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Author Topic: Splittin' Elm (with pictures)  (Read 4511 times)

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Offline Cameroo

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Splittin' Elm (with pictures)
« on: May 14, 2011, 08:36:49 pm »
I finally got the motivation today to start splitting the elm I brought home at Easter.  After doing a bit of reading, I decided on my plan of attack.  I've read differing opinions about splitting elm, some like to start the split with a kerf cut with a Skill Saw, others say it's too risky violating the grain like that.  Well, I found a post where Mark St. Louis said he has cut a kerf with no ill effects, and that was enough to convince me.  My back has been screwed up for the last 5 months, and I am willing to do anything to make this as painless as possible.

I can see why people curse about splitting this stuff though - even after I had the log split, I had to turn it over and hammer wedges in again from the other side, just to get the split to open up enough to get a hatchet in to cut the stringy fibers that were left holding the two halves together.

I worked at it for about an hour and only got one log split.  I can see now that this job is going to require a few frosty beverages  ;D  On a side note, during a "back break", I set up a hammock that I bought this morning.  After I got it hung, I slowly settled my but into the middle of it, and as soon as I got one foot off the ground, the wooden beam on one end had a catastrophic "tension failure" and snapped in half.  Who ever cut that wood should have been paying a bit more attention to grain run-off I guess  ::)  Or maybe I just need to go on a diet...

Anyway, here's some pics I took.  Wish I had taken a picture of the hammock before I packed it up to go back :)

Starting the split, kerf already cut:


Flipped over, cutting the stringies:


Great success!! This log is 11 feet long and about 10 inches diameter at the bottom.
« Last Edit: May 14, 2011, 08:39:50 pm by Cameroo »
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HatchA

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Re: Splittin' Elm (with pictures)
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2011, 09:43:46 pm »
Nice haul of future-bows you got there ;)
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Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Splittin' Elm (with pictures)
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2011, 11:15:56 pm »
Nice. A good way also to split is to just use a hatchet, hammer, (I just use some big pieces of wood to pound the hatchet, works better), one big stick/piece of wood as a wedge and one piece of wood as a caveman style baseball bat, and a handsaw. I get the split started with the hatchet, and start it going down the stave with the hatchet flipping it over after each time I pound the split along until I get a couple feet down the log and there is an opening large enough to get the big stick/piece of wood in there. Then I step on one side of the stick and pound it down on the other end with the other piece of wood, and switch and the same to the other side. When the fibers lift up I saw em threw with the handsaw. I do guide the split with the hatchet. And with big logs you need to use the hatchet to just keep er going this way. But the other day my hatchet broke in the middle of the woods on a big old osage halfway threw the first split, and there was no way I could of carried it down the hill to the van without finishing. Was about 11" diameter and 84" long. So I just finished splitting by just pounding a stick with another stick. Luckily the split continued straight.

Edit: By the way, I can't decide if I envy you for all that nice elm, or am glad to heavens I'm not in your shoes with all that harder than hell to split elm!  ;D
« Last Edit: May 14, 2011, 11:22:19 pm by toomanyknots »
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline Cameroo

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Re: Splittin' Elm (with pictures)
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2011, 01:42:35 am »
Toomany - no offence, but I think if I was to go at these with just a hatchet and hammer, I'd still be hacking away and not even be half done one split.  Not to mention my back would be done :)  I was slingin that sledge over my head just to drive those wedges in, I can't imagine trying with a hatchet.  But to each his own I guess.  I had to pay $40 for the two wedges, but it was well worth it as far as I'm concerned.  It was a bit of work, but not as hard as what I thought it would be, just from what I've read about it.

I'm hoping all the work pays off, I figure I can probably split each half into 3 staves, and that log alone is long enough for 2 bow lengths, so I should get about 12 staves out of that one.  The one beside it is about 9 and a half feet long, but I hope to get 12 staves from that as well, minus any waste.

The two narrower logs on the other side are green ash.  Hopefully they'll produce some nice staves too :)  I'll see how much more hammering my spine can tolerate tomorrow!!
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Offline DEllis

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Re: Splittin' Elm (with pictures)
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2011, 02:33:13 am »
Good work Cam, lots of nice bow wood in those logs.
Darcy :)
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Darcy Ellis
Fort Fraser BC Canada eh!

Offline okie64

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Re: Splittin' Elm (with pictures)
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2011, 10:49:05 am »
Man that looks like a lot of work. I've never tried splitting elm but it looks a lot like hickory I've split. Lots of interlocking grain. Nice haul and should make some really nice bows.
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Offline nativenoobowyer86

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Re: Splittin' Elm (with pictures)
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2011, 11:12:44 am »
Great work Cam! I successfully split my first slippery elm log about a month ago, but i didnt cut a monster like that.  I had to tag team it with my brother, and it was only a 6 inch diameter baby :D
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Splittin' Elm (with pictures)
« Reply #7 on: May 15, 2011, 11:25:12 am »
Looks awful worky to me........
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Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Splittin' Elm (with pictures)
« Reply #8 on: May 15, 2011, 12:21:56 pm »
"Toomany - no offence, but I think if I was to go at these with just a hatchet and hammer, I'd still be hacking away and not even be half done one split."

Oh I don't blame you, I've never split an elm but I have heard horror stories on here about it,... 
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Splittin' Elm (with pictures)
« Reply #9 on: May 15, 2011, 05:18:34 pm »
If you've every been on the bad end of a circular saw kickback, and I have, you'd never use one on a log. Jawge
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Offline sonny

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Re: Splittin' Elm (with pictures)
« Reply #10 on: May 15, 2011, 05:48:47 pm »
wrong time of year I know but the only easy splitting elm I ever encountered was frozen through.
I read somewhere about splitting it when frozen and tried it out..worked like a charm.
 
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Offline cracker

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Re: Splittin' Elm (with pictures)
« Reply #11 on: May 15, 2011, 10:50:00 pm »
I always drive a row of 3/4 lag bolts in the log with an impact wrench have a beer and listen to the snap crackle pop for a while and then go with the wedges.Ron
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Offline chessieboy

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Re: Splittin' Elm (with pictures)
« Reply #12 on: May 15, 2011, 11:28:45 pm »
ouch... $40.00 for two wedges :o.  We can get them at any hardware store here for $9.99 and I get them at second hand stores or flea markets for $5.00.  Thats US so I don't know what that would be Canadian.
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Offline M-P

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Re: Splittin' Elm (with pictures)
« Reply #13 on: May 16, 2011, 01:39:23 am »
Howdy,  Yup that's a good haul of wood, and a mess of future bows, ut I do not envie you the work of splittin' the stuff.   I only cut elm once.   I think I ended up buying three new wedges just to finish splitting it.    The ones I had got stuck!!     Ron
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Offline Cameroo

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Re: Splittin' Elm (with pictures)
« Reply #14 on: May 16, 2011, 02:24:46 am »
M-P, I had some issues with the wedges being tight, but found if I left an inch or two of wedge still sticking out, I could bash them side to side and get them to work their way out.

Ron, I've never heard of that technique before.  How close do you have to space the bolts to get the log to split?  Do you quarter them the same way, or just use wedges?

George - I had the saw buck on me twice cutting this one, but I kept a loose grip on it and a light trigger finger, and made out ok.  I know what you're saying though.  I'm not advocating this technique, just sayin it worked for me.

I've had a sore lumbar area off-and-on for the last 5 or 6 months, and was expecting my back to be a hurtin unit today.  To my surprise, it actually doesn't feel that bad.  Might have actually been therapeutic?!?  Or maybe it will hit me tomorrow :)
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