Using Elm

[junkyard]

In the early sixties I worked for an oil and coal dealer. We cut some ellm shakes twenty nine inches long quarter inch on the small end inch and five eights on the thick end. for the wall of a back bar. All quarter sawn by eye with a chain saw.  Cut the sample the guy loved it, cut the order it laid on stickers in the barn for five years. Then the boss burned it in his fire place.As said before horse stall planks ( flooring)  Wagon hubs these the old blacksmith in town burned also used some as kniver (double sleigh that steered on both ends )  runners. I had a stake rack truck with elm bottom  sock the motor oil to it and it would last forever.
                                Junkyard

[metalspinner]

Thurlow,
My sawyer is an ol' timer and he calls it "ellum".  Here are some pics of an American elm my friend gave me off his property.  Dutch Elm disease took it a couple years ago.  I think it was 50" on the butt end and 18' long. 8)  This was the "baby" elm on his property.  The big one is close to six feet across. Yikes!

I haven't made anything from it yet, but it's out of the kiln and dryed O.K.

[Greg]

Thurlow,
My sawyer is an ol' timer and he calls it "ellum".  Here are some pics of an American elm my friend gave me off his property.  Dutch Elm disease took it a couple years ago.  I think it was 50" on the butt end and 18' long. 8)  This was the "baby" elm on his property.  The big one is close to six feet across. Yikes!

I haven't made anything from it yet, but it's out of the kiln and dryed O.K.

Cool pics. Thanks.

It is my vague understanding that the chair makers hew out their chair seats using only green wood blanks, 2" or more in thickness.

I've also got a guy I know looking to buy small round sections of elm. He wants to build miniature wagon wheel hubs for a boy scout project. I wonder if Amurican or Slippery/Red was used for wagon wheel hubs, or if there is any difference for this purpose.

Got lots of elms on my place, some dead, some dying, some huge and healthy looking !
Greg

[SPIKER]

I have some slippery & american elms mostly dead/dieing on myplace too, north cent ohio.   somes lipery elms wer ok but downedi in last yrs ice storm.   posted a few pics in the gallery of them.    one has the bugs shown that are the eml killers. :(

nice wood I want to make into flooring for my house eventually...

anyone know how long the standing dead ones will be OK for prior to becoming un-useable ?  checking and best method of sawing for flooring is susposed to ne wuarter saws correct?


markM

[SwampDonkey]

I would saw as soon as possible. My uncle cut a yard tree down in the summer of '93 and in a couple of months the toad stools were growing out of the ends of the cut sections. It spoils quicker than ash in my experience.

[jrokusek]

anyone know how long the standing dead ones will be OK for prior to becoming un-useable ?  checking and best method of sawing for flooring is susposed to ne wuarter saws correct?

markM

Before I got bit by the wood bug my dad and I cut down a bunch of elm for firewood (it was all American or Chinese elm - at least that's what we called it).  Most had been in the process of dying for 5+ years.  Most of the trees had one or two of the lower branches that were still alive but probably over 90% of what was left was dead and in poor shape.

When we cut them down the tops were mostly dry.  The lower part of the trunks were loaded with sap!  It looked like someone was pouring water on the saw as we made the initial cuts!   Anyway, as we got cutting it was obvious that there were red and pink streaks in the wood.  Knowing what I know now I want to turn one of my legs arouond and kick myself in the butt - that stuff would have looked beautiful as lumber.  What really stands out in my mind is how wet the wood was.  It almost looked as if someone submerged the lower half of the tree in water.  I suppose that's what gave it the nice color.   My dad just burned the last of that elm this winter.    :-\