In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

And what about Elm?

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by Lastmohecken, May 10, 2021.

  1. The Wood Wolverine

    The Wood Wolverine

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    They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some people love that. I do not. :zip:
     
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  2. The Wood Wolverine

    The Wood Wolverine

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    Maybe it’s regional?
     
  3. Horkn

    Horkn

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    I think it's a regional thing. Has to do with the minerals in the soil.

    I get clinkers in my stove when I burn elm. I also get them sometimes with ash. Not often, but it happens from time to time.
     
  4. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

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    I get the same from Oak and even Ash sometimes too...
     
  5. Eric Wanderweg

    Eric Wanderweg

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    I pulverize any clinkers I get and it all goes into the garden beds with the rest of my wood ash. My plants thrive on it :thumbs:
     
  6. billb3

    billb3

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    Some people actually work outside when it is cold enough to have a fire going inside. Swamp maple (red maple) 'smoke' doesn't smell so great either.
     
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  7. JCMC

    JCMC

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    This?
    IMG_20200916_134035339.jpg
    Green Elm.
     
  8. Horkn

    Horkn

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  9. The Wood Wolverine

    The Wood Wolverine

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  10. Erik B

    Erik B

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    I have started cutting up some dead elm to use while some of my oak dries. It does split easily with my Speeco.
     
  11. RobGuru

    RobGuru

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    JCMC Yikes. I have the same splitter, but I guess I did not have the same elm! I had a little bit of stringing up, but nothing like that! On the positive side, more surface area for drying and more surface area to light on fire!
     
  12. JCMC

    JCMC

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    Yes that piece of elm was cut the same day I split it very gnarly! I have split Elm before that split easy but it was seasoned before I split it.
     
  13. Lastmohecken

    Lastmohecken

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    I have noodled quite a bit. I must say, I don't mind noodling. I only split by hand, so if it's difficult, I noodle, no matter what the species. Plus, I like the shavings for bedding, in my dog pens, and I also used it for fire starting.
     
  14. Lastmohecken

    Lastmohecken

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    I ended up noodling up some of the elm, just because I knew it wouldn't burn very good in the brush pile we made, since it was of fair sized diameter. My brother in law helped me with his grappler on his Kubota, and we piled the rest of it up along with several cedar trees. I will burn it all one of these days. I saved some of the bigger cedar, also. All total about a face cord of wood, cut split and stacked, and a big brush pile left in the field to burn. Farm cleanup: every little bit helps.
     
  15. Eckie

    Eckie

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    I imagine the smell depends on which type of elm, much like oak-ie red vs white? We have American, slippery and winged elm here, but I've never studied them hard enough to say anything other than "elm".. I've never cut much elm in the past, but just got into some the other day from February's ice storm damage, and figured I'd process it since so many here say it's decent to good (or better) firewood. I cut a few pieces off a volleyball sized limb the other day to test a saw, and have to say it smelt like dog chit. I was a bit surprised...and no, i did not step in a pile, I checked.
     
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  16. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    I've had other woods in our stove make some hard clumps too. Haven't burned any of the elm we got.
     
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  17. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    My co-worker had an elm fall in his yard. I don't know which variety it was, but do know the Spanish moss on it was the DEBIL...worse than the strands of Kevlar in chaps... 0420201556.jpg
    We got almost a trailer load, it was green when we got it. 0420201710_HDR.jpg
    We dumped it and let it set in the GA sun for about 5 months, bark fell off, split good with hydro.
    https://youtube.com/shorts/tvbY8v9oNPk?feature=share
     
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  18. Wouldsplitter

    Wouldsplitter

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    The best way to split it is to split with the grain of the wood. don't try to take a round and split it right down the middle you'll fight it and its very stringy. The best way is to go along the outsides until you have about a 4-6 inch dia round left, that was originally the center of the round. I hope that makes sense.