I believe what we have here is American elm. It does not grow very big before it dies. I can remember a time when it did but back in the 50's dutch elm disease hit here big time and elm died all over the place. Now it sometimes dies before it gets to the 6" size. It is extremely odd to get one to the 18" size. I have one now that is about 14" but is about dead already. Have several that need cutting too as all the bark has fallen off. That really makes great firewood.
Nice haul! I’ve only had one elm to my knowledge,took forever to dry! Always thought free was good, or low fee for someones saw work. For 10 bucks a trailer full of black locust that’s not likely to need splitting, just cutting to lengths. Whatever means to justify wood in the stove and less $ from your pocket to “the man”.
I can see what you mean because some don’t have tractors or other heavy equipment help for loading or unloading. Sometimes I wonder if someone will devise a plan to hook up a splitter to their trailer by tongue or the like. Problem would be to need to bolster the business end of that trailer to support extra weight and then let the ground do its work. Hope I’m just opening up a can of worms on this idea but its only an adaptive suggestion for anyone remotely interested in pursuing said project.
I understand what you are saying and it sounds like a good plan to me. Ive got grand plans to mount a cherry picker on my splitter to do the heavy lifting. Seems like ideas, wood and intentions pile up, but time never does.
In my experience, the wood not being dry enough isn't the reason clinkers happen. It's due to different minerals in the soil, that the tree soaked up with the water. My moisture meters agree and I've never put any elm in my stove that was over 20% MC, yet I get clinkers from American elm here. The other day, I cut some dead standing American elm and even at the base it was 16.5% MC.
The red maple I'm burning is 4 years seasoned. I get "clinkers" with it. I never noticed clinkers with red maple that sat a normal amount of time. ( 1 -2 years ) The most "clinkers" I got with red oak was with the dead standing that was dry, dry, dry. Tube stove not burning low to take advantage of a catalyst's ability to burn less intensely. Dunno if that makes a difference or not. There was a clinker thread not too long ago. Was there a noticeable trend amongst tube/hybrid/catalyst owners that could point to stove type/ burning method/ fuel type ?
I've gotten clinkers when burning wet and dry wood both...especially Elm...and it seems to be a mineral thing to me as the various species that I cut from one particular farm seemed to have them with a greater tendency then I've seen elsewhere before.
I've never had Siberian Elm pop on me. It always seems to burnt slow and steady but I always make sure it's dry after 2/3 years. The people calling it piz elm aren't letting it dry imo.
I have been burning Siberian win since I had a tree service drop off a couple cords for free a couple years ago. I like how it burns. IME, neither Siberian or American elm pop. Siberian elm splits a whole lot easier than American elm.
You’re telling like it is, absolutely. Seems like a marketable thing for sellers and hoarders alike. Ideas like this can just come from musings such as yours. Others like to innovate from another borrowed idea like IBC Totes and how they become multipurpose containers.
What some of us deduced that it was hardwoods that really become an issue, elm for some make the biggest issues. Also there’s agreement that certain stoves are likely at fault for their dog or air channel/secondary air valve creates an area where these clinkers form more often as the crystals of mineral matter bonding together more often with the heat. Mine was a different species (white garry oak) but also wonder if other stoves that have intake air that is more higher up in the firebox would it make a difference in the formation. Don’t wanna derail your thread here but just something to keep in mind if you’re gonna burn it in a few years Gavorosalini
No worries man. The clinkers really dont affect anything to me, just noticeable. The minerals reacting with heat makes sense. As long as they dont build up in the flue, im good.
Starting cutting pieces to size today. Got the truck done and a few pieces of trailer done too. Hated to stack it, but didnt know what else to. Definitely feel others pain on hitting metal. Saw went from puking out 2-3" ribbons to dust. Found an old nail and back to the sharpener. Lots of wood there, I'll be busy for a while lads. Theres a stack of smaller rounds behind the big hunks too. Also, rutted up the yard quite a bit. Whats ok with a 6000lb truck is not ok with a 14000lb trailer, doh!
Spent a little time noodling the massive honkers down this weekend. Also stopped and asked about some maple on Saturday. Went and picked up a load today. Turns out I went to school with the guy dropping the trees and the gal who lived there. Small world.
Had sometime today to mount the crane onto the splitter. Need some outriggers or some sort of support in the back and I'll be saving my back in no time.
