Anyone turned American Elm?

[steven carter]

My son is a golf course superintendent, and one of the benefits (besides free golf) is access to wood when trees die or are taken down. Yesterday he called and said they took down a dead American Elm, so last night I went and cut some off the trunk. It was about 20" in diameter, and the grain reminds me of oak, but the wood is not as heavy as oak. Has anyone out there turned this wood, and if so how did you find it to turn and also how did it finish?

Thanks,
Steve

[Brian Brown]

I have never truned it, so I don't know how well it turns, but I have seen the finished product from Am. Elm, and IMO, you got a major score!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Steven I have turned lots of it and really like turning it. It is a real beautiful wood in bowls, potpourri pots, and HF's. Not the best smelling wood but does turn nice. I use the DNA soaking and haven't lost one of them yet. The game warden here in town took down 4 of them last week. I got several logs 3 ft long and 20 to 24 inches in diameter. I am hoping to get some time to do some bowl coring with them. I ended up with about 30 big blanks. I would get all you could handle. See below for pic's of Elm.


http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=47025

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=33016

[Reed Gray]

It does smell like the cat has been spraying on it, but that goes away as the wood drys, I believe it is an enzyme that is responsible for the stink, rather than the wood going sour like cotten wood does. The old windsor chair makers liked it because of its interlocking grain made it very split/check resistant. It has beautiful color, but not really hard.
robo hippy

[John Bartley]

American Elm spalts nicely without going all punky and the spalting lines can be a solid black - very sharp! Sometimes, depending on the wood, you can get some light blue shading that seems to be in the background of the grain. Yes, it smells pretty bad and throws sap all over when turning green, but it dries nicely and seem to dry without cracking as long as you turn the pith out of it. (credit for the pun to B. Grumbine :) ).

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u205/JohnBartley/WoodWorking/EleventhBowl/007.jpg

cheers eh?

[Allen Neighbors]

American Elm is truly some nice turning wood. It is pretty stable as far as cracking is concerned, but will oval-out and warp like crazy if you don't let it get dry before re-turning it.
I rough turn it and soak it in the soap solution for 30 days. Then dry. The grain is really nice, and it makes great utility bowls.
It stinks... but I do too, after a day with the chainsaw. :D

[Paul Engle]

Yes indeed, you wil enjoy turning this wood, the smell is pleasant also. You are very lucky especally if there is any chatanoyance or quilting. Major score for sure.

[Tom Keen]

Steve:

Green Elm is nice to work with, once you get past the smell... it really stinks, IMO. We have alot of old dead dry elm on the farm. Its tough wood, but has a very pretty color, finishes and polishes nicely.

Go for it!

[Joseph Peacock]

That is a beutiful bowl.:D