Author Topic: Siberian elm, Ulmus pumilia?  (Read 1881 times)

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Offline TacticalFate

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Siberian elm, Ulmus pumilia?
« on: August 12, 2013, 02:46:06 pm »
I have access to a smallish stand of siberian elm, Ulmus pumilia, most of the trees are around 3-6 inches DBH. I've been researching its suitability as bow wood, but all I've found was people saying it's too light, too brittle, but not noting any experience to back that up. Should I go cut some, or is it a waste of time? I'd like people with experience with this wood to chime in.

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Siberian elm, Ulmus pumilia?
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2013, 03:09:51 pm »
Truth be told Ive never even looked at what elm I was cutting, I just identified it as elm. Its all good to my hands and eyes.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Badly Bent

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Re: Siberian elm, Ulmus pumilia?
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2013, 09:22:59 pm »
That may have been me who said it was to brittle and light, I cut up about 15 staves of it for firewood after one attempt at a bow with that batch. Maybe small diameter stuff is different though, give it a try.
The staves I had were from a couple large diameter trees that came down in a wind storm... brittle? Anyway there was not bug damage or fungus and the bark was stripped and backs sealed, wood looked good. After drying well I shaped one into a fairly wide yet somewhat thick bow and started floor tillering. Was coming around well at floor tiller and then cracked all the way across, the belly if I remember right. Thing is from the size of the floor tillered bow it should have weighed about 18 ozs, but only weighed about half that. Not anything like other elm I've worked with.
Not a lot of time to invest in working a small sapling of the stuff so I would say go for it, I'd be curious to see how it works for you cause we have a lot of it here and if it works I just might give it another try.
I ain't broke but I'm badly bent.