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Author Topic: Speaking of warping and twisting while drying - red elm  (Read 2593 times)

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Offline snedeker

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Speaking of warping and twisting while drying - red elm
« on: August 20, 2009, 09:52:29 pm »
I cut a red elm 7" in diameter in a really nasty little draw in one the thickest vegetated, most broken country patches I've ever seen in Pennsylvania - in early July.  Some Beagle friends accompanied me.  I brought it back and that night split it in half and debarked, sealed ends.  It was really wet.  Next morning I noticed some amazing checking diagonal across the grain.  I split six staves. Put them in a semi breezy shed area for a couple weeks for prelim drying, then in attic.  Five turned into shapes that look like clown-made long balloon toys.   One's okay.  Wood is funny stuff isnt it.

Dave
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Offline PaulN/KS

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Re: Speaking of warping and twisting while drying - red elm
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2009, 11:42:39 pm »
I had a straight stave of elm and started making an ELB out of it...
Dang thing started to warp on me and the ends both bent to where it looks like a goofy wooden longhorn... yep, wood has a mind of it's own.
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Offline sailordad

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Re: Speaking of warping and twisting while drying - red elm
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2009, 12:11:18 am »
i hada limb from some elm,split it into two staves
when it dried,one was some what straight with some serious reflex,
the other looked like a piece of licorice it twisted around so bad
both went to the neighbor for his fire pit
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Offline Ryano

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  • Ryan O'Sullivan, North Western Pennsylvania
Re: Speaking of warping and twisting while drying - red elm
« Reply #3 on: August 21, 2009, 08:13:25 am »
Yep, elm will do that if you take it down to much while its wet. Better to leave it in larger half splits and such for preliminary drying.
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Offline GregB

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  • Greg Bagwell
Re: Speaking of warping and twisting while drying - red elm
« Reply #4 on: August 21, 2009, 08:28:44 am »
It might be best the first couple of months for it to dry slow if possible...getting rid of the moisture slow instead of quickly. Maybe keep it in a basement or similar place. Like Ryan said, leave it in larger pieces that aren't likely to worp and wait until several months into the process and then reduce them down.  :)
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Greg

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DCM

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Re: Speaking of warping and twisting while drying - red elm
« Reply #5 on: August 21, 2009, 09:35:24 am »
Oh baby.  I've had it get all noodley even after fully seasoned.  Had one piece that would pinch the skill saw every few inches as I was trying to kerf it for a split.  I've had fair luck reducing it do near bow size than then clamping it down to something.
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Offline snedeker

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Re: Speaking of warping and twisting while drying - red elm
« Reply #6 on: August 21, 2009, 05:23:38 pm »
I had planned to leave it in halves for a while but I thought maybe that was causing the checking - I mean deep, fissure like checking.  One wonders why the single stave did not twist and warp.  If I get one bow, it will have been worth it. It was a quick cut and carry

Dave
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