Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: Morgan on September 07, 2018, 12:52:47 pm

Title: Elm species.
Post by: Morgan on September 07, 2018, 12:52:47 pm

I went on a walk at the creek this morning after I got off work and saw an elm sapling that asked me nicely to take it home with me so I obliged. I have cut slippery elm saw logs from 6” to 24” in diameter when I ran a sawmill, and all those logs had a lot of dark reddish brown heartwood. Winged elm is obvious to identify. I don’t know anything about American elm, but I didn’t think it had any heartwood. This tree was about 3” dia  at the base and has a dime size heart that is medium/dark brown. Anyone know right off what it would be? I was able to split it in half and got one mostly clean stave and one stave that has a pair of large gnarly knots in the center that I may or may not be able to utilize

Title: Re: Elm species.
Post by: Morgan on September 07, 2018, 12:59:56 pm

The staves

Title: Re: Elm species.
Post by: half eye on September 07, 2018, 02:32:59 pm

From the few that I've cut here in Northern Mi. that looks like the Grey Elm up here....I believe that is American Elm (Loggers ans Sawyers here about call it grey elm).....makes a damned fine bow.
rich

Title: Re: Elm species.
Post by: upstatenybowyer on September 07, 2018, 06:22:05 pm

How big were the leaves?

Title: Re: Elm species.
Post by: Morgan on September 08, 2018, 09:51:31 am

Rich, I was thinking it was but not sure. The clean stave is going to be an eastern woodlands style bow, I know forum member Thunder has had good success with elm and that style bow.

Upstate, probably 1 1/2” long? I should have saved some cuttings to try to root.

Title: Re: Elm species.
Post by: Hawkdancer on September 08, 2018, 11:48:55 am

Leaves that sm all sounds like Chinese elm, or maybe Siberian elm.  From what I've read Siberian is good, Chinese not so good.  But I'm not a forester and only a newby at the bowmaking!  Go for it!
Hawkdancer

Title: Re: Elm species.
Post by: Morgan on September 08, 2018, 12:41:42 pm

The sapling that I cut was small and straight with no leaved branches