# How to make chairs out of Siberian Elm?



## xraydaniel (Nov 18, 2011)

This is the question as I've never done it before and would like to use them rather than burn them. This was the first time I ever flat cut a log for this purpose. How to dry it? How to begin? Right now I have it sitting in the basement next to a dehumidifier placed just about an hour ago. Thanks for all the help =)


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## xraydaniel (Nov 18, 2011)

Actually I want to make stools not chairs. Should I let it dry completely then remove the bark?


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## xraydaniel (Dec 4, 2011)

180 views and no help . . .:frown:


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## lone wolf (Dec 4, 2011)

xraydaniel said:


> This is the question as I've never done it before and would like to use them rather than burn them. This was the first time I ever flat cut a log for this purpose. How to dry it? How to begin? Right now I have it sitting in the basement next to a dehumidifier placed just about an hour ago. Thanks for all the help =)



Dont let them dry to fast or they will crack.It seems if you can get enough coats of polyurethane on they wont crack as much.View attachment 210026


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## RVALUE (Dec 4, 2011)

lone wolf said:


> Dont let them dry to fast or they will crack.It seems if you can get enough coats of polyurethane on they wont crack as much.View attachment 210026



Drying too fast is a real no no. 

Patience Grasshopper.


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## Ax-man (Dec 4, 2011)

Try posting this in the milling section. I am no expert but the theme to wood drying seems to be the same, keep it out of direct sunlight and wind and avoid temperture fluctuations if possible. The slower the better.

Elm is funny wood, it is a bugger to split but will split on it's own when cut into boards. Even crotches will split open a little if dryed to fast.

I think your on the right track leaving those peices in the basement but it will take a long time to dry them. If you want the bark off for your project do it while it is still green. It peels off easier. If you stored them outside the bark will come off on it's own.

I have an American Elm stump I was going to make a table out of it well over 10 years ago along with some other pieces of odd looking wood Still haven't gotten to those projects. I stored them in the corner of my garage till I needed the room, then they went into the barn. After 10 years they still looked good, could still see the grain , no splits and the bark did not come off . This was inside storing for a very long period. They are sure dry by now.

Siberian Elm is a good looking wood but I haven't any experience at milling or drying it yet.


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## SDB777 (Dec 4, 2011)

Remove the bark to let moisture out. AnchorSeal the endgrain(latex paint works too but is more of PITA to get off later).

I'd say no to the de-humidifier unless you can put it in a box and then control the amount of time it runs everyday.....it'll probably crack in the crotch anyway, but no since trying to make it crack faster.






Scott B


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## Ax-man (Dec 4, 2011)

Here is a pic of a bench that I spent way too much time on. It came from an American Elm. It was my first milling experience followed by drying outside along with learning about finishes for outside. This darn bench taught me alot and gave me some good experience of what to do and what not to do.

You would think that as big and thick as that seat is it would stay stable, especially Elm. Wrong, outside exposed drying plays havoc on wood.That seat and back warped a little too much and cracked at that knot and checked on the ends. All this happened within a week or two after the tempertures started to rise. Dryed to fast and I wasn't paying attention. I had to use those heavy lag bolts to pull the seat and back of the bench down so it fit together decently. the sides came from a ctotch cut in half ,it stayed pretty stable but managed to cracked in places but not as much as the flat pieces.

I finally sold the thing at a discounted price . I might just as well put the thing in the back of the guy's truck and told him to have a nice day considering all the hours I spent on it.


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## xraydaniel (Dec 5, 2011)

I really appreciate the replies gents. I had turned off the dehumidifier about a day or two after Nov. 18. There is only a small check or two on the flat cuts, very small. The end grain is very sound with a small check or three about a 1/4 inch long. It has lightened up quite a bit and will wait till next year down there. The temps stay very constant between 58-65 year round. 
Thanks for the experience and info Ax-man, ScottB, Lonewolf, and Rvalue. Aiming to make it look like yours Lonewolf, nice stool. Too bad for that elm bench Ax-man as it really looks nice. How long did it sit outside before you started working it?

I plan on keeping the bark on I guess. I have firewood down there that's been seasoning for about two years, butternut, cherry, ash, and maple. Save for the bark beetle infested cherry the bark on the other is very stable and won't budge so it's looking good for the siberian elm. Mayeb I should take a brass brush to it a couple of times to get off the loose stuff and then coat it in several coats of poly. The end grain of all the firewood that's been stored down there is very stable as well save for the oak.


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## Ax-man (Dec 6, 2011)

The tree was cut down late summer about two years ago. The bottom log laid around all winter till this spring when I came into a little extra money and bought the CSM. I could tell that log was still very wet when I cut the first slab in late April. All the pieces laid out in the open April and May while I fitted them together to make the bench. In June the temps began to rise along with hot dry winds . It didn't take much for the pieces to start showing warping and checking even after applying linseed oil for the finish. The linseed oil was a bad choice for an outdoor finish. Spar varnish or spar urethane is a better finish for stuff that has to stay outdoors. Linseed oil is ok for a finish but it darkens and fades in direct sunlight.

I had to resand the entire bench at the end of summer ,early fall if I wanted to sell it, but at least it was dry by the end of summer and the warping and checking stopped. It looked horrible by the end of summer being outside in the direct sun with the linseed oil finish.

This has nothing to do with wood drying but that bench and the subsequent slabs I cut had a few nails and screws in it which I hit naturally hit. Welcome to the world of milling urban lumber:hmm3grin2orange:

You will never recapture that first cut look no matter what finish you use. The drying process starts thereafter. It only took a day or two for the slabs to start to fade after they were cut.


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## xraydaniel (Dec 15, 2011)

Thanks for the experiential word Ax-man. They will be indoors stools and I plan to let 'em sit for at least a year or two down in the basement. A couple of checks don't bug me but warping would. I will exercise patience in this situation =)


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## Brian Harnett (Dec 17, 2011)

Sealing the ends as mentioned helps prevent checking while drying small checks I will fill with epoxy larger ones a sliver of wood glued in can make it disappear but the wood needs to be fully dried.

I have had good luck making benches with exposed dowel joints they are strong and look good.


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## qweesdraw (Jan 3, 2012)

A few links that may help.
logbench.htm
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/1994-12-01/Rustic-Furniture.aspx?page=2
This is the DVD cant find the book @ baileys they used to sell it.
Bailey's - Build Your Own Log Furniture DVD


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## [email protected] (Mar 6, 2012)

Here is an alternative way to make chairs of green wood like making a drum, they are called kubbestol.
For a later project.... a little off topic I realize.
They don't crack much because they dry evenly inside and out.
View attachment 227556


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