Maybe it's in how I grow it ???

[Dale]

Maybe the experts on the wood BTU charts I see, need to come to SW PA, and grab a load of my Red Elm. those experts, tell me my Black Locust, Honey Locust, even White and Red Oak, burn as hot as Red Elm. Well, I'm here to tell you, I'm calling B.S. When my stack for the year starts to dwindle, I hook up the trailer, and get a load of completey dead, standing Red Elm. I have many of them that succomb to Dutch Elm disease every year. I save them (let them stand) knowing they are my "go to" that I can cut, and buck into rounds, and not have to worry about splitting, when I need to burn. This Elm goes "klink" when you knock two pieces together, not that familiar "thud" sound of undried wood. And let me tell you, I have not found A THING that burns as hot. It actually get s me worried as the stove and pipe get scorching hot. No Locust or Oak, or anything else for that matter, has the same effect. In my mind, the experts need to perform some "hands-on" testing, and adjust their BTU charts.

 

[turnkey4099]

Maybe the experts on the wood BTU charts I see, need to come to SW PA, and grab a load of my Red Elm. those experts, tell me my Black Locust, Honey Locust, even White and Red Oak, burn as hot as Red Elm. Well, I'm here to tell you, I'm calling B.S. When my stack for the year starts to dwindle, I hook up the trailer, and get a load of completey dead, standing Red Elm. I have many of them that succomb to Dutch Elm disease every year. I save them (let them stand) knowing they are my "go to" that I can cut, and buck into rounds, and not have to worry about splitting, when I need to burn. This Elm goes "klink" when you knock two pieces together, not that familiar "thud" sound of undried wood. And let me tell you, I have not found A THING that burns as hot. It actually get s me worried as the stove and pipe get scorching hot. No Locust or Oak, or anything else for that matter, has the same effect. In my mind, the experts need to perform some "hands-on" testing, and adjust their BTU charts.

There is a difference between how "hot", e.g. fast, something will burn and how many btus the same size chunk of various woods will put out before it is consumed. I can get my stove way hot with a couple pieces of Willow but I'll be reloading it often as opposed to my Black Locust that will put out heat for a long time without reloading.

Harry K

 

[Dale]

Harry, I'll never dispute what another fella tells me about what "works" for them. So many variables. But, I am covered up with dead Black Locust, and a good amount of Homey Locust also. I'm here to tell ya, I'll take a nightly "banking" of say, 6-8" diameter Red Elm rounds as opposed to a bank of Black Locust splits.... every time. I will be assured of having a bed of hot coals to stoke with that Elm every morning.

 

[Whitespider]

I've been saying since the day I found this site that the BTU charts were way off base on Red (Slippery) Elm... way, way, way off base.
Red Elm burns hot, burns long, and makes one of the hottest, longest burning coal beds of any firewood... easily the equal of (if not better than) Red Oak... it certainly burns longer than Red Oak.
I'm thinkin' the guys making those charts don't have a clue what Red Elm is... and they sure ain't never burned any.
We save the Red Elm for the coldest-of-cold nights...
Find yourself some Rock Elm... it puts Red Elm to shame.
*

 

[kyle1!]

And what are the different types of elm again Spidey?

 

[mainewoods]

Don't get him started!

 

[ppkgmsy]

BTUs depend on how dry any piece of wood might be.

 

[zogger]

Wax coated ultra dry white birch popsickle sticks. Put one too many handfuls in once, dang, closest I have come to a chimney fire I think. Turbo rocket charged sucking air by the cubic yards per second whole stove and pipe got glowing red hot within a minute or less. I bet the BTU scale on them bad boys is pretty good....

I got skeered there for awhile...

Winged Elm and Dogwood standing dead rounds are the best around here for just go scrounge something to burn *right now*.

 

[Dale]

And what are the different types of elm again Spidey?

Not sure what that "inside" scoop is about. LOL. But I can tell ya, I THINK I have every know Elm type on my property, and it all burns fine. Are you calling Rock Elm, American ? I know the Siberian Elm is my least favorite. I won't tell you what it smells like when split wet, but you can probaby guess. And it's not of the "good" variety. YUK. But, at 21 or so on the experts BTU chart, it's worthy of reducing to splits and burning I reckon. Smells "better" when dried.

 

[mainewoods]

My only experience with elm were the huge ones the state took down when they were dying of dutch elm disease. Wet, twisted, a ***** to split and smelled like cat urine. But they sure burned good once they were dried.

 

[Whitespider]

Are you calling Rock Elm, American ?

No... the Rock Elm is a specific species.
Here is the list of elms native to the U.S. (with the two most common imports added).

Ulmus alata - Winged Elm, Wahoo, Piss Elm (southeast U.S)
Ulmus americana - a.k.a. American Elm, White Elm (central and eastern U.S.)
Ulmus crassifolia - a.k.a. Cedar Elm (mostly found in Texas)
Ulmus parvifolia - a.k.a. Chinese Elm, Lacebark Elm (not native to the U.S. but a common ornamental)
Ulmus pumila - a.k.a. Siberian Elm (not native to the U.S. but common)
Ulmus rubra - a.k.a. Slippery Elm, Red Elm (central and eastern U.S.)
Ulmus serotina - a.k.a. September Elm (mostly found in Tennessee)
Ulmus thomasii - a.k.a. Rock Elm, Cork Elm (northern central U.S.)

So, I guess you got me started
*

 

[mainewoods]

I thought they were all piss elm.

 

[3fordasho]

I've noticed a quite a difference in the red and even siberian elms depending on how the seasoning/curing/drying occured. Red and siberian found standing dead, bark completely gone make the best firewood. Siberian cut live, split and left to dry will be medocre firewood at best. My theory is the standing dead stuff that doesn't have a stitch of bark left has been drying for years and the wood has shrunk considerbly making it denser. American elm does not follow this theory, it becomes lighter and turns to punk the longer it's been standing dead.

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Name this Elm Besides dry and really good firewood!

 

[3000 FPS]

I will guess. Siberian.

 

[Oliver1655]

Whitespider, where are the pictures?

 

[Steve NW WI]

I like elm. A lot. Don't tell the oak snobs though. I burned more elm than all other species combined this winter, stayed warm, and came home to enough coals for a relight after many a long night at work.

 

[Whitespider]

Whitespider, where are the pictures?

The pictures were lost during the hack/changeover...
*

 

[mainewoods]

That's a sweet little gold mine right there, Dan

 

[Ronaldo]

I burn A LOT of Elm in my woodstove----------probably 90% or so of what I burn is Elm and would have to agree that Red Elm is some of the best there is for heat and coal retention. I really dont see much difference in the American or White Elm either, it burns great as long as it has not started to go punky. When we take down a standing dead Elm I get most of the small limb wood for my smaller stove and the medium size goes to Dad for his add on furnace and the biggest rounds we put in the Grandparents boiler. This works great and hopefully dont need to split much doing it this way...........because most of it is TOUGH to split.