Been burning a lot of Elm lately because as winter actually found some teeth this year, I have burned through the first wood shed too point where the 3 year old ash is. And you know what? I don't like this stuff anymore. It creates so much more ash for each load I have to shovel every other day. Furthermore it is harder to light. I was happy to have it a few years ago I figured after 3+ years of seasoning it would be exceptional. It's just not. I m normally of if it burns I like it mentality but I have soured on this stuff.
thats the way i feel about cherry... after burning 3-4 cords the last couple years. the amount of ash i get from cherry is redonculous! 3-4 times what i get from oak.
Exactly what I was thinking. There's a lot of differences between the elms. I really like american elm. The Siberian elm is definitely not as good btu wise, but it's a lot better at holding a fire and coaling than pine is. Speaking of which.... I need to get into the woods and cut that one elm that I've been talking about forever. That 1 tree will probably make half of my firewood for next year as it's dead standing and barkless. Ash and silver maple will get mixed in with the elm.
I have no complaints when it comes to American elm. Sometimes it gets a little punk and will make more ash. But it’s good stuff in my book. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I burn a lot of Cherry, it's all around me, it provides free heat, so I go with it. I do know what you mean about the ash though TD. I get a lot of American Elm that I do not shy away from either, again free heat. I had to work with whatever I could to get to the 3yr. plan, now I'm onto the 4 yr. plan.
Elms are not my specialty ... And I couldn't tell specifically. It was an enormous tree with a trunk easily 3 feet in diameter. Stringy at times wood, bugger to split. I can post some pictures and you all can play ye Olde krauts wood guessing game. LOL.
Never burned a single round here. A lot of woods I think are inherently valuable for there looks as furniture or trim... And those I feel bad burning.. Oak, walnut, Ipe (long story) etc.... I would probably feel like that with cherry. Anyway Grandpa was a hell of wood worker as well as a farmer ... Lotta guilt about burning gorgeous wood .
Never had elm that was hard to light. Usually lights off quickly and if there are some stringy spots that just helps to light off quicker. Never noticed excessive ash from it either. Perhaps you have a different type of elm there.
Whatever elm I have makes a lot of ash and it takes a long while to get going. Because of the ash, it holds coals longer than anything else I've tried. I can easily get a no-kindling relight 16 hours later, sometimes longer. Perfect when I want a long low burn or when I know I want a quick easy morning relight. Burning some now. Horses for courses.
When I first started with firewood before WWII ( ) the tree and road crews would bring all the diseased Elms they had to get rid of. I tried to split the butts the usual way in the center like other woods that grow straight along the grain. The guys would chuckle at the stupid splitting that did not work. Took a long while before I figured out that Elm splits 'tangentially' along the rings in slabs. The growth follows the sun ( Apple is similar). They'd stand around pointing and chuckling. Humbling, but learning to slab split Elm.
Funny you mention this, I started out this year burning mostly all Oak as its all I had dry on hand, then I started slowly burning ash and pine and I find myself shoveling ash twice as much burning that stuff.
I loaded the stove really full of elm last night. Set the air control low and went to bed. Threw in 2 or 3 small pieces this morning at 0600 and forgot to turn it down. The stove has been sitting full air for 16 hours and after sifting this is the coal bed. It is a lot of ash to deal with, but a quick sift is a lot easier than re-kindling a new fire in a cold stove.
