Splitting Elm...Need some advise

[mmichaud]

Since I am new to wood burning I have not had very much experience with collecting/splitting wood. The other day I came across a dead elm tree that needed to be taken down. I thought, what a great deal, free wood. I cut it down with no problem, stacked it and got ready to split some of the larger pieces. Took my ax and hit the log and it bounced right back up. Tried it a couple of times with absolutely no success. Even my 4 ton electric splitter could not crack it. What kind of cruel joke is this? Does any one have any tricks to splitting elm besides getting a 20 ton hydraulic splitter? I have a bunch more of these dead elms to take down for free wood. It burns well and I would really like to use it without further abuse to my body.

Thanks in advanced.

Mike

 

[Roospike]

Did you say ELM! hh: I use a gas 28 ton splitter so i'm not best to give you the best ins and outs of hand splitting ELM.

Ole' ELMer will come along and throw in his .02 as well as others .

That ELM is a BEOICH , that for sure.

 

[ourhouse]

Yeah get an 8lb maul and some wedges or a 20 ton gas splitter or a diffrent kind of wood.

 

[suematteva]

Elm only makes up about 10-15 percent of what we burn...Maul and two wedges and lots of patience...I put the rounds in direct sun for a couple weeks to see where initial cracks give hint for splitting....If they continue to be A PITA my chainsaw will fix the problem..The stuff does burn well though and the price is right for you!

I don't want to steal another forum members thunder and lightning for ELM or maybe passion is the word????

 

[GVA]

Read warrens signature on ELM

 

[laynes69]

20 ton splitter. I have used wedges and mauls, and there is no way I will do it again. I burn alot of elm, and if its big enough to fit in the stove i'll burn it and not split it. Good luck!

 

[begreen]

Does any one have any tricks to splitting elm besides getting a 20 ton hydraulic splitter?
Thanks in advanced.

Mike

Maybe a 30-ton splitter.

 

[elkimmeg]

here is what I use for elm

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n10/elkimmeg/esaysplit.jpg

 

[BrotherBart]

here is what I use for elm

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n10/elkimmeg/esaysplit.jpg

Love it!

 

[Roospike]

here is what I use for elm

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n10/elkimmeg/esaysplit.jpg

I'm sure it splits the wood but does it make it two different pieces ? LOL

I had a monster ELM one time i took down the rounds were just so big i didn't want to mess with lifting the round into the truck and back home so i took the 28 ton gas splitter with me , turned the splitter to run in vertical and rolled the big rounds to the splitter ( 4' ) split that first sucker 10 times in 10 different spots and still had 1 big round , so i had to turn the log/round over and split it from the other side to see i couldn't tear the splits from the round .......... 10 more splits and i had a big round minus 2 chunks , "what a groan"
Had to take the chainsaw to take the chunks apart and i had 14 of these monster rounds to split.

 

[kd460]

Cut up a descent quantity then go and rent a log splitter for the day then split the hell out of. KD

 

[velvetfoot]

What does it cost to rent a splitter around your area? HD, the only one I could find around me, charges $100 a day, which was a reason I ordered one of my own.

 

[ourhouse]

Around here is about 80-120$ a day. Do you have any friends with one that you could borrow?

 

[kd460]

Wow! 50 to 70 bucks for the day from the local mom and pop rental shop! Sometimes if you catch them in the right mood at the right time, you can pick it up just before they close on a friday and have it back to them before they close on a saturday and your only charged for a day. Sorry to hear about your prices, but, if you can split more than a few cords, it's still worth it. KD

 

[wg_bent]

Was at the inlaws for a few days. The land of nothing to do but watch football on TV for 3 days...and their computer was toast...I was going out of my mind (Sorry...Missed you Corie...got in late last night)

Elm is really tough. The trick so far is cutting the rounds into 8" thick disks and split each disk only twice. Once a bit left of the center, once a bit right of the center so you end up with 3 peices. Two will look like 1/2 circles, the other a rectangular shape. You'll still curse it but it's doable.

