Splitting elm

[habanero]

I brought home ~1/2 cord of elm this last winter and though it was work to get through, me and my monster maul got it done. I think the biggest chunks were about 14" diameter. I was thinking I must have been stupid to bring home elm, but all things considered it wasn't too bad. It's just a matter of the difference between hitting an oak twice to split it versus hitting the elm 6 times.

 

[Ole Farmerbuck]

Must be nice, Thats never been my experience as of yet, we must be have different species of Elm growing here than there. What type are you refering to?

I really dont know what kind it. I posted pics on here one time and was told it was red,chinese,and american! Dont get me wrong, if the stuff is wet, it can be a pain to split even with my splitter. Thats why i go for the dead standing stuff.

 

[gink595]

I really dont know what kind it. I posted pics on here one time and was told it was red,chinese,and american! Dont get me wrong, if the stuff is wet, it can be a pain to split even with my splitter. Thats why i go for the dead standing stuff.

I probably say Chinese, I'm familiar with American and Red for sure but can't say I've seen or even know what Chinese looks like. Red is really easy to tell it is red in it's cross sectional and American is a greyish white, well when it's dry. I have a bunch of green American Elm that when I hit it with the mega maul it just goes thud and bounces back, I just don't bother with maul anymore, I'm not that determined of a person.

 

[iowawoodcutter]

I got through it all today, got out the monster maul and it was a bit easier splitting with it. Usually just use the regular maul because it is lighter...

 

[starter]

We were blessed to have a bunch of elm on the property when we bought it and since they have died off (a number of wet years and they are in low spots). I self-ID'd them to be white elm (American Elm) and am in the process of taking them down. The biggest was about 50 - 60 years old and 18" diameter at base. I'll probably get another couple of winters out of the rest.

Exellent firewood (burns as well as oak) but a beeyatch to split even after standing dead.

 

[Joshlaugh]

I dropped two elm trees last winter and as others have said it was tough splitting with a maul. Last month my father in law had a 50 yo elm dropped right next to his house. I have the wood sitting waiting for me, I plan to try a hydraulic splitter with this and not by hand again.

Josh

 

[olyman]

elm-----if your ram stops short of the blade--leave that piece there, put another behind it, and keep going------it burns gooooood---beats soft maple, and i burn that at the start of the season---

 

[hoot gibson]

i had a blow down last winter and just got into kutting it up . it was proably about 30 to 36 inches across . man was it tuff to split , ive split elm and this was tuffer , more stringie .i would kut it 1/3 of the way through , and still have to use three wedges on it . thought it was maple , couldnt understand the strings in it . the ole boy up the road said it was curley maple . anybody had any experience with this tree . other than gun stocks.h

 

[stihl sawing]

When elm dries out it is light as a feather and burns like dry pine, Fast. At least that's the experience ive had with it.

 

[ken45]

Is all elm that way?

No, some of it is worse!


I still remember one piece 30 years ago. I had the maul, three wedges AND the chain saw stuck in it!

This year I had several 15+" pieces with crotches and knots in them. I didn't even bother with the splitter, I just used the chain saw on them.

Ken

 

[jags]

Elm - fear it!

 

[stihl sawing]

Elm - fear it!

Looks as if it a stick of dynamite in it.

 

[jags]

Oh, theres a log in there somewhere.

 

[stihl sawing]

Oh, theres a log in there somewhere.

SWeet gum will do the same when splitting.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Burning Elm

Elm is fabulous firewood--burns hot, burns clean, good density, burns rather slowly, no sparks, and lights easily.

What could be more perfect than that?

Ans. Something that you can hand split. I have watched elm crotchwood stall out even a 25-ton hydraulic splitter. Some say that cottonwood is tougher to split, but you can't prove it by me.

 

[Ole Farmerbuck]

Elm - fear it!

Naw man....here's elm.

 

[gink595]

Ahhh look at that barkless beauty

 

[wkpoor]

I've mentioned many times in previous post about how most of the wood I split is narly twisted crotchy nasty stuff and Elm is just one of them for starters. Now thats what I want to see the Super Split on. Not that gravy stuff in the videos that appears to break open the instant its touched by the wedge. I want to see it hit some real wood that fights you all the way to the end. The stuff that comes out looking like meat rather than wood.

 

[jags]

FarmerBuck, The pics I showed were the nastiest of the nasty, but of the pile I am currently splitting, I will guarantee you that I do not come out with a split piece like you are showing. This is the most ugly batch I have ever seen.:censored: bar none.

 

[stihl sawing]

The elm i see here is white inside, That log almost looks like a red oak. Is there different kinds of elm. if so they may have different characteristics.