Red Elm- Good for furniture? (PIC)

[Jeremy Chisholm]

Local gent who runs a portable sawmill is offering kiln dried red elm for $2/bf. I've never used it- any opinions? (I've tried to search the forums but "elm" is too short a word and my searches get kicked back:rolleyes: ).

The reason I'm wondering...

49463


Looks purty', no?

[Alex Shanku]

For small words, do a search like this. --> "elm*"

[Jeremy Chisholm]

Thanks Alex.
JC

[Luther Oswalt]

Jeremy,
Check this site: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/Volume_2/ulmus/rubra.htm
Leo

[scott spencer]

I love the intricate contrasting grain of red elm. The wood is a bit "stalky" and is more difficult to sand than some, but it's workable and beautiful IMHO. Let it acclimate.

These pics don't reveal the detail of the ghost grains but it's very interesting wood to look at up close.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/hewood/000_0287.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/hewood/000_0281.jpg

[David Wilson]

I have used red elm to build a band saw box.





http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=27737&d=1134928129

[Mike Canaris]

Looks like red oak.

[lou sansone]

have not used it personally, but have been told that it has an interlocking grain and somewhat hard to process, but very strong.

[Dennis Peacock]

Yup. I have some. VERY Hard stuff and I can tell you that it is the most difficult of all the woods I've ever tried to dry and have it come out anywhere close to flat and straight. It's very pretty wood and finishes very well....but so far, I've only been able to salvage enough to make small items with that I could get straight and flat. :D

[Tom Sontag]

The grain of elm is very interlocked (if that is the right phrase), which makes it difficult to dry flat and hard to split for firewood. It also makes it strong and an ideal choice for things like chair seats.

Elm comes in red (American) and grey (Siberian, some others I think) and red is prettier IMO. It seems the grain is often a little wilder than red oak or ash; I think it usually has that something extra that can make a more open grain wood special.

Nice work Scott.

[Mike Parzych]

I've used it on one hall table and I personally like it a lot because it's so seldom seen in furniture these days. It's a "stringy" wood and sometimes can really bow after planing. Flexible and strong, it used to be the choice for making hockey stick blades.