American Elm

[jeff...]

Has anyone made any pieces out of American elm? I just sliced up some beautiful 5/4 American Elm crotch. The grain pattern in most of the boards is red and purple with what looks to be feathers in the figure. I gave away the best looking board to one of my son's friends who wants to make a guitar out of it.

Was wondering if there is any thing special about working it or if anyone has worked with it before and could give some pointers. I do know one thing, the boards that came off the mill are heavy, very hard, seem to be real strong.

 

[DaveO]

Ulmus americana is a very rare tree to be found in any significant size. Dutch Elm disease (a fungal disease) has just about decimated the population. I grew up in a suburban neighborhood where the Elm trees created a canopy over the street, shading it and reducing the summer temperatures at least 10°. I have never worked with it due to it's rarity, but if you have some, it's quite a find, like American Chestnut. Here's some info on the tree:

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=41

http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/american_elm.htm

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/ulmus/americana.htm

Dave

 

[mshel]

Dave,

Since you are the resident horticulturist, help me identify a tree outside my shop.

Characteristics:

Bark looks like birch
Has small ball shaped thingies which are not spiney but if you crush one, it looks like cotton ( I think they are small seeds or something)

Must be 30 40 feet tall

If I think of it I will take a pic of it tomorrow.

MIke

 

[DaveO]

It could be this:
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=36

or this:

http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/aginfo/trees/handbook/th-3-111.pdf

A picture of leaf , bark and fruit would make it a positive identification

Dave

 

[mshel]

Dave,

This looks close. BTW, is this any good for anything?


http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=36

 

[DaveO]

I think it is a rather soft wood, often growing near sources of water. A fast growth rate generally doesn't yield the best lumber. Here is another opinion of it:
http://www.hardwood.org/species_guide/display_species.asp?species=sycamore

http://www.woodenbridgeinc.com/docs/wood_properties.pdf

It might be better than I think :eusa_thin

HTH, Dave

 

[mshel]

Great info, Don't think it will be coming down anytime soon, but should it loose a nice limb or something, I might just dry it out and see what I can make of it. The guy I rent my shop from ask me if I wanted it down but it sure throws nice shade and in that metal bldg, I will need it this summer.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[mshel]

BTW Jeff, sorry about hijacking this thread.

Mike

 

[DaveO]

Wait and see the mess it can make this fall. Sycamore is known to have the largest leaf of all American tree species 8-O

Dave

 

[jeff...]

Dave - Thanks for the info... What about bowl / vase turners - there are a number of huge branches out there too. Actually I had to leave the butt log and nabbed the two limbs right above the crotch, one was 18" in dia and about 9' long, the other is about 14" and almost 11 foot long. I really would like to go back after the butt log, it's a good 36" dia and about 18' long, but the guy was real peculiar about me "messing up" his yard with my pick up. Maybe I should take him a load of dirt and some grass seed after it dries out some as a thank you? From what I could tell when the tree fell over it took the root ball with it, so I'm gussing it was recent wind damage.

Wanted to show some pics, the old saying a picture speak 1000 words I believe applies here...

 

[mshel]

Jeff,

Beautiful grain patterns. That will make a nice something as soon as it drys. Any ideas on what you will make with it?

Mike

 

[Steve D]

Wow...nice grain. That could turn out to be quite a score; especially if you can get the butt log too.

 

[D L Ames]

Wow, nice looking grain pattern there Jeff. Is this the first stuff you milled with your new Wood Mizer?

D L

 

[jeff...]

Yeah this is the first 2 logs milled with the new wood mizer. Some wild looking grain in that elm crotch, I guess I'm amused easily. Have no idea what I'm going to do with the lumber, but I'm going to try and pick up the main trunk, if I can. That should more than double what's already there.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

 

[sapwood]

Beautiful Jeff!

And yeah . . . what DaveO said, like "under the spreading chesnut tree" :roll: Their wide canopy makes for an excellent shade tree.

Don't ask how I know this :eusa_shhh but two "taverns" in Chapel Hill have outdoor decks shaded by large elms. One is Lucy's on Henderson St and the other is Pantana Bob's at Rosemary and Church Sts. Nice places to enjoy a beer and the shade of an elm

Sapwood

 

[Mark Anderson]

i have been laoking large logs by my self for some time now, i might be willing to give ya a hand loading up the log, for a few boards and limb croches (i just got a lathe), do you have a photo of the but log where it lays now? can you get a trailer near it?

mda

 

[jeff...]

Mark, Thanks for your offer, I just may take you up on it. It's been too wet to go back after it. I stopped by a few weeks ago and looked at it again with the owner. I'm going to have to wait till it dries out some. I can get a trailer right up too it, the guy just don;t want me messing up his yard, with my truck.

i have been laoking large logs by my self for some time now, i might be willing to give ya a hand loading up the log, for a few boards and limb croches (i just got a lathe), do you have a photo of the but log where it lays now? can you get a trailer near it?

mda