Replies

1. 
   Knotscott | May 18, 2006 06:53pm | #1

   I'm in the middle of my 2nd project using red elm. Not sure about it's outdoor benefits, but I think the grain is stunning. I find the wood tears out and fuzzes more easily than other woods....some pieces are very stalky like hardened celery....the strands wrap around router bit bearings. Clean/sharp cutters are more important with this stuff than ever. It's also a bit prone to movement after it's been milled, so I suggest you dimension it, let it sit, and check it after a day or two to see if it moved any and possibly re-mill it.

   
   

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   Edited 5/18/2006 3:22 pm ET by scottwood

2. 
   BoardmanWI | May 19, 2006 12:16am | #2

   Hey Cheatah -

   Haven't used any for outdoor stuff, but I thinks it's appearance is great.  It does tend to bow sometimes after planing, and it's pretty stringy.  This inherent tendency to bow would make me wonder about outdoor use and the effects of moisture.  But it really benefits from BLO, and is easy to sand to a glossy finish.  In the upper midwest they used to use it for hockey sticks.

   I got just a little air dried red elm a while back and it had what I can best describe as "eyes" similar to birdseye maple.  Did your, or was mine a freak thing?

   Where are you located?

1. 
   Cheatah | May 19, 2006 04:21am | #3

   Boardman:

   The grain on my boards look very striking. Some boards have "birds eyes", but most do not. It does look like ot will really pop with an oil finish.

   I live in the greater Indianapolis area. And I just kinda stubled upon this deal.

   I have had two people tell me that red elm is good for exterior projects. I was hoping to get several people on this forum to validate it.

   I am looking forward to using the red elm...I am just not sure what project to complete.....the adirondack chairs or the blanket chests.

   Thanks

   Cheatah

    Thank you,

   Cheatah

3. 
   Thew | May 19, 2006 08:24pm | #4

   As the others have noted, it is a beautiful wood. The Forest Products Lab publication "Hardwoods of North America" lists the heartwood as "slightly or nonresistant to decay". I would guess it is not suitable for long term exposure outside.

4. 
   frenchy | May 20, 2006 05:05am | #5

   Cheatah,

     Elm!

    

    the very name has my skin crawl..  To me it's knoxious weed that deserves everything that the dutch do to it!

        It rots on a damp day , it fuzzes when sanded and burns out bearings and dulls cutters.. it warps and weaves and moves around like a hootchie cootchie dancer on speed.  The worst part of all is the splinters that you get from it.. They fester and rot simply from looking at it..

    Now a little pretty grain and woodworkers are willing to forgive all those sins!  It's like the cheap protitute at Vegas who winks at you and suddenly you're willing to lesave your wife of decades to run off with someone who wants only your money..

        Get out before it's too late!     repent sinner!    <G>  

1. 
   Cheatah | May 22, 2006 03:16pm | #6

   Frenchy-

   I did a search on Knots for red elm and a past thread shows that there was a long and lively discussion on it. Your name was plastered all over the thread. So I am not surprised that you replied. As usual your response was full of life and character. Thanks for the update.

   I  found this deal on red elm at $2.00/BFT. I brought a few sticks home and "played" with it. I really like the grain. But I did find the splintering  to be a pain in the arse.

   And after researching it a bit, I passed on buying more. I think I am going to continue to work with my two favorites--- maple and cherry.

   Maybe you could help me with just one more question. Other than cedar, cypress, teak, ipe', what other speices are good for exterior projects that are economical? And please keep in mind I do not have access to the same awsome wood deals you have going for yourself. Damn-- I envy you. :)

    Thank you,

   Cheatah

1. 
   Knotscott | May 22, 2006 04:10pm | #7

   Add white oak to your list.

2. 
   frenchy | May 23, 2006 12:00am | #8

   Cheatah,

        White Oak is about as rot resistant as you can find,, it  is relatively inexpensive.  Around here it sells for 80 cents a bd.ft. but I suspect if you thought red elm at $2.00 was a deal then  your price should be closer to three or four dollars.   

     Don't use Red oak, it's nowhere near as decay resistant, if you really want the most decay resistant woods you might try live oak that or swamp oak is a distant second place..

     Your local woods might actually be better, I  didn't notice where you are from. so I can't speak intelligently.

     Actually several people here like red elm and have done some nice stuff with it.  As for me give me liberty from elm or give me death!  <G>

     I just went back and noticed you are from Indianpolis.  Get out of the city and find the local sawmills!    Red elm sells for around 17Cents at the mills if they bother to saw it at all!  If you want dried woods you'd better expect to pay as much as 50 cents more.

     I cannot express how much you shouild search out local sawmills..  The really stunning woods with burls and flame etc. are just wood to those people,    and are priced right down with the plain woods.    My sawyer saves wood like that for me because his buyer downgrades wood with charcter in it and he gets less.  As for me, I want all that charcter and will carve up whole boards for a bit of fine grain or fancy bit of charcter..   Since I pay soooo little for the wood in the first place I don't mind wasting a bit of it..

     Oh and Black walnut is available in Indiana and at reasonable prices too! That's a nice decay resistant wood.. Around here I pay $1.00 a bd.ft. for mill run but I suspect that price is because I buy sooo much wood.  Normally black walnut sells nowdays around $1.85 to $1.65 for FAS

    Don't kiln dry black walnut!

      Air dry it,  it's very tough and easy to do... I often don't bother to sticker it, it's that great!  Never lost a single board in all the years I've dried it..

   Edited 5/22/2006 5:18 pm ET by frenchy