elm

[Lee Lobbestael]

I have some elm on my property but Im not sure what kind it is. II have never used elm but would like to try some.  Live in southern Michigan. Will any species of elm from this area make a good bow? Also is there anything I need to know about elm concerning drying it or the process of building a self bow out of it? Or can I treat it like a typicalwhite wood? Thanks for any input

[TimothyR]

Elm is very hard to split. Take the bark off and use that as the back. As for the type of elm im not sure im in southern Oklahoma.  Someone will chime in.  Im not a seasoned bowyer. Jmho.

[autologus]

They should all make fine bows.

Grady

[Lee Lobbestael]

Ok thanks guys! Yeah I know about the hard to split part. I cut some for firewood last year and tried to hand split it! Everytime one of my buddies would come over I would tell them to try to split that nice straight piece of "ash"

[Crogacht]

I agree elm is hard-ER to split. But it depends. A 10 inch elm has got nothing on a 20 inch black locust I still don't think it's that bad

[Badger]

  I pounded a wedge into an elm log one time until I buried it, it went in like a nail with no split at all. I love elm but don't have to muscle anymore to split it.

[Crogacht]

Haha, maybe I haven't found a big enough elm log yet 

[Thunder]

You might want to try an Elm sapling (1 1/2"-2 1/2" dia) they are easier to work with and can handle the high crowned back. Elm also handles high stress designs and heat treating very well, but the belly has to be flat. I have a 58" ntn 55# @ 26" sapling D bow with slightly flipped tips I just finished, it's from a small 1 1/8" diameter (@ the handle) American Elm.  And a 64" ntn 65# @ 26" D bow from a 1 1/4" Elm sapling. Neither one has taken any set. The best part is you dont't have to do any splitting. It's my favorite wood to work with, I say give it try.

Cheers,
Thunder
-I'll try to post picks this evening

[Lee Lobbestael]

Cool I will look for some small saplings!

[Josh B]

One other thing to consider when splitting elm staves from logs.  Elm is notorious for warping and twisting as it dries.  I've heard of several ways to reduce this problem, including placing stickers in between the staves and lashing them back together as they were split.  I haven't tried that approach yet. I have lashed them to 2x4's to dry, but was only moderately successful.  I still had to heat straighten them to make a bow.  Josh

[Lee Lobbestael]

Well I found a two and a half inch sapling and a six inch diameter tree both elm and I took them both. I peeled the bark off the small one. Do I need to worry about it checking all over or just on the ends?

[Crogacht]

All over. Seal it up real tight everywhere.

[JoJoDapyro]

I had a large Siberian elm in my yard. We had it cut down, stacked the wood for a few years to season. Even with a 12 hp log splitter it had problems splitting 24 inch long logs. It will eat wedges, so have a few. and it really didn't burn all that well, mostly like Coal.

[dwardo]

I use quite a bit of elm as its relatively easy for me to get and I rarely have a hard time splitting it. Admittedly the largest I split was only about a foot across and mostly its 6-8 inch stuff but with two axes and a few wooden wedges they pop open. I also only split when green, maybe that's why I find it easy?
I find the higher crown on the smaller stuff best as it creates a natural trap.

[Jim Davis]

Peeled and split (or sawn) I have had no cracking at all without sealing anything but the ends.

Jim Davis