elm

[timusp40]

I have a X27, a good maul, a axe, a sledge and a bunch of wedges. Everytime I get some of this stuff I know it's going to take forever. Wish I could afford a Hydraulic splitter!!!

 

[wdchuck]

Instead of standing it on end and fighting with it just lay it down and rip it.
Putting rounds, one at a time into a crossbuck puts it at a comfortable level and the noodles won't be so likely to build up and clog the saw.

 

[unclemoustache]

You could always rent one. Probably about $60 for the day, plus a gallon or two of fuel. If you don't have enough, find a buddy who also would like to use it and split the cost.

 

[kugss]

Evan when i use my splitter i got to have my machete on stand by just to wack through the strings.

 

[TreePointer]

Set aside your nasty, stringy wood. Then find a place that rents a splitter on Saturday and allows you to return it on Monday, yet only be charged for one day. There are two places around here that do that.

 

[Whitespider]

I split elm with a wedge, sledge and maul once... only once! That was probably 30 years ago and I promised myself I would never, ever do it again... and I haven't! There are just some things that ain't worth the trouble in this life, and splitting elm using brute human powered force is one of those. Several months ago someone on this board posted that Dutch Elm Disease necessitated the invention of the hydraulic splitter... I don't know if that's true or not, but there ain't any way I'll try arguing against that logic.

It ain't worth the wear-&-tear on the body man... burn it in the round, use as bonfire wood, rent a splitter, or just give it away.

 

[Bushmans]

I split a few loads this year and it burned quite well but the effort and the wear are not worth it. My friend has a big splitter with a hoist on it and he assured me if I finished off the big dead elm I cut down he would come over and split it. "I haven't found anything I couldn't split with my splitter" Exact words. I smiled and finished off the big tree. I brought it home along with some refreshments for the evenings entertainment. Long story short he finally found something and I unloaded the wood in the back corner of my yard until some day when I need campfire wood.

The lesson we learned was always bring home beer with elm. It makes the trip worth something.
:bang:

 

[timusp40]

Splitting Elm

After reading the posts I agree. No more hand splitting this stuff. Doesn't matter if it's live, dead or frozen the stuff doesn't even really split it just shreads off in stringy layers. I don't have any more Elm right now, but will think twice about it next time and renting the splitter!
Tim

 

[charlesfarm]

They didn't use elm for barn beams in the good 'ol days for nothin'! The fibers are so interconnected, it was great for that.

I've found that for hand splitting, it is best to cut your rounds, let it sit out in the weather for a year+, then you can split off slabs from all around the rounds fairly easily. You get a lot of flat wide splits, but it's less labor. You can only get so far into the round (I'd say about 40-50% of the diameter) before it starts getting all stringy again. But, if those centers are small enough for the stove, they will usually be good for an overnighter log.

Elm's good firewood if you can get it split. BTU's per cord about the same as Ash. I burn it when the temps stay above 20 degrees or so, anything below that is Oak or Shagbark Hickory burning weather.

The tree removal guy in town drops off elm behind my barn for free. It's usually massive trunks 36-48" in diameter and 15' long. I don't hand split it anymore, broke down and bought a Northstar splitter from Northern Tool this year. But even with hydraulics, splitting elm is much more time consuming that any other wood. The wedge has to go all the way to the end of the stroke on almost every single split. But, the time and fuel saved by not having to go to the timber more than makes up for it when it's getting dropped at my place for free.

Got a 48" diam. trunk of "Rock Elm" four years ago from the guy. Amazing wood. Couldn't split that by hand to save my life. I even used my chainsaw to cut it into slabs three inches thick, my Helko Vario splitting axe would literally bounce up three feet when I hit those slabs with everything I could muster - barely even put a dent in the wood. I had to cut it all with the chainsaw. Hottest burning Elm I've ever put in the stove. BTU's per cord is on par with Osage Orange (Hedge) according to stuff I've read.

 

[blades]

Splits real good when green & frozen. Need a skinny wedge on the machine for it though. Those big wide ones ( like most commercial units have) are nothing but a headache when used on Elm. My unit ( home made) has a deep thin wedge followed up by a spreader. I have no problem with stringy wood at any time of the year.

 

[cnice_37]

I hate splitting elm. That being said, I either leave it in the round for the overnighters, or rip it with the saw.

Like others have said, even with a splitter, you need a hatchet handy. The stuff around here that I've had is 8-10" at the largest, so it'll burn that way after a few years of seasoning.

 

[mallardman]

I love burning elm but except for slippery elm I won't hand split it anymore. Elm and my back are the main reasons I bought the timberwolf a couple years ago.

 

[Hedgerow]

The Elm destroyer...

I just noodle the big rounds into 3 or 4 slabs...
From there on... I own them!!!
:hell_boy:

 

[Nosmo]

Elm is probably the most available tree where I live (in the city). I split it with no problem with my splitter.

But -- if I had no splitter and did not want to noodle the 12 in or larger pieces here is what I would do. I'd cookie them. This means to cut the log in pieces across the grain . I'd make these about 3 or 4 inches thick. They would season quickly and there would be no problem getting them into the stove.

Nosmo

 

[branchbuzzer]

Elm is probably the most available tree where I live (in the city). I split it with no problem with my splitter.

But -- if I had no splitter and did not want to noodle the 12 in or larger pieces here is what I would do. I'd cookie them. This means to cut the log in pieces across the grain . I'd make these about 3 or 4 inches thick. They would season quickly and there would be no problem getting them into the stove.

Nosmo

You can also cookie stuff to about 6 or 8", then split the cookies in half so you end up with Ds. Usually they can be split when that short unless they're supo big.

 

[ken45]

Oh heck, that doesn't look too bad!

I remember (not fondly) one piece that I had many years ago. I ended up with the maul, three wedges AND the axe stuck in it. And it was only about 8" in diameter!

Ken

 

[haveawoody]

Long ago before i got a splitter, with elm i just cut it into 6" long pieces, noodle them once and store it
all as night blocks.
Elm makes for really good overnight wood especially as blocks that mostly fill the wood stove.
No maul use at all and that was a good thing since rock elm is the bulk of the elm in my area.
Rock elm and maul go together like a stone axe and stone tree.
A sure fire combination to kill your will to live.

 

[charlesfarm]

Long ago before i got a splitter, with elm i just cut it into 6" long pieces, noodle them once and store it
all as night blocks.
Elm makes for really good overnight wood especially as blocks that mostly fill the wood stove.
No maul use at all and that was a good thing since rock elm is the bulk of the elm in my area.
Rock elm and maul go together like a stone axe and stone tree.
A sure fire combination to kill your will to live.

I sure wish we had more rock elm around here. I only had that one trunk of it a few years ago, but it sure burns hot and long! But you're right about the stone axe/stone tree combo! Most sources I could find put it at about 30 million BTU per cord ... on par with Shagbark Hickory, my personal favorite firewood!

 

[Shmudda]

Splits 100 cords per year......ELM??

Yea, Elm is a tough wood to split! Lets see that shmuck thats on Youtube split 100 cords a year of this stuff with a maul.......

I hate to split it, but it sure burns good. In the end, I do win though!!

Craig

 

[Hedgerow]

I sure wish we had more rock elm around here. I only had that one trunk of it a few years ago, but it sure burns hot and long! But you're right about the stone axe/stone tree combo! Most sources I could find put it at about 30 million BTU per cord ... on par with Shagbark Hickory, my personal favorite firewood!

I don't think we got any "Rock" Elm around here...
What's its scientific name???:msp_confused: