# Splitting Elm Logs



## zoulas (Dec 1, 2009)

I may be doing something wrong, but I have some Elm trees that I cut down recently and I tried splitting some logs with a 5lb maul and I really cannot do it. The only way it can be done is to drive a wedge into it but this takes a lot longer. Is this wood especially difficult to split? Is there a better way? I am only interested in doing it by hand not not with a machine. Thanks


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## woodbooga (Dec 1, 2009)

Elm's as tough as a sack of hammers. Around here if you want to hear an old yankee cuss a blue streak, ask 'em how elm splits. Stuff was real plentiful 40 years ago when the Dutch elm blight was at its peak.

My first experience with it was my 1st year heating with wood. Someone had dumped a load of elm rounds at the dump brushpile. Brought it home and nearly doinked myself on the forehead with the maulbutt when it bounced off from it. 

Who knew, but Newton was right when he said every action has an equal and opposite reaction!


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## wdchuck (Dec 1, 2009)

American Elm, generally pretty white in appearance has a cross grain structure, making it more difficult than other wood to split.


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## Old Cane (Dec 1, 2009)

Finally, something I know about. We had some elm left from when I was a kid. My folks never used the fireplace so when I was home about 15 years ago I went to split some to burn. It was as tuff as when we cut it. I had to re-employ my old system. It's a secret but I can tell it involed and axe, a sledgehammer, six wedges, a chain and a 3/4 ton truck. I also added some new words to the english language.

You aren't doing anything wrong! But when you burn it be prepared for it to last for about 9 days in a burn......we had a lot of customers that bought 1 rick of dry mesquite or pecan for every 5 ricks of elm. Get a fire going and put some elm on and fa-get aboud it.


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## Chris Crouse (Dec 1, 2009)

I recommend you cut the larger stuff in half, thirds, or quarters rather than try to split it. For the smaller pieces, they are splittable with some effort. If you let it dry out it splits easier, especially in cold weather.

I am burning mostly elm right now and it is strange stuff. I have taken all the bark off the wood but it still makes quite a bit of ash. I can't seem to get a raging fire with it but once my stove has been going for a while it will be a pure blue flame and really hot. The ashes all eventually burn down too, so just keep them stirred around.

Be very careful that your wood is not from a diseased tree. If the tree was infested or infected having the wood around WILL spread the problem. From what I've read, some places do let let you use elm for firewood and require it to be buried immediately once it is down.


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## stint (Dec 1, 2009)

Saw an interesting firewood chart that listed all the characteristics of usual wood types

One column for "splitting " was mostly easy, moderate, hard, etccc

Under elm's splitting ease was two words : "it doesn't"

;-))))


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## woodbooga (Dec 1, 2009)

Chris Crouse said:


> I recommend you cut the larger stuff in half, thirds, or quarters rather than try to split it. For the smaller pieces, they are splittable with some effort. If you let it dry out it splits easier, especially in cold weather.



I had a charge of elm last winter that we're burning now. It did seem to spit easier in sub-freexing temps.


Also helps if you work the edges, whacking away around the perimeter. Once the surface tension (or whatever) of the round is broken, the whole of the hunk busts up easier.

Of course, 'easier' is a relative term.


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## scotvl (Dec 1, 2009)

hows it burn vs oak or ash?


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## Techstuf (Dec 1, 2009)

Standing dead elm, that's well seasoned, when cut into shorter rounds a foot long or so, will split with the Fiskars suprisingly well when worked, as Woodbooga says, at the edges. Usually, one or two strikes often gets a crack started, then flip the piece and meet up with the crack on the other side. Any way you slice it, it's more work than most other woods, depending on condition of the wood. I've berated some green firs harder than dry elm, a time or two.

I've had some dry elm split like ice cubes at zero degrees....just one pop after another and the pieces fly off like you were blowing stumps or something.

Well seasoned elm cut short enough, really ain't so bad, especially if you've got a Fiskars SS and a buddy to set pieces and switch off with.


Blessings in Yeshua


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## mdotis (Dec 1, 2009)

The only good thing about splitting elm is that it makes all other wood seem to split easy as pie and it has very good heat once it is split. 

Growing up dad never was very good about planning ahead and the DED trees would burn the same day you cut them so that is what I grew up on. Funny after I went off to collage he bought a splitter.

A wedge and maul is a lot of work but if you can split elm with it you can split anything.

Korey


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## savageactor7 (Dec 1, 2009)

We use to split all our wood by hand back in the day. Elm you have to shave off the sides much like you'd split a humongous round. 

Sure you're not going to be happy with the smaller splits but at least you'll make production. Back in the 70's in was nothing to take a sledge and use it to pound in a maul to get a split...with today's Chinese mauls you have to worry about mushrooming and spraying shrapnel. 

I still have that 6lb maul with at least 5k or more of maximum sledgehammer beats on it. Have replaced the handle so many times that I always buy 2 handles at a time...just like mower belts or other expendable item. 

zoulas check out country house/yard sales for tools if you get a 50 yo maul you can at least save time dispensing with the wedges. Cause with a good maul you can bash with a sledge at least you can make some production on that elm.


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## cjcocn (Dec 1, 2009)

Techstuf said:


> Standing dead elm, that's well seasoned, when cut into shorter rounds a foot long or so, will split with the Fiskars suprisingly well when worked, as Woodbooga says, at the edges. Usually, one or two strikes often gets a crack started, then flip the piece and meet up with the crack on the other side. Any way you slice it, it's more work than most other woods, depending on condition of the wood. I've berated some green firs harder than dry elm, a time or two.
> 
> I've had some dry elm split like ice cubes at zero degrees....just one pop after another and the pieces fly off like you were blowing stumps or something.
> 
> ...



I split mine last winter with my Fiskars SS and, it being the first time I had split elm, didn't see anything really tough about it. It was harder to split than what I usually burn, but not so hard that I would turn down any that came my way.


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## logbutcher (Dec 1, 2009)

Except for American Elms that are antibiotic injected yearly for very big $$$, most have died long ago in the Northeast. Many towns have fund raised to afford the cost of preserving Maine St. Elms.

Elm is a heliotrope, growing following the sun. The grain is tough similar to Apple or Beech for splitting. Fun to give some to one of the newbie macho types to split....once this one.

So without Semtex , it can be split like WB says, from the outside in. It's called "slab" splitting, working around the periphery towards the center. You get irregular slabs rather than nice, uniform wedge-shaped logs. It will however still eat wedges. The core can be near impossible to split, in larger Elm butts up to 3'-6' DBH the heartwood can be a foot or more of SOB wood. Give it to your friends with open fireplaces, or wrap it up as a gift.

Elm is great for carving and 'log' furniture. The British sculptor Henry Moore used it for his famous reclining nudes (for the artistes around us). I once used large elm wood rounds for tables---pretty grain.


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## Butch(OH) (Dec 1, 2009)

cjcocn said:


> I split mine last winter with my Fiskars SS and, it being the first time I had split elm, didn't see anything really tough about it. It was harder to split than what I usually burn, but not so hard that I would turn down any that came my way.



Ya'll must have differant Elm up there than we do. Here is a pic of the last I tangled with, youd wear out that Fiskars on one round, LOL. Zoulas the only way I know to split out Elm by hand is to wait until it is zero or below, it helps a lot but it is still far from easy.

<IMG SRC=http://i30.tinypic.com/35mqus9.jpg>


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## cjcocn (Dec 1, 2009)

Butch(OH) said:


> Ya'll must have differant Elm up there than we do. Here is a pic of the last I tangled with, youd wear out that Fiskars on one round, LOL. Zoulas the only way I know to split out Elm by hand is to wait until it is zero or below, it helps a lot but it is still far from easy.
> 
> <IMG SRC=http://i30.tinypic.com/35mqus9.jpg>



I can't recall for sure, but I think I split about 1 1/2 cords. Now I could go to my shed and check, but I'm pretty sure that my Fiskars SS looks much the same as when I started. 

The temps were probably about -25C (-13F) so that probably helped a bit.

I will see if I can't round up some more elm and I will have another go at it. Maybe I got lucky with that first batch.


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## coog (Dec 1, 2009)

Butch(OH) said:


> Ya'll must have differant Elm up there than we do. Here is a pic of the last I tangled with, youd wear out that Fiskars on one round, LOL. Zoulas the only way I know to split out Elm by hand is to wait until it is zero or below, it helps a lot but it is still far from easy.
> 
> <IMG SRC=http://i30.tinypic.com/35mqus9.jpg>



Brings back a lot of unpleasant memories.Sure starts nice, however, after it dries with all those strings.


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## numnuts (Dec 1, 2009)

I can't imagine hand splitting Elm. I had my first go-round with some this spring using a gas splitter and that was tough enough.


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## dingeryote (Dec 1, 2009)

You don't split Elm.

Elm Splits YOU!!!

The best you can hope for is to tear it in half like a Chicago phonebook.

That said, I dropped two this morning. They are gonna lay there a while.

There's too many green brier covered Red Oaks in a Poison Ivy patch to let rot, while fussing with that Elm.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote


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## diznila (Dec 1, 2009)

I bet the Fiskars would split elm better than a maul cause it's sharp and cuts up the stringy fibers. 



cjcocn said:


> I can't recall for sure, but I think I split about 1 1/2 cords. Now I could go to my shed and check, but I'm pretty sure that my Fiskars SS looks much the same as when I started.
> 
> The temps were probably about -25C (-13F) so that probably helped a bit.
> 
> I will see if I can't round up some more elm and I will have another go at it. Maybe I got lucky with that first batch.


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## freemind (Dec 1, 2009)

I burn dead standing elm almost exclusively.

I won't waste my time with a maul or the fiskars. I break out the speeco. Does a FINE job. The old timers who birned it long ago, when I was a shine in my dad's eye, said the ONLY way to split elm was by chipping off the outside. You are not going to split it like oak or ash.


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## Cambium (Dec 1, 2009)

dingeryote said:


> You don't split Elm.
> 
> Elm Splits YOU!!!


LMAO! 



zoulas said:


> Is this wood especially difficult to split? Is there a better way? I am only interested in doing it by hand not not with a machine. Thanks




Zoulas - I been splitting Elm for the past month...let me give you some advice...rent a machine! The only ones I'm doing by hand is the 45 inch rounds. I need to make them small enough to manuever for the machine to split it. 

believe me...I split by hand for past year. Always did 2 cords each winter. Took my time all year... but you dont mess with Elm. 

I got 7 Cords of Elm.(2 Trees). I split 4 already. 3 more to go. Now 1 month in but I been taking my time. 8 total hours splitting. 3 total hours stacking.


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## Nuzzy (Dec 1, 2009)

Elm is on the short list of things I truly hate.






:hmm3grin2orange:


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## Techstuf (Dec 1, 2009)

> I split mine last winter with my Fiskars SS and, it being the first time I had split elm, didn't see anything really tough about it. It was harder to split than what I usually burn, but not so hard that I would turn down any that came my way.



Same here. The only maul with which I'd even remotely consider tackling elm, and we're talking the fresh cut standing dead stuff cut to short rounds, is the Fiskars SS. 

Cut'em dead, and cut'em short, and you can giv'em Fiskars.

I have a hard and usually fast rule, if I can't get a good crack started in two swings, I'll rip it with old Betsy Stihl.


Blessings in Yeshua


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## Woodcutteranon (Dec 1, 2009)

I remember being told when I was younger that I wasn't "stupid"...I was "special!" 

All this talk about elms makes me want to show you what's good about elms. This is a picture of my 60 foot American Elm that greets me each morning when I look out my front window. To me the Elm is the most beautiful tree of all. Their tough splitting makes them "special." Lets all hold hands and sing Kum by Yah.:hmm3grin2orange:


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## rmount (Dec 1, 2009)

Butch(OH) said:


> Ya'll must have differant Elm up there than we do. Here is a pic of the last I tangled with, youd wear out that Fiskars on one round, LOL. Zoulas the only way I know to split out Elm by hand is to wait until it is zero or below, it helps a lot but it is still far from easy.
> 
> <IMG SRC=http://i30.tinypic.com/35mqus9.jpg>



That looks just like the elm we have here. Standing dead or green its a real pain, burns good though. Split just over a cord this spring. But its thanks to elm that I have 3 splitting wedges, had to buy a 3rd to split the first 2 out of the round they were buried in!


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## Nuzzy (Dec 1, 2009)

rmount said:


> But its thanks to elm that I have 3 splitting wedges, had to buy a 3rd to split the first 2 out of the round they were buried in!








Now THAT'S funny! :hmm3grin2orange:


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## Dalmatian90 (Dec 1, 2009)

Thank the Lord I've never seen an elm log in my life 

Although the neighbor across the street from my woodlot is cutting the dead ones out on his hillside.

I actually never recognized them until I saw one written up in the paper (the Oakham Elm) and took a Sunday drive to see it one day. NOW I recognize the elms, of course at least two that I recognized after seeing one have now died of DED.

Most of the elms in my area died in the 50s and early 60s, gone before I was around. Remember being amazed at some of my grandfather's slides of what our town green USED to look like.

State Highway Department had an old gravel bank they used as a stump dump for the Elms. Caught fire one day. From what I was told, took about six months till it stopped smoking.


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## Kydan (Dec 1, 2009)

It burns pretty good, My daddy had something called a ''piss elm switch.'' that was also hot.


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## dingeryote (Dec 1, 2009)

Nuzzy said:


> Now THAT'S funny! :hmm3grin2orange:



Yep!!!

I seem to remember one round of Elm long ago, that was burned with the Wedge in it, in the brush pile, rather than lose another getting that one out. 

You get a splitter yet?:hmm3grin2orange:

Got some standing stuff that needs to be one with the saw, and next week is looking good.

2 Splitters, a Tractor, 2 Trucks, a Quad with a winch, and the best 70cc Saws ever made should make short work of things and I figure about 8 Cords of Oak and Cherry.

Game on?


Stay safe!
Dingeryote


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## Cambium (Dec 1, 2009)

rmount said:


> But its thanks to elm that I have 3 splitting wedges, had to buy a 3rd to split the first 2 out of the round they were buried in!



LMAO!! I almost went to get my 3rd for same reason. I didn't want to leave the wedges in there overnight because the water from Elm might rust them out so I grabbed the chainsaw and cheated to take them out. 

They should use Elm as a defensive tool in wars. I.N.C.O.M.I.N.G!!!! get in the fort of Elm!!


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## Steve NW WI (Dec 1, 2009)

Call me mentally imbalanced, wierd, or just plain crazy, but I love elm.

Full disclosure, I've never even THOUGHT about splitting it by hand!

It's about the only wood I have that makes my big ol' splitter feel useful. It's been said that Dutch Elm Disease was what started the hydraulic splitter industry, and I beleive them.

I'll shove an elm block into mine whichever direction it lands on the beam, if I'm feeling ornery, I'll aim straight down the middle of the knot. Good times!

For the OP, seriously dude, beg, borrow, rent, buy, or sell yourself into slavery to get your hands on a splitter for doing elm!

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/arU_6LhQwHs&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/arU_6LhQwHs&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>


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## rmount (Dec 1, 2009)

Funny story about an elm. Twenty or so years ago when I first started to help look after the place which is now ours it belonged to my wifes uncle (been in the family since 1889). He was a stubborn, fiesty bachler who was almost blind and didn't hear too well. Anyway, he'd get me to do some brushhogging or ditch cleaning or whatever and everything was referenced to the big elm, which stood about a 1/3 mile down the field. Just past it, a bit before it, over to the west of it etc. Well I could never seem to do things right, he'd end up calling me every kind of an idiot he could think of. I'd go back and do it again and some how we ended up with a good relationship. Several years later, after the uncle had died, I was talking with my father in law one night and he started remembering the time in the late 60's he'd had to cut up the big elm after it died and how tough it was. Suddenly a light went on for me! I asked him where it had stood, he told me a few hundred feet ahead of the one that was there now. All of a sudden all those arguments and disagreements about where I was supposed to be working made sense.


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## coog (Dec 1, 2009)

Steve NW WI said:


> Call me mentally imbalanced, wierd, or just plain crazy, but I love elm.
> 
> Full disclosure, I've never even THOUGHT about splitting it by hand!
> 
> ...



Steve, you need to get that splitter up in the air a bit.My back started screaming just watching that video.Looks like it works fine, though.


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## Steve NW WI (Dec 1, 2009)

Coog, that's a project that moves higher up the list every year older I get. I'm actually working on a full redesign, with a crane log lift and enough hydraulic valves to run the lift and a conveyor off the back. Hope to git-r-done next summer. Also gonna run a chain drive with about a 3:2 ratio to get more ram speed with the same or less tractor rpms. Right now I'm thinking of scrapping about everything except the pump, ram, and the 1" valve that runs it, and pretty much remaking everything else the way I want it.

:arg: sorry!


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## cableguy256 (Dec 1, 2009)

rmount said:


> Funny story about an elm. Twenty or so years ago when I first started to help look after the place which is now ours it belonged to my wifes uncle (been in the family since 1889). He was a stubborn, fiesty bachler who was almost blind and didn't hear too well. Anyway, he'd get me to do some brushhogging or ditch cleaning or whatever and everything was referenced to the big elm, which stood about a 1/3 mile down the field. Just past it, a bit before it, over to the west of it etc. Well I could never seem to do things right, he'd end up calling me every kind of an idiot he could think of. I'd go back and do it again and some how we ended up with a good relationship. Several years later, after the uncle had died, I was talking with my father in law one night and he started remembering the time in the late 60's he'd had to cut up the big elm after it died and how tough it was. Suddenly a light went on for me! I asked him where it had stood, he told me a few hundred feet ahead of the one that was there now. All of a sudden all those arguments and disagreements about where I was supposed to be working made sense.



:hmm3grin2orange: now THAT is funny!! sounds like something that would happen to some of my family. 

onto the OP..... I actually was just splitting some large approx. 48"diam.) rounds yesterday with my huskee 22ton splitter.... let me tell you, that is the only logs I've come across that gave that thing a run for it's money.. no way I would try to split that crap by hand... stuff I have looks just like the splits in the pics posted by 'Butch'.


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## Nuzzy (Dec 1, 2009)

dingeryote said:


> Got some standing stuff that needs to be one with the saw, and next week is looking good.
> 
> 2 Splitters, a Tractor, 2 Trucks, a Quad with a winch, and the best 70cc Saws ever made should make short work of things and I figure about 8 Cords of Oak and Cherry.
> 
> Game on?





Well we're slammed at work now after our black friday sale (about $24K worth of bumpers, sliders, and armor sold in the one day) that everyone wants before Christmas and there's only 3 of us :jawdrop:

But I'll see if I can't sneak a day in there. Would be more than happy to sling some sawdust with ya! :chainsawguy:


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## machinest (Dec 2, 2009)

you don't split elm you just need a bigger stove so you can just toss it in unsplit


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## cableguy256 (Dec 2, 2009)

machinest said:


> you don't split elm you just need a bigger stove so you can just toss it in unsplit



What is the box on top of the stove for?? thought maybe heat dist. but unless the legs are hollow that defeats that thought.....


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## zoulas (Dec 2, 2009)

Thanks gents, I thought I needed a bigger hammer or axe.


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## Nosmo (Dec 3, 2009)

*Before and After*




[/IMG]I've had a lot of Elms die in the last 2 or 3 years. But I had one that just became a nusiance because it kept dropping limbs during a windy day or night and was crowding out two nice pine trees. I don't mind using Elm for firewood but splitting them by hand is for a person who has plenty of free time to spend at it. 

That is if a person wants to spend an afternoon pounding on one round. hah

Here are some pieces on that one I took out last spring. I left the rounds setting out in the sun all spring , summer and fall and split them a week or so ago. 

Nosmo


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## Techstuf (Dec 3, 2009)

> That is if a person wants to spend an afternoon pounding on one round. hah




The dead stuff splits with the Fiskars SS ok, when cut to shorter rounds. That is, if one knows how to swing it accurately, as it splits best when hit near the edge. Dead elm burns so good, it's worth some extra cuts to get the rounds to a foot or so.


Blessings in Yeshua


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