Elm this, and Elm that...

[svk]

How big are the leaves... like 6-8 inches long?? Are they real rough on top... like 60 grit sandpaper?? That would be Red Elm.
However, that bark looks like Rock Elm, and so does the leaves... leaves would be 5 inches or less, and smooth, even shiny smooth.
If it's Rock Elm you've got some of the best firewood ever created by God.

Note... Siberian Elm leaves are small... like 2½ inches or less.
*

5 inch leaves sound about right. They are definitely not 8". I can pull a few down or collect a few off the ground next time I'm up there in two weeks.

Would growing in/near wet areas be an indicator of rock elm as well?

 

[Whitespider]

...next time I'm up there in two weeks.
Would growing in/near wet areas be an indicator of rock elm as well?

Up where??
Northern Minnesota is not the "natural" range of either species... but I'm not so sure that's as important today as yesteryear, given how mankind's influence has changed so much.
Rock Elm ain't typically found in "wet" areas... but all elms are adaptable.
There is another possibility... given the bark and leave... Siberian Elm and Red Elm are known to readily hybridize in the natural wild.
*

 

[svk]

Yes meaning northeastern MN not far south of the Canadian border.

There used to be tons of huge elms in this area pre DED. Also my logger friend said he usually finds rock elm near water fwiw.

There's one in the stand that looks like the top suffered some trauma and then a new leader came out of the trunk. I can sacrifice that one to see what the wood looks like and if it weighs a ton to indicate rock elm.

 

[Whitespider]

The bottom of the trees are clean with no bark and it dulled my full chisel right away. 24 inch at the base. It seems the base is the hardest to cut.

Most elms are "wet" when "green"... they pull a lot of moisture up from the soil.
Depending on the type of soil elm can have a very high mineral content in the wood that will actually leave greenish colored "clinkers" in the firebox.
I near always use a semi-chisel chain to cut elm... and I always use semi-chisel chain to cut dead elm.
I've had full-chisel go worthlessly dull in just a few cuts on dead elm more than once.

Also my logger friend said he usually finds rock elm near water fwiw.

Near water wouldn't surprise me... but most of the Rock Elm I find is growing on limestone bluffs and hillsides... maybe near water, but still well drained.
However, like most anything with a will(?) to survive... adaption to the conditions is the key to survival.
*

 

[svk]

That would be really cool if it is indeed rock elm. It would be nice to have a stand of future primo firewood being most of the high btu stuff doesn't grow this far north.

 

[Wood Doctor]

That would be really cool if it is indeed rock elm. It would be nice to have a stand of future primo firewood being most of the high btu stuff doesn't grow this far north.

Don't get your hopes up that this is rock elm. That is as scarce as hen's teeth. Red elm has also become scarce around here, and I always welcome American elm whenever I find it. The dutch elm disease almost wiped them both out some 40 to 50 years ago.

I like this quote from Whitespider, "Siberian Elm and Red Elm are known to readily hybridize in the natural wild."

I believe I have run into this on a couple of occasions and perhaps recently.

 

[benp]

Soooo.... since this thread has been revived what are your thoughts on this.

At first I thought I had red maple on my hands.

But after reading spidys original post the "creamy white" bark stuck out. The pictures from the original posts aren't working fo me.

I am west of the Mississippi by 10 miles and I can walk across it. It's about 10-15 ft wide and maybe a foot deep on a wet day.









And there is this blowdown I'm going to scrounge that is very similar

 

[benp]

There are elms in the area that the blowdown is in. None that big though.

 

[lindnova]

Soooo.... since this thread has been revived what are your thoughts on this.

At first I thought I had red maple on my hands.

But after reading spidys original post the "creamy white" bark stuck out. The pictures from the original posts aren't working fo me.

I am west of the Mississippi by 10 miles and I can walk across it. It's about 10-15 ft wide and maybe a foot deep on a wet day.

I think you have pin or red oak there. Is it real heavy?

I just went to the headwaters last winter for the first time. Cool place up there with all the big old growth trees.

 

[benp]

Yes very heavy.

Sweet if it is oak!!! I am sitting on a lot of it.

It's not like any of the other oak I have that's why I was asking. The red oak is more dark when split.

 

[svk]

Ben, the top pics are definitely red or pin (red family) oak.

Those bottom pics look almost like ash. Do you have a pic of the end grain?

 

[benp]

Sweet! I'm ok with Oak!!!!

I do not. I will once I get after it this weekend though.

That tree will be mine this weekend.

 

[svk]

Sweet! I'm ok with Oak!!!!

I do not. I will once I get after it this weekend though.

That tree will be mine this weekend.

So do you need to burn seasoned wood with that new high tech boiler?

 

[benp]

It really helps.

That's why I'm going crazy with the splitting right now. Almost everything is getting split and smaller pieces than what I am used to. You can tell in the wood pile where the decision for this new stove came. Regular size splits then all small.

We already have a bunch of "burn now or will be ready to burn" wood.

The neighbor also mentioned getting a few bundles of slabs to mix in with the stuff that's marginal.

Those pictures of the split oak is already having cracks in the ends in the stuff I did Saturday and Sunday.

 

[svk]

It really helps.

That's why I'm going crazy with the splitting right now. Almost everything is getting split and smaller pieces than what I am used to. You can tell in the wood pile where the decision for this new stove came. Regular size splits then all small.

We already have a bunch of "burn now or will be ready to burn" wood.

The neighbor also mentioned getting a few bundles of slabs to mix in with the stuff that's marginal.

Those pictures of the split oak is already having cracks in the ends in the stuff I did Saturday and Sunday.

Sorry if I missed it but this stove I am assuming will be much more efficient than the homemade beast?

 

[lindnova]

Cracks in the oak ends means it is starting to dry, but it is unlikely you will like burning it this year. Hopefully you can give it another year.

 

[benp]

Sorry if I missed it but this stove I am assuming will be much more efficient than the homemade beast?

Very.

http://centralboiler.com/products/classic-edge/

 

[benp]

Cracks in the oak ends means it is starting to dry, but it is unlikely you will like burning it this year. Hopefully you can give it another year.

Oh I 110% agree.

Hopefully after this year we'll be sitting on rollover wood for next season and keep adding


Aaaaand hopefully we will be testing one of these out for a while.

http://halversonwoodproducts.com/

The owner was at a wedding the neighbor and I were in 2 weeks ago.

My neighbor knows him. We have tested some of his prototypes before and he has borrowed our skidsteer to demo his large models.

He asked the neighbor if he wanted to wring out a big model.

You can imagine my neighbors answer.

So if this does really materialize we will be through the log yard like the clump family at a buffet.

This is the guy that came up with the Hahn processor.

 

[zogger]

Oh I 110% agree.

Hopefully after this year we'll be sitting on rollover wood for next season and keep adding


Aaaaand hopefully we will be testing one of these out for a while.

http://halversonwoodproducts.com/

The owner was at a wedding the neighbor and I were in 2 weeks ago.

My neighbor knows him. We have tested some of his prototypes before and he has borrowed our skidsteer to demo his large models.

He asked the neighbor if he wanted to wring out a big model.

You can imagine my neighbors answer.

So if this does really materialize we will be through the log yard like the clump family at a buffet.

This is the guy that came up with the Hahn processor.

AAk! That there is serious cheatin!

With that said c'moooonnnn lottery! Goin the bucket list

 

[benp]

Yes zog....yes it is.

I'm ok with that.

If we can get 20+ cords cut and split in a weekend.....sign me up

Leaves me more time for scrounging blowdowns