another score, Need Help with ID Thanks

[jimosufan]

I was getting the last of the silver maple, when I heard saws running, So I checked it out and a tree service was felling a tree. He said it was elm. Would love to confim this, it was super heavy. So here are some pics.

 

[Thistle]

Looks like Siberian Elm quite a bit.Very heavy when green,splits much easier than American Elm,dries almost as fast as Silver Maple.Had 2 loads of it last May,partly dead,after splitting/stacking it in sunny spot was ready to burn in mid November.

 

[jimosufan]

I did notice it already has a burnt firewood smell to it like a campfire.

 

[jimosufan]

Looks like Siberian Elm quite a bit.Very heavy when green,splits much easier than American Elm,dries almost as fast as Silver Maple.Had 2 loads of it last May,partly dead,after splitting/stacking it in sunny spot was ready to burn in mid November.

thanks Thistle all this wood should be next years wood along with the honeylocust. my goal is 12 cords, think this will put me at 7.5.

 

[oldspark]

So is Sib. Elm that dark, I thought we had Sib. elm around here but if that is what it looks like we dont have any that I know of.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Check out the Siberian Elm on Google and then click on images. It even shows some great looking boards. I predict Jay will be looking for some of them soon.

 

[Thistle]

I've seen some milled +small pieces like turned bowls jewelry boxes,smaller tables made from it.Can be pretty stuff,some has nice tight wavy grain.Light reddish or golden brown once varnished or oiled/waxed.Still like Red Elm more,deeper color & is a bit more stable with seasonal changes in humidity.

 

[jimosufan]

The tree guy cut 4 four inch slabs off the trunk he was going to try and make a table or something. It was about 36 to 38 inches wide.

 

[jimosufan]

Just in case anyone wants to know, I agree 100% ELM SUCKS. So tips and tricks would be helpfull. It was cut fresh. I really dont know how you could have nice stacks with this wood? I will not be looking for elm any time soon. My thoughts are twice the work for a normal cord. It was free so I'll shut up.

 

[jimosufan]

Well I decided to let the elm dry in rounds a while then try splitting again maybe it will be easier. Advise I got from Dennis, and Oldspark on many other threads about Elm. Thanks again, Jim

 

[chvymn99]

Yep, its hard on splitting and stacking them, but as you said it was free. But on the bright side its ALOT easier than Box Elder, that there is a nasty wood.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

At one time I hated elm but learned how to live with it. However, I refrain from cutting an elm that is still alive. I like it dead with the bark off and most of it can even be split with a good splitting maul. However, I graduated to hydraulics many moons ago but even with the hydraulics, I still want the elm dead, dead and deader. It burns better that way too.

 

[firefighterjake]

I too like American elm . . . and my wife likes it since the "strings" it invariably gets when split ignites easily on a reload according to her . . . of course having a hydraulic splitter makes a world of difference as to whether you like or dislike elm.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

She is right Jake but that fact of the strings is what makes the wood burn up so quickly. This and the splitting is why I wait until they are dead or even deader than dead.

 

[firefighterjake]

She is right Jake but that fact of the strings is what makes the wood burn up so quickly. This and the splitting is why I wait until they are dead or even deader than dead.

Not a lot of them though . . . I tend to do the same and take elm on my property when it has been dead for some time . . . sometimes I get nice clean splits and sometimes just a few strings . . . and once in a while I end up with a piece of elm that looks like some madman attacked it with a dull ax.

 

[Bspring]

Just in case anyone wants to know, I agree 100% ELM SUCKS. So tips and tricks would be helpfull. It was cut fresh. I really dont know how you could have nice stacks with this wood? I will not be looking for elm any time soon. My thoughts are twice the work for a normal cord. It was free so I'll shut up.

Just wondering, if you have a spliter is it still that much more work. Will the splitter not go all the way through on the first stroke?

 

[blades]

A splitter with a narrow blade slides right through. The wide triangle ones on a lot of the box store units have some trouble with Elm as it does not like to pop apart like your Silver maple. A good wedge design is a combination of the two.

 

[jimosufan]

well it was fresh cut , and with all the rain we had. Not to mention I've had some easy splitting wood with the new splitter. Locust, sliver maple...and now super wet Siberian elm. When Iwas splitting, the wood wants to peel off the growth rings. so I'll give it few more weeks and try again. The splitter goes thru on the frist stroke, but they all look like uglies.