American Elm Crotch

[Juicemang]

The itch just wouldn't go away. I pulled the mill, 48" bar, and ripping chain out of the basement on Sunday. First things first I had to touch up my chain before I went after this beast. It might sound a little crazy but I actually like hand filing chains. Its relaxing for me to head to the shop early in the morning and put a good sharpening on a chain. After I made the first cut it was pretty clear I needed to trim the edges on the crotch end. The log measured 42" wide on the crotch end after trimming and the saw would just barley squeak through. Anyway everything went well and I was very surprised how nice this log was one I opened it up. Here are some pics!

Sharpening

First cut

As close to a action shot as I could get

Slab from the middle

Nice one

Went home to food, beer, and the super bowl! What a day

 

[BobL]

Not only good pictures of milling and slabs, But refreshing SNOW for us sweltering aussies here on the west coast of Oz. Keep posting.

Nice crotch too!

 

[wdchuck]

Nice, I'll have to rethink my crotch use, usually just burn them, but that is beautiful.

 

[user 19670]

Real nice grain.
Hope you think of a good use for that crotch wood.

 

[irishcountry]

Hey another Michigander, I'm in Brooklyn (MIS Speedway/Irishhills) about 1:10 min. from you I'd seen you post on here awhile back wondered if you were still on here. Beautiful stuff!! Good working weather but still looking forward to spring!! Keep it up and thanks for the pics. Take care irishcountry

 

[stonykill]

thats beautiful. I like elm. Got a few standing dead to knock down and drag to the milling area. What are your plans for it?

 

[Mike Van]

Nice saw - Good slabs too - I hope they don't crack & check too bad on you -

 

[computeruser]

Looks good! Good to see you're still around, too.



On an unrelated note, I finally got those two hazard trees down at the cemetery. Got 'em put on the ground, nothing more Haven't inspected them closely, but there might be some millable stuff in there.

 

[irishcountry]

Hey another michigander (computeruser) has anyone heard from caseyforrest? I remember he was from the lansing area also and posted frequently on here. Well everyone hunker down for the night looks like more bad stuffs heading our way not that we can complain compared to down south fell really bad for those that lost their homes and or loved ones!!

 

[woodshop]

Crotch logs are always a crapshoot, but a few of those look pretty nice. It's rare that I will mill a crotch side to side and not have some bark inclusion on at least a few of them, or a small void or crack. Then air drying them they often split open right at the good part where all that grain is going all directions. Still worth the extra work fussing around with the setup to bust them open since once in a while you get lucky.

 

[computeruser]

Hey another michigander (computeruser) has anyone heard from caseyforrest? I remember he was from the lansing area also and posted frequently on here. Well everyone hunker down for the night looks like more bad stuffs heading our way not that we can complain compared to down south fell really bad for those that lost their homes and or loved ones!!

He's around here. He seems to be spending more money on cameras than on saws these days, though...

 

[Juicemang]

I hoping to get a bar top out of one of those. I milled up a oak crotch last winter and within a week there was already surface checking. The oak also had a nasty bark inclusion going down the middle. To be honest I started with this log because I hadn't milled in awhile and didn't expect much out of it. I moved the slabs right into the barn as I cut them off. Trying to do a good job stacking them was a pain by myself and was only possible with help from the loader. The barn stays closed 95% of the time and always seems a little humid. My plan is to keep them in there for awhile then move them outside for better airflow.

 

[Dai Sensei]

What beautiful grain, well done

 

[Matildasmate]

Great pic's Juice , nice solid looking timber mate , nice grain to . What sort of thing's can this timber be used for , such as outdoor rot resistance , I am sure it would make some excellent furniture . Thank's for sharing . Cheer's MM

 

[TNMIKE]

Beautiful wood

That is some really beautifull wood. I can see a really, really nice table top in one of those slabs

 

[BIG JAKE]

Mang I have a picture of a sort of buffet/hutch built out of elm. Pic is 640kb and the limit is 300kb to post. If I can figure out how to reduce that I'll post it, but man it is gorgeous. Nice figure on your elm.

 

[hermit63]

american elm ?

Looks like red elm, one of my favorites, very strong and light, with medium durabilty, favored wood for corals, can be used as a fence post 15yrs untreated, im planning on building a deck out of it this spring. The grain is beutiful but the wood has a lot of tension in it and realywants to twist not a problem after its screwed down.

american elm, grey elm, piss elm, totaly different

 

[tribalwind]

Nice, I'll have to rethink my crotch use, usually just burn them,

Not many places you could say that without raising some eyebrows


gatta agree with everyone,that is some gorgeous slab!

what'll ya do with it?

 

[Madrono]

Sell that man it must be worth alot for someone who wants a nice table or something. Guys in the West sell Black walnut crotches like that on the Internet for 2000, and are only slightly larger.