Ulmus x hollandica worth milling?

[justin131]

i have 7 large trunks of Ulmus x hollandica (huntingdon elm)

 

does anyone know if it's worth milling? trying to justify the need for a large saw.

will be using alaskan to mill

thanks

[se7enthdevil]

any large elm is worth milling.

 

i would be interested in a sample to send to america to be added to the wood database.

[justin131]

can do that no problem it's in dover but could post it to you. thanks for the info hopefully be able to convince the organization i'm workin for to invest in a big saw

[Big J]

Huntingdon elm is lovely - a dark red heartwood. With 7 stems, I'd get it to a proper sawmill rather than chainsaw milling it. You'll end up with a monumental pile of sawdust and knackered wrists.

[agg221]

Yes, very much so.

 

Size and situation would determine whether to mill with an Alaskan or hire in a band mill - the latter will cut a lot faster and give better yield.

 

Pictures, size and a rough location would be great - also are they dead or coming out for another reason? I am gradually trying to assess what is still around in the way of surviving elms.

 

Alec

 

Edit: I see they are in Dover. It would be interesting to see if they are true Huntingdon or a hybrid with one of the surviving North Kent strains.

Edited February 3, 2015 by agg221

[justin131]

some have dutch elm they only started to show signs last summer so hopping that the wood will be ok. the rest are coming down as a sort of pre emptive strike so they don't contract it. were going to mill and steam kiln on site so as not to spread the infection. all ready a lot of money being spent on this equipment as this is a new department so trying to keep costs down

[agg221]

If you do the work before March you are at no risk of beetles moving so could transport off site, certainly for kilning.

 

It depends how big they are, but if a mobile bandsaw will handle them and you can borrow a telehandler you may get through them in two days, which will be cheaper than big saw plus bar and chain plus mill plus fuel, irrespective of time.

 

Alec

[justin131]

true but have a load of other stuff to mill after this and like I said trying to keep cost down already have an Alaskan there and will need big saw for other tree works.

[Big J]

Still cheaper to hire in a band mill. With helpers, there is nothing to say that 200-250 cube is milled in the day. Say that an average board is 20" x 1.5" x 10ft, you get 100-120 boards. If you were chainsaw milling, you'd waste an extra 64 cubic foot (about 30 boards) just in sawdust. That's £2640 worth of elm, once kiln dried.

 

Just trying to illustrate that whilst chainsaw mills have their place, this kind of job isn't one of them. There is so little elm down south that it deserves not to be wasted.

[justin131]

Still cheaper to hire in a band mill. With helpers, there is nothing to say that 200-250 cube is milled in the day. Say that an average board is 20" x 1.5" x 10ft, you get 100-120 boards. If you were chainsaw milling, you'd waste an extra 64 cubic foot (about 30 boards) just in sawdust. That's £2640 worth of elm, once kiln dried.

 

Just trying to illustrate that whilst chainsaw mills have their place, this kind of job isn't one of them. There is so little elm down south that it deserves not to be wasted.

 

it's worth £40 a foot? seems like a lot