Morning gents.   Went to a home show here in KC last Friday.    There was an Amish furniture booth there that had a dining table on display.   The wood was amazing.   Gorgeous color and grain pattern with wonderful contrast between the light and dark pattern in the wood.   I had to ask what type of wood it was made of and was told elm.   Anyone ever work with elm and if so what does it compare to re. workability?   Thanks.

All I know about elm is that has a lot of interlocking grain.   It was often used for wagon wheel hubs because it didn't split easily.

 

Here's a video on Don Weber, a Welsh traditional bodger from KY who shows a seat he's making out of elm, how he works it and what it looks like in the raw.  It's also an interesting video.   Graham is another traditional woodworker in upstate NY.   Besides that, he played backup guitar at Woodstock music festival.  He's an interesting Englishman, too.

 

 

Yep, what Keith said. My only experience with elm was trying to split some that was firewood. Won't make that mistake again. I have seen one or two articles published that used red elm as the main wood, I'd love to get some of that...but i have no idea if that has the same grain style as regular elm.

Edited January 31, 20188 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

Wow, I had forgotten how much I hated Elm. It was impossible to split without a lot of effort. I never tried to work with it as a woodworking material and haven't had one thought about it in decades. However, I guess that it probably does produce some interesting grain/aesthetics. I wonder how it would turn?

Bill - Great thought.    Based on the table I saw, am betting a large wooden bowl project would look great from elm.     Wish I would have taken a photo of that table.

The only experience I have had with it is turning . It turns well and makes a nice bowl. Eash to get a good surface turning.Not the best pic but just to get the idea

I made a small chair out of Grey Elm. Its great with or without stain.  IMO its like working with oak. just a touch softer. One thing I wish I would have known is you really need to pay attention if you spokeshave it. It the grain gets all crazy, (which it can) just use a rasp.  Its pretty inexpensive too. Good luck! Let us know if ya make something

Good afternoon all.    Went to another home show over the weekend and the vendor with the elm table I mentioned in this post was there.   I took a picture this time to share.   Never posted a photo here before so hope it works.   Apologies for the glare from the overhead lights.

Edited February 13, 20188 yr by Wil

That is some gorgeous grain on that table. 

Those are really nice chairs too, @Dane Franco

 

1 hour ago, Wil said:

Never posted a photo here before so hope it works.

Ya' did good Wil...it worked just dandy.

That is some of the most beautiful grain I've ever seen. Almost 3 dimensional.

Some facets reminded me of pheasant feathers in color and texture appearance.

Thanks for taking the time to take the picture and post.

Wow, that is really beautiful..............thanks for the pic!

11 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Ya' did good Wil...it worked just dandy.

That is some of the most beautiful grain I've ever seen. Almost 3 dimensional.

Some facets reminded me of pheasant feathers in color and texture appearance.

Thanks for taking the time to take the picture and post.

Had to go back and look. That grain really does look like a pheasant's tail feathers. Strikingly so.

I have a lot of elm I make a lot of things from it.  The wood dries up easier and cleaner than almost any other I've dried,  Works and machines and takes glue and finish like a dream.  It is really dusty on the lathe when dry.  Here are a few things I've done with Elm  mine is Siberian Elm

http://s1002.photobucket.com/user/zydaco/library/The Shop/A box?sort=3&page=1

 

Some beautiful work Cliff!

Awesome work, Cliff. Just amazing.

That is some beautiful stuff in there Cliff!

Where have you sourced all of your elm?

I have used it a few time (tool tote made in high school. still used around the shop) lazy-susans, cribbage boards and such. to me it works fine and I'd use it again if I had some.

 

I was needing to make some wood roller wheels for my 

PowerKing mowing deck. sounds like Elm is what I need to use.

15 hours ago, Kevin Beitz said:

I was needing to make some wood roller wheels for my 

PowerKing mowing deck. sounds like Elm is what I need to use.

These older topics still have a ton of value don't they? 

Thanks Kevin for the topic revival.