# Wood I.D. Please. "Stringy"



## DexterDay (Jun 9, 2011)

Lets just say, when I started to split it. I knew it was NOT, what I thought it was. Was Dead Standing for 2 yrs now. No leaves for I.D.

This is the 1st Wood I have split, that put a strain on the ol'splitter. That's how I know its something hard. It's Pretty dry, most the bark is peeling off. But its really hard and "Stringy". A few pics of Fresh Splits, the Tree itself, and Rounds.


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## mainstation (Jun 9, 2011)

You have yourself some Elm.


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## Thistle (Jun 9, 2011)

Yup. American or as its sometimes called White or Piss Elm.Lock your fingers together & try to pull them apart - that gives you an idea of that interlocked grain.Before I sold my splitter 9 yrs ago the only thing that made it stall was some 12" to 24"  diameter Elm.Green or standing dead,didnt really make much difference either.


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## DexterDay (Jun 9, 2011)

mainstation said:
			
		

> You have yourself some Elm.



Is this considered "Good" firewood? Seems like a Hardwood.. (On to do a google search now)... Thought after 2 yrs of standing dead it would be like Butter. Nope. Nastiest stuff I have split yet. WOW


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## amateur cutter (Jun 9, 2011)

Decent firewood, burns fairly hot, but doesn't last as long as oak or hard maple. I will take it when I can get it. It also seasons fairly quickly. You'll probably like it other than the splitting. A C


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## ecocavalier02 (Jun 9, 2011)

elm brings back bad memories of hand splitting


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## lukem (Jun 9, 2011)

That be some elm.  It is stingy indeed.  Far from the worst fuel once you get it css.


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## Shari (Jun 9, 2011)

Nothing wrong with burning Elm for firewood.  If you have a hydraulic splitter it makes it easier to get from rounds to splits.


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## weatherguy (Jun 9, 2011)

According to this chart, its soso. I wouldnt want any unless I had a hydraulic splitter.

http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm


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## Intheswamp (Jun 9, 2011)

In a very quiet voice, with a slight tremor followed by hysterical laughter....ELM 

Did I mention it's been known to murder a 22-ton splitter?  %-P
Best wishes,
Ed


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## Wood Duck (Jun 9, 2011)

Elm is good firewood. Only problem is that it is a pain to split.


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## Backwoods Savage (Jun 9, 2011)

Ah yes, welcome to the wonderful world of elm. We usually burn some every year and we like it except for the splitting.

I'll repeat again, we like to leave the elm standing until the bark is off. Then it not only splits easier but also burns better because it is not so stringy.


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## smokinj (Jun 9, 2011)

Good thing you have a hydro!


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## firefighterjake (Jun 9, 2011)

No doubt . . . American elm. Quite honestly, this is among the best burning wood I have access to other than some sugar maple . . . no oak, hickory or black locust for me sadly. My wife likes elm for its stringiness since the strings tend to ignite quite easily on a reload. Me, I don't mind splitting it since I have a hydraulic splitter . . . when standing dead for several years with the bark completely off some pieces will split pretty easily and cleanly.


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## Thistle (Jun 9, 2011)

Its tough to split but I still get some every year if its sound & not spongy.Not as good as the Red/White Oak or Hickory I'm normally cutting,but definetly worth bringing in from the field.Most what I've been finding the past couple yrs has been 8"-10" diameter dead standing,very little splitting needed.All the bigger older ones are pretty much gone now.Nice to have some of those bigger rounds for overnight burning or when I'm at work all day.


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## gzecc (Jun 9, 2011)

DexterDay said:
			
		

> Lets just say, when I started to split it. I knew it was NOT, what I thought it was. Was Dead Standing for 2 yrs now. No leaves for I.D.
> 
> This is the 1st Wood I have split, that put a strain on the ol'splitter. That's how I know its something hard. It's Pretty dry, most the bark is peeling off. But its really hard and "Stringy". A few pics of Fresh Splits, the Tree itself, and Rounds.



Very timely for me. I just turned down some rounds that I assumed were elm when I tried to split them manually.  I hit it and hit it, and hit it and hit it, and nothing. This was a 10" round without wyes or knots. Looked just like you picture.


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## DexterDay (Jun 9, 2011)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> Ah yes, welcome to the wonderful world of elm. We usually burn some every year and we like it except for the splitting.
> 
> I'll repeat again, we like to leave the elm standing until the bark is off. Then it not only splits easier but also burns better because it is not so stringy.



    It was Dead standing for 2 yrs Dennis. The bark has all but come off a few piece's. What didn't fall off when the chainsaw hit it, came off when it met the splitter. That's some Gnarly stuff. About 60% doesn't need to be split. I am keeping anything in the 7-8" range unsplit and in round form. No sense in splitting it, if I don't have to. I remember someone on here saying that the 30 likes really Big Splits and Rounds. In the 8-10" Range. Going smaller for my 1st year with the stove. Keeping most around 6-8". Till I get acclimated to it.

     This wood is pretty dry. The M/C level on fresh cut pine sends my meter (General/Over 50%) off the charts. Highest reading I got was on the Rounds at the bottom. They were about 40%. Parts at the top are around 30%. Give or Take a little. Not to bad. Just makes the splitter work a little bit.


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## Shari (Jun 9, 2011)

One thing I can say about my little 12T splitter is I haven't really had too much trouble splitting Elm - and I get some large diameters at times.  I just shave off from the sides and whittle it down - never take a center cut on a large diameter round.  What is fun (not!) is when I get into a 'wind twist' piece.  That's where the tree was damaged by a wind storm and the trunk 'twisted'.  You can't see this from the outer bark but when you go to split it's like trying to split a corkscrew.


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## chvymn99 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yep, I'm currently splitting some red elm, from a scrounge.  I'm loving the smell of this elm, while splitting it.  Stringy, till the very end, but seems to be very good looking wood, but hydraulic is mandatory.  I've never burnt the stuff, but it looks like it should burn pretty good, when seasoned.  Good Luck


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## golfandwoodnut (Jun 9, 2011)

I am a hand splitter, I avoid that stuff.


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## Flatbedford (Jun 9, 2011)

Devil wood! being a hand splitter, I leave Elm to rot in the woods.


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## NordicSplitter (Jun 9, 2011)

American Elm it is!!...Makes excellent coals. Lucky you. Enjoy


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## Woody Stover (Jun 10, 2011)

DexterDay said:
			
		

> This wood is pretty dry. The M/C level on fresh cut pine sends my meter (General/Over 50%) off the charts. Highest reading I got was on the Rounds at the bottom. They were about 40%. Parts at the top are around 30%. Give or Take a little. Not to bad. Just makes the splitter work a little bit.


That still sounds pretty wet. If you're planning to burn it this year, better split small and hope for the best.
Elm I had last year had been drying since June, but still wasn't completely dry. It was split about 5-6".


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## oldspark (Jun 10, 2011)

Is that American Elm or some other Elm, all our American Elms died 30 years ago and that same (OP pictures) sprouts up every where and gets about 30 ft or so high and then dies. I thought is was some other variety but may be not. And I concur good middle of the road wood but pain in the a$$ to split by hand.


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## Backwoods Savage (Jun 10, 2011)

DexterDay said:
			
		

> Backwoods Savage said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Dexter, you are wise for leaving a lot of rounds and they won't take long to dry either. You will like the way the rounds burn too; much better than the splits.


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