Anyone Burn Elm ...

[clemsonfor]

Sadly, the big elms that were on the streets where my Grandmother grew up in Modesto, Ca, are all gone. Disease hit some; the city took them all out. The front yard of the old family home looks naked without the big old tress I remember. I used to go with my Grandmother, to visit my great Grandmother frequently when I was a kid.

My wife and I were talking about it. Too bad so many cities created a monoculture along the streets and sidewalks, planting just one species of trees in a lot of cases.

I have not had the oppotunity to cut any. I can tell you though, the Gray Pine we have in the central Sierra foothils(called the gray pine belt...) are aweful to cut, and worse to split. And, worse to burn. Soft wood, but yucky grain and sap.

I did grow up at Elm and Hazel. In Orangevale, Ca, when founded, it was very agricultural. Many of the streets were named for trees; Elm, Hazel, Pecan, Chestnut, Almond...

in mccormick they have streets named for trees as well, i think that is faily commen for towns

 

[MossRoad]

Looking at the BTU chart, it looks to be fairly decent, not white oak category but not bad...


Which Firewood Give the Most Heat Firewood Guide BTU Rating Chart

Is it just me or is that about a lousy chart! :laughing: It is not organized in alphabetical, species, BTU, ratings or any other order that I can think of! :laughing:

Here's links to a couple more that are a bit more organized... :thumbsup:

Sweep's Library - Firewood BTU Comparison Charts

wood heat value (BTU)

 

[Car Doc]

I burn Elm all winter every year mostly because its so readily available plus I like it just fine. The stringiness is only because its green, buck it now and split it next year you will like it I bet and it splits like anything else at that point.

I leave my green wood lay intact and then come fall the following year I buck and split it and after a month of airing out its perfect to burn normally will be less than 5% moisture around my area its that way anyway.

 

[forgeblast]

man I wish i could find some morrels I keep looking. That lack of moisture to cool is a real issue, when I do cut dead wood i max my oil setting.

 

[scott_vt]

Is it just me or is that about a lousy chart! :laughing: It is not organized in alphabetical, species, BTU, ratings or any other order that I can think of! :laughing:

Good Evenin Moss,
Thanks that chart its much better, I saved it to my favorites !

I burn Elm all winter every year mostly because its so readily available plus I like it just fine. The stringiness is only because its green, buck it now and split it next year you will like it I bet and it splits like anything else at that point.

.

Good Evenin Car Doc,
Thanks for your input and tip !

 

[madpogue]

I burn Elm all winter every year mostly because its so readily available plus I like it just fine. The stringiness is only because its green, buck it now and split it next year you will like it I bet and it splits like anything else at that point.

+1; I have only a hand hydraulic (Horrible Freight) splitter, and just-bucked elm is a PITA with all that sinewy stringy stuff. Give it a year (keep it dry), and it'll split a lot smoother (still doesn't "pop" like oak).

 

[bdeboer]

It does a number on your chainsaw blades too.

I've got a couple of dead standing red elms that I have been putting off cutting just for this reason.

 

[DJ4wd]

Ive never even noticed a difference betwen dry and green wood when cutting it. I hand sharpen all my saws and always have the oiler turned up.

 

[Loren49]

I burned lots of elm years ago - it burns well when seasoned. Split it all with an ax years ago - it was not fun! Sure would have been nice to have have had my wood splitter back then.

Loren

 

[jimmyj]

I just remembered I used to wait till the middle of winter when the elm was frozen solid to split it back in the day when I used a maul. Frozen wood splits easier.

 

[MossRoad]

Ive never even noticed a difference betwen dry and green wood when cutting it. I hand sharpen all my saws and always have the oiler turned up.

You ever cut dry black locust at dusk? You can watch the sparks fly!

I notice a huge difference between green and seasoned locust.

 

[madpogue]

You ever cut dry black locust at dusk? You can watch the sparks fly!

Aha, that explains it. Half a black locust came down in the back yard (in town) a few years ago, and bucking it didn't seem like a big deal. Gave most of the wood to a friend in need, but I've been using a coupla leftover pieces as bar/chain testers, and indeed, lately it's been tough as nails and occ. throws a spark.

Interesting how some species get harder to buck, but easier to split, as they dry.

 

[Car Doc]

You can watch the sparks fly!

Dry hedge is that way too that's some mean stuff in more ways than one the thorns are a killer too just like locust, dang good wood though well worth the effort.

 

[MossRoad]

I suspect it catches sand in its bark and absorbs it as it grows or something. Crazy to see. Most times it is hardly noticeable, but sometimes it throws so many sparks it makes you wonder if you oiling system has failed!

 

[Car Doc]

Agreed :thumbsup:

 

[DJ4wd]

You ever cut dry black locust at dusk? You can watch the sparks fly!

I notice a huge difference between green and seasoned locust.

Nope never did cut it that late in the day..COOL! lol

 

[MossRoad]

Nope never did cut it that late in the day..COOL! lol

It is fascinating to see all of the different types of wood, trees, etc... out there. So many types mentioned here that I have never seen, either.

 

[MDM]

I burn Red Elm almost exclusively. There is a lot of it on our farm. The dead trees lose their bark, but can stand for years, and they don't seem to rot. Each year, a couple of good wind storms will blow down more than enough for me. They can lay for a several years too, before they even begin to rot. The dead stuff dries really fast once it's split. I love burning Red Elm - very little ashes too. Started the first fire of the season today. Once it gets cold and stays cold in December, the fire in the old Brunco will not go out till March.