Split elm on a cold day

[Whitespider]

Here's how it split. Very satisfying compared to how it shredded in August.

That ain't Elm... it flat ain't.

*

 

[mn woodcutter]

I agree with the Iowan Spider. However, elm does split nice like that when cold. I just came in from splitting some 18" rounds by hand and they popped apart nicely with it being 5 degrees out.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I just finished splitting about 1.5 cords of Elm a few weeks ago. It had been down for 3 years but is still plenty wet. The trick I use to split Elm in warm weather is to split slabs off of the outside and spiral your way to the center. Never had a problem using this technique. Trying to split it down the center like other wood species results in lots of bad words and heavy stuff flying through the air.

That also works with big ash rounds as well. I can easily show you chunks of ash crotch that is impossible to split. Regardless, just let that elm dry a few months in the round until the bark starts falling off.

 

[Mulemann]

Hey wood doctor, I am just north of you, west of Herman. I cut standing dead elm and let it cure in the round until I have time to split it, last batch was a month from cut to split. Just split 2.5 cord last week end and absolutely love it, burn it in a soap stove with catalytic convertor and it works great! I am a big fan of elm!

 

[Wood Doctor]

Hey wood doctor, I am just north of you, west of Herman. I cut standing dead elm and let it cure in the round until I have time to split it, last batch was a month from cut to split. Just split 2.5 cord last week end and absolutely love it, burn it in a soap stove with catalytic convertor and it works great! I am a big fan of elm!

Glad to hear there are more of us around. I'm burning it today, and believe me, I am doing it because it is cold outside. Elm is the most criticized and under rated firewood that exists. Whoops! I forgot about cottonwood. Shame on me.

 

[StephieDoll]

My little Quad loves the elm. I also agree about letting it sit a few months, standing dead or frozen. Splits like maple for me. American elm is a big step down from the others. Got close to 2 cords a few weeks agao waiting to be split

I agree Wood Doc, it is a bit chilly here.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I'm totally sold out of dry elm. All my customers love it. Now I have to dig up another hardwood somewhere that is dry. Cottonwood is the only thing left. Standing dead elm trees may be the solution. All my ash, mulberry, walnut, hackberry, and locust is sold out.

Next year, truckload prices are going up. Heck, at $120 a load (split, delivered, and stacked), I've been giving this gold away. My fault.

 

[StephieDoll]

Yep, you are just too nice Wood Doctor. We sold out a few weeks ago.

 

[mn woodcutter]

Last night it was -7 and time to split up that elm. I had stacked up off to the side all the rounds that wouldn't fit in the stove and that split perfectly! I like using my big 12 lb maul on that stuff.