Doesn't split. Hubs a traditional use.
Cut two bowls out of fresh yesterday, and I'm glad my nose is stuffed.
"sam" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Has anybody ever made anything out of elmwood? i have a nice 12 ft. log
> > that the blight killed last year and was wondering what could be made of
> > it,any help? thanks,chris
>
> I never have. But I remember my grandfather saying something about wooden
> wheels and barrels. I guess it bends well with soaking / steaming (?)
>
>
>
On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 03:44:09 GMT, patriarch
<<patriarch>[email protected]> calmly ranted:
>[email protected] wrote in news:27848-4144EABE-86@storefull-
>3133.bay.webtv.net:
>
>> Has anybody ever made anything out of elmwood? i have a nice 12 ft. log
>> that the blight killed last year and was wondering what could be made of
>> it,any help? thanks,chris
It's quite similar in look to oak. Have you cut it into lumber
yet, Sack? http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/elm.htm
>There was a nice piece made from elm in the recent furniture show that the
>Sonoma County (California) woodworkers' guild put on. It had a pleasing
>look to the grain, and the color was interesting and refined. The 'docent
>who wouldn't go away OR shut up' blathered on about the difficulty in
>working the wood. Sorry, I don't recall the maker, but the piece was
>definitely first rate.
>
>Somewhere, I recall an association with wagon wheels or undercarriage
>parts, and Roy Underhill. Could be wrong, though. Wouldn't be the first
>time.
The most attention I've seen given to elm is in George Sturt's
"The Wheelwright's Shop". It can be very tough stuff.
-------------------------------------------------------
Have you read the new book "What Would Machiavelli Do?"
----------------------------
http://diversify.com Dynamic, Interactive Websites!
--------------------------------------------------------
[email protected] wrote in news:27848-4144EABE-86@storefull-
3133.bay.webtv.net:
> Has anybody ever made anything out of elmwood? i have a nice 12 ft. log
> that the blight killed last year and was wondering what could be made of
> it,any help? thanks,chris
>
There was a nice piece made from elm in the recent furniture show that the
Sonoma County (California) woodworkers' guild put on. It had a pleasing
look to the grain, and the color was interesting and refined. The 'docent
who wouldn't go away OR shut up' blathered on about the difficulty in
working the wood. Sorry, I don't recall the maker, but the piece was
definitely first rate.
Somewhere, I recall an association with wagon wheels or undercarriage
parts, and Roy Underhill. Could be wrong, though. Wouldn't be the first
time.
Patriarch
On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 20:33:02 -0400, [email protected] wrote:
>Has anybody ever made anything out of elmwood?
Yes, useful stuff.
It's tough as old boots. The grain is wiggly and rather interlocked,
so it's very, very strong in any section over 1/2". I've used a steam
bending jig with a central spine of elm where we regularly beat on a
thin section of it with big hammers. No problems with splitting, where
I bet oak would have broken. It's particularly good for tricky
short-grain sections on curves or protrusions.
It's traditionally used for seats bases on Windsor chairs. It'll carve
to form the cheek-rests, it's strong enough to take the weight in
bending a wide unsupported plank and it's tough enough cross grain not
to break out if the leg holes are close to the edges. Elm blanks wide
enough to make a seat base are hard to find and carry a premium price.
Not very good against rot, so it's no use for outdoor work, but is
handy for coffins or coffin baseboards when you want them to rot
quickly. Because of the coffin association, it's an unpopular
furniture timber in the UK (Europe ?), certainly at the "posh" end of
things.
Hard going to work it. Power tools help a lot. It doesn't wear tools
especially fast (like teak), it just doesn't want to come apart.
Bugs love it, even when dry. Watch out for furniture beetles.
--
Smert' spamionam
On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 03:44:09 GMT, patriarch
<<patriarch>[email protected]> wrote:
>Somewhere, I recall an association with wagon wheels or undercarriage
>parts,
Wheel hubs. They're more mortice than solid, and the mortices run
every which way in relation to the grain. If you don't make them out
of elm, they have a great tendency to either split in half or at least
break out between the mortices.
(I know they're not really mortices when they're in a hub, but I've
forgotten the proper name)
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Has anybody ever made anything out of elmwood? i have a nice 12 ft. log
> that the blight killed last year and was wondering what could be made of
> it,any help? thanks,chris
I never have. But I remember my grandfather saying something about wooden
wheels and barrels. I guess it bends well with soaking / steaming (?)