The latest trick is a wood grenade. Kevin managed to split a 12" round that was about 16" long. After an "easy" 15 hits full force wacks from a 10( I think) lb sledge hammer the elm was in two. It did work, but I think 5 wacks from a 6 lb maul might be easier. I've split a lot of this stuff, and it truely is....NATURE'S CRUEL JOKE, because it burns very nice, dies when you look at an elm tree cross eyed, so there's tons of it around (dutch elm disease) and it's always free.

I hate that crap!

 

[mmichaud]

Thanks everyone for the info. Someone I know offered to let me use their 25 ton splitter in exchange for some spilt wood from the tree I cut down. I got two pickup loads out of the tree and split some wood for them to take back in their van. That's all they wanted for there fireplace. Worked out great for me.

 

[Eric Johnson]

I defer to Warren on matters concerning ELM, but I have had some success cutting down the sides of the chunk on both sides and then finishing the job with an 8-lb maul. Nothing works really well, but that will work in a pinch.

A forester told me once that ELM trees grow in both male and female varieties and one of them (I forget which) will split, while the other won't. In my experience, you've got a chance with some trees, but with others, there's no hope.

When all else fails, get a big saw and rip them down to size.

Good luck!

 

[colsmith]

Sometimes people on freecycle offer up firewood, so I always write and ask for it if they are anywhere near us. But I ask what kind it is, mostly to avoid pine trees. The last one said it was elm, so I just said no thank you! I am scared of elm just from reading about it.

 

[MrGriz]

Marcia, how long ago was the free elm on freecycle? And where? It may not be my first choice, but at that price, I'll burn almost anything (Elm included).
Where in SE WI are you?

 

[BurningIsLove]

a set of wedges is all I use for all the tree varieties (including the occassional elm) I split. Half the round w/ the wedges, then the rest I can usually split w/ a maul. If the halved round is still stubborn, take another run w/ the wedges. It's not quite as fast as a hydraulic splitter, but its a whole lot cheaper and always available (no rental hassles)

 

[jjbaer]

20 ton splitter. I have used wedges and mauls, and there is no way I will do it again. I burn alot of elm, and if its big enough to fit in the stove i'll burn it and not split it. Good luck!

I split one once and buried my two wedges in it and it still wouldn't split.....so, having no wedges left and, unable to free the two wedges already buried, I got out my 18 v DeWalt recip saw and "cut out the wedges"......then went at it again till it split!

Also, if I get a really nasty piece where I can't even see the split line, I take my 16" Husqvarna chainsaw and make a "split line" a few inches deep and sink my wedges in there.

 

[Andre B.]

Also, if I get a really nasty piece where I can't even see the split line, I take my 16" Husqvarna chainsaw and make a "split line" a few inches deep and sink my wedges in there.

At that point I just keep cutting with the chainsaw, only takes a few more seconds and its all done.
___________
Andre' B.

 

[jjbaer]

Also, if I get a really nasty piece where I can't even see the split line, I take my 16" Husqvarna chainsaw and make a "split line" a few inches deep and sink my wedges in there.

At that point I just keep cutting with the chainsaw, only takes a few more seconds and its all done.
___________
Andre' B.

I'll do that only if it won't split because aren't you the cutting cross-grain and isn't that tough on the chain?

Actually, a bit more about the time I got two wedges buried.....at that time I only had one wedge and each time I hit it I swore the log would crack on the next strike...it didn't...so I had one wedge buried. So, I went to Lowes and bought a second wedge, promptly got that one buried also, and then I got out the recip saw to free it.....LOL Got out chainsaw on second log and then used wedge. With a "pre-made cut" with a chainsaw about 2 in deep, it's much easier....

 

[Andre B.]

I'll do that only if it won't split because aren't you the cutting cross-grain and isn't that tough on the chain?

I usually cut them with the grain. Have to get them up off the ground a bit because the wood spaghetti you make needs some room to drop away from the saw or things get plugged up.
Note: That spaghetti makes real good fire starter when it dries out and that only takes a few days.
_______________
Andre' B.

 

[jjbaer]

I'll do that only if it won't split because aren't you the cutting cross-grain and isn't that tough on the chain?

I usually cut them with the grain. Have to get them up off the ground a bit because the wood spaghetti you make needs some room to drop away from the saw or things get plugged up.
Note: That spaghetti makes real good fire starter when it dries out and that only takes a few days.
_______________
Andre' B.

thanks