to wrist. You normally swing a maul expecting at least some give, but all too often with elm you get the dreaded "bounce" and your own energy is returned to you. I don't plan to make a habit of it. The problem with a hydraulic splitter, I would think, is that you would need the full throw of the piston on each split to cut all the fibers. I can feel them tearing with the maul.

The standing dead elm I am splitting has just a few strands that pull apart with little effort once the hydaulic cracks them open. This stuff has been dead for quite some time so that may have something to do with it.

 

[midwestcoast]

I'm still slowly splitting-up some elm I picked up about 6 weeks ago with a Fiskars. It was I.D'd on here as Slippery Elm which looks very similar to American Elm. It's been a real mixed-bag so far. The majority of straight-grained limb & smaller trunk rounds split just fine, but any bent or knotted pieces are no fun. I treat myself to several easy rounds & then bash away at a toughy until one of us breaks. I make things personal by talking trash to any round that threatens to defeat me. After that I just can't let it win!
I thought I might rent a splitter if needed, but so far I only have about a half-dozen bastard-chunks set aside & figure I'll just noodle'em up since I really hate using the sledge & wedge. I think I've expended more energy splitting that stuff than I'll ever get back in heat. Could just skip all the work & throw my dinner directly into the stove.

 

[DiscoInferno]

I looked at your elm pictures, they look an awful lot like my previous elm post, which was determined by the committee to be siberian elm. Whatever it was, I didn't get any big chunks of it so I can't say if it got harder to split.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

I finally got my elm split. I noodled just a couple of inches on the top, then hit it with the maul and they finally cracked. That is a good method of getting it done, noodle a little, then give it a few good wacks. My Stihl 390 did not like noodling it either, it was taking pretty long to noodle versus the cross grain cuts.