When to split elm

[neverbilly]

I have some elm, I guess it is American elm. It's very heavy, very dense. I scrounged it where it was dumped, I didn't cut it. So, it needs to be cut into firewood length and then split. It was cut maybe 3 months ago. Should I split now or when? Will a 25 ton County Line split it? Does it burn hot? It is so dense, I would be surprised if it does not.

 

[FaithfulWoodsman]

Elm is a decent firewood. If burns about like cherry. A little better than soft maple but not as good as ash. It's not really dense so much as it is waterlogged and has a twisted grain. No prob with a splitter and id split now. Good score.

 

[firefighterjake]

I like burning elm . . . if you have a splitter as mentioned, I would split it now and start the seasoning process. I suspect most of the elm should split OK, although you might get a few pieces that will look like pulled pork (a lot depends on the actual tree).

 

[TheAardvark]

I got my first scrounge of elm this winter. I do not have a hydro splitter. The x27 did not work. The rounds swallowed my wedges when i tried that. I eventually noodled it all. Im never getting elm again unless its already split or small enough to not need splitting.

 

[Coyoterun]

I have some elm, I guess it is American elm. It's very heavy, very dense. I scrounged it where it was dumped, I didn't cut it. So, it needs to be cut into firewood length and then split. It was cut maybe 3 months ago. Should I split now or when? Will a 25 ton County Line split it? Does it burn hot? It is so dense, I would be surprised if it does not.

We've burned a lot of Elm over the years. IMO, it takes almost as long as Oak to season and only burns a little hotter than Maple. Not ideal, but when it's what you've got it works well enough.

However, it doesn't like to split. I would think a 25 ton splitter would handle it just fine, but by hand isn't worth it.

 

[peakbagger]

Split it green, it doesn't really get any easier as it ages. It pretty well extinct up in the northeast but many a new woodburner without a splitter learned to dread the stuff.

My friends uncle grew up on a poor rural farm in Maine and wood tended to get cut when it could. They really didn't have time to season and it was all split by hand. He was the oldest and he told us the story that it was his job to go out in the barn and split enough wood, usually elm in the morning that they rest of the family would have heat in the woodstove for breakfast. He really had no use for elm and had a few stacks of rounds free for the taking by anyone who really wanted it. Rarely if ever did anyone come for a second load.

 

[sportbikerider78]

Here is my limited experience splitting a very large elm. Huge branches.

I let it sit for about a year. The bark got punky and fell off when I split it. It would have been impossible to split by hand. Way to twisted.

 

[Dobish]

splitter will help a lot I cut it, let it sit for a few months then split it... but mainly because I don't want to drag the splitter down the hill to the piles....

 

[Bad LP]

I remember my father splitting elm in the early-mid 70's. Always by hand and frozen. He was however in very good shape and thought splitting was just an extension of his 3 nights a week on the heavy bag, playing handball and running a fast mile.

 

[fibels]

I have a half cord of elm to split by hand.It's the best wood splitting workout that I know of.I use 4 wedges and a 10 lb.sledge.It splits best when it's dry and cold outside.It burns well for me.

 

[Dobish]

I have a half cord of elm to split by hand.It's the best wood splitting workout that I know of.I use 4 wedges and a 10 lb.sledge.It splits best when it's dry and cold outside.It burns well for me.

i wish i only had 1/2 cord of elm to split, but I don't mind anymore

 

[moresnow]

Cut and split it immediately. Best to just get it over with. Your splitter should take care of it. I like the stuff. As long as I don't have to hand split it.!

 

[fibels]

i wish i only had 1/2 cord of elm to split, but I don't mind anymore

Dobish your a good man to not mind anymore.

 

[Dobish]

Dobish your a good man to not mind anymore.

The DHT22 makes it easy.... i did split some by hand the other day, but that was super dry. i felt like superman!