Working with Elm

[Allen Schmid]

I am wondering if any of you have worked much with Elm? A buddy called me up yesterday and had 2 large elm trees that he had just brought down, wondering how it is to work as it does seem to be a bit "stringy" from what I saw of some of the split wood.
Any input would be helpful.
Allen
PS I did collect some great looking great wood and especially crotch grain

[robert hainstock]

Take up golf! Hateful stuff to try to do much with, though old timey furniture makers used it to mimic oak. lottsa luck!:mad:

[John Hart]

I have a vase rough-out that I've not finish turned. Mainly because it cracked while drying. But I bet it would have been alright if I had covered it while it dried. As I recall, it wasn't bad to turn....kinda non-descript as far as grain pattern. Very light colored...almost white. Not much of an ingrain.

That's about all I can remember.

[Brian Brown]

There are lot's of varieties of elm. I have seen some samples of "elm" that are beautiful. but most don't say what variety. Do they all look and turn the same? I ask because my grandmother has two Chineese elms she would like me to cut down. One even has a burl growing on it. Just my luck, I'll get the beasts down, and the burl will be rotten.

Brian

[Paul Engle]

I did a couple of 12" bowls from some really dry Elm, boy the smell in the shop was about as close to heaven as one can get on planet earth, great to turn and finish. I think you are gonna want the whole tree especally the crotch pieces and stump, ... wish I could get more but around here most of it was gone long ago....:(. I finished mine in Formby's tung oil finish and buffed on the lathe then coated the inside with SALAD BOWL finish.

[John Bartley]

Please keep in mind that I am a complete newbie at wood turning, only having a few months of enjoyment at it so far, but here is my take on Elm::

Green (fresh cut) Elm turns like a dream - long curly shavings, smooth surfaces, lovely stuff. We recently had two Elm trees removed between us and our neighbour. I collected a few pieces and have roughed out a couple of bowls.

Dry Elm is quite hard, but not any harder than the dry Cherry I tried when I first bought my lathe. I was given a few pieces of spalted dead Elm a few weeks ago and while it wasn't completely dry, it was pretty close. Even so, I had no problems turning it. The only troubles I had were solely related to my inability and inexperience as a turner.

Here's a couple of pic's :

First, a NE bowl roughed from dead standing spalted Elm :

http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u205/JohnBartley/WoodWorking/TenthBowl/th_006.jpg (http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u205/JohnBartley/WoodWorking/TenthBowl/006.jpg)

Second, a platter roughed from the same wood::

http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u205/JohnBartley/WoodWorking/EighthBowl/th_002.jpg (http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u205/JohnBartley/WoodWorking/EighthBowl/002.jpg)

Finally an NE bowl rough turned from a fresh cut Elm block::

http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u205/JohnBartley/WoodWorking/SeventhBowl/th_002.jpg (http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u205/JohnBartley/WoodWorking/SeventhBowl/002.jpg)

Give it a try. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

cheers eh?

[Ron Fleice]

I have turned quite a few bowls in Elm...From a tree that had died on my property (there is another one ready to go soon) I find it ok to work with and some surprises in figuring once your into it..finishes nicely here is a pic of one bowl
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/Ronluc/Bowls004.jpg
Ron

[TYLER WOOD]

See some of my older posts for a couple of pieces from chinese elm spalted burl. It's great stuff. Probably my favorite flavor to turn so far!!

[John Taylor]

HI

I love Elm, beutiful to work and takes a great finish, but I also like working with oak.:D

If you have got some burr in it it is wonderful stuff.

john

[Bernie Weishapl]

Depends on which Elm. I have worked with Elm we have here in the midwest and I will generally take all I can get. It is great turning and have not had a problem with it cracking when using the DNA soaking. I have turned probably 20 bowls or more out of it and not one lost to cracking.

[Reed Gray]

Elm was a favorite of the windsor chair makers. It has a strange interlocking grain that makes it resistant to cracking and splitting. I have turned some pieces out of it. Wet it tends to smell like the cats have been spraying it. Dry, it has an aroma that reminds me of river bottoms areas, very pleasant. The grain is interesting, the wood is fairly light weight, and it will soak up a lot of oil. The color, in the light brown to tan spectrum here, doesn't sell well for me.
robo hippy

[Jim Becker]

I've only turned one piece from some form of elm a few years ago. It cut just fine, but the smell was, umm...unpleasant...like something a dog left behind on the curb, if you get my meaning.

[Allen Schmid]

Thanks everybody, lots of great responses.
I'll see what happens with my lot of free wood,
might even be able to take and place a photo or two.
Allen