That terrible Elm

[JBinKC]

Once you get to where you can spot Red Elm it will spoil you for splitting. It makes great heat too, Any other Elm, I pass on it if it wont fit in the stove. I split by hand and the effort it taKes for Am. Elm can be put to better uses. I think I would rather split forks and knots just about any other premium wood than a staright piece of Am. Elm.

Any wood that lays long enough that the sap sours will stink when it burns. rred Elm smells like cinnamon though wnen you split it and ginger when it burns.

No arguments with you there about American Elm. I also limit it to pieces I can fit in the stove as rounds or disks.

 

[mimilkman1]

Suppose I want to perk up a fire that's died down a little. What do I reach for?

You guessed it: Elm or maybe soft maple. Never kick elm out of bed for being a tough cookie to split. :censored:

That's exactly what I do. My pile for my OWB is outside and if I let my fire go a little too long without stoking I always try to keep a little dead elm without the bark or a stash of soft maple split into little chunks. Even green the soft maple will take off with little effort.

Kyle

 

[gink595]

Once you get to where you can spot Red Elm it will spoil you for splitting. It makes great heat too, Any other Elm, I pass on it if it wont fit in the stove. I split by hand and the effort it taKes for Am. Elm can be put to better uses. I think I would rather split forks and knots just about any other premium wood than a staright piece of Am. Elm.

Any wood that lays long enough that the sap sours will stink when it burns. rred Elm smells like cinnamon though wnen you split it and ginger when it burns.

Amen!

 

[Wood Doctor]

No arguments with you there about American Elm. I also limit it to pieces I can fit in the stove as rounds or disks.

+1! Many times I look at the big elm rounds and say, "Do I really need to split this beast?"

Shucks, an 8" dia. dry elm round will burn all night and heat the house with practically no other wood back up. Of course, she has to somehow fit through the stove's loading door and lie on a bed of hot coals. Can't blame her for that, can we? Then I add a couple more little companions to keep her company while she gives her all.

 

[mantis]

About half of my fire wood this year is Elm.Dutch elm got to them all.(I hope no dutch were offended by that statement)Dried out while standing, so it split just fine.I won't touch it green.It seems to me that green elm will burn hot but ashes up. If it is already dead and dry it leaves pretty good coals.
If you split it when green it is stringy.,but if dead and dry(bark fallen off) it is fine.I think that has something to do with the way it burns.

 

[McC]

Am elm is all I burn. Our farm has a couple thousand dead and live ones. They are about 35 years old, 24- 8" diam. The key to splitting it, I only use a hydraulic splitter, is to look for the cracks running lengthwise, and line them up with the wedge. It's still tough, but will split much better. A piece with a crotch in it might as well stay in the woods if it won't fit in the stove. The big stuff, just slab off the sides until you get down to the core. I like elm because you don't bring in bugs since it isn't rotten and full of ants, if you wait till the bark falls off.
Scott

 

[treevet]

I cut several standing dead elm trees down this summer as I seem to do every year. Last night I finished burning it, about 1 full cord. I split by hand and really like elm for good coals and how easy it starts. Splitting isn't the greatest but it gives me a good workout. An interesting observation(to me anyway) we keep talking about the bark being the determining factor for the amount of ash but all my elm trees' bark has already fallen off. I still have a plethra of ash to clean every few days. Any thoughts?

Get a lot of ash ( and creosote ) from banking the fire down.

 

[logbutcher]

Elm is split by slabs, from the outside in along the growth rings. Work it until you get to the heartwood and can't slab split it anymore. Time for the 30 ton splitter or Semtex. Not so bad once you get the hang of ring splitting.

 

[LTREES]

I do not have any elm, but have a shot to get a huge elm with 2+ cords in it. Will the 30" rounds split? do I split it green or after a year of drying? I am partial to oak, norway, ash, or walnut. Do I go for it or give it away?

LT...

 

[treevet]

I do not have any elm, but have a shot to get a huge elm with 2+ cords in it. Will the 30" rounds split? do I split it green or after a year of drying? I am partial to oak, norway, ash, or walnut. Do I go for it or give it away?

LT...

I wouldn't consider 30" dia a huge elm. At any rate I wouldn't consider anyone doing me a favor giving me a large elm. You might think about charging them a dump fee to take it but only if you have a approx 30 ton splitter and a lot of patience. I would be after the smaller dia stuff, but only if dead and bark is off or you have a lot of storage space at this time of year.

Some people like to split green elm frozen. I generally throw the big stuff out as I get mass wood. If I give it to someone that is taking free wood, if it is big stuff I would think I am screwing them over.

"Norway" maple? ... Good for starter wood.

 

[jonny2bad]

I do not have any elm, but have a shot to get a huge elm with 2+ cords in it. Will the 30" rounds split? do I split it green or after a year of drying? I am partial to oak, norway, ash, or walnut. Do I go for it or give it away?

LT...

Go for that tree ! If you have a good splitter it wont matter when its processed but i would buck it into rounds at least after falling. Some of those big ones you cant even get a very sharp maul to even stick in it... just bounces off it.. unbelievable, and besides its so heavy you have to cut in half or 3rds just to be able to put a chunk on the splitter.

 

[McC]

LTREES, leave the trunk, but take the limb wood.
Scott

 

[KsWoodsMan]

I do not have any elm, but have a shot to get a huge elm with 2+ cords in it. Will the 30" rounds split? do I split it green or after a year of drying? I am partial to oak, norway, ash, or walnut. Do I go for it or give it away?

LT...

Not easily unless it is Slippery Red Elm.
Best part about it is very little brush/forks and fairly straight limbs. I have the best luck ( by hand) when it is frozen or seasoned. The water in it absorbs the impact and the head of the axe. That is if it doesnt bounce off.