Splitting Elm - Any advice?

[se7enthdevil]

Many types of elm - some split very easily, others not. I tend to find that it's the English elm that is a cow to split. The heartwood and sapwood seem to have spiraling grain that goes in opposite directions. Split off the sapwood first, using your axe to cleave it off. Then proceed with the heartwood as normal.

 

Great firewood.

 

my dad used to say that grandad would know exactly which type of elm to cut because one would split easily and the other wasnt worth the effort.

 

i think wych elm will split because it had a straight grain but the others are a buggar with an axe.

[FJMatt]

my dad used to say that grandad would know exactly which type of elm to cut because one would split easily and the other wasnt worth the effort.

 

i think wych elm will split because it had a straight grain but the others are a buggar with an axe.

 

that sounds true enough, i once took a dead standing one down, the whole thing was to cut up for firewood on a circular saw

[sawsaw]

Thanks guys for the advice - much appreciated. The elm I was given was dead standing. I'll slice into thinner rings and try again!!

[Brick100]

Start on the outer edges and work in to the Center, works for me, get tough with it

[Tnarg25]

Fiskers x27 !!!

[likeitorlumpit]

Many types of elm - some split very easily, others not. I tend to find that it's the English elm that is a cow to split. The heartwood and sapwood seem to have spiraling grain that goes in opposite directions. Split off the sapwood first, using your axe to cleave it off. Then proceed with the heartwood as normal.

 

Great firewood.

 

Shhhh...Like churchyard mould or something:001_smile:

[Mark Bolam]

That poem has a lot to answer for!

[sawsaw]

Just a follow up - I bought the x27 and followed the advice given - working from edge etc and it has made life much easier. The x27 is a great piece of kit - interestingly I sharpened my heavy maul (I been watching the blunt vs sharp maul argument for a while) and found that it splits much better as well - so definitely a fan of the 'sharp' contingent. Anyway thanks once again for your advice.

[Stereo]

Dead standing elm is the very, very best firewood there is. Sometime a bit tricky to get into lumps you can get in the fire but it's worth it. I've got half a acre to pull out in the next 2 months so that's me sorted for next year.

[sawsaw]

Totally agree, its the best firewood I have come across by a very large margin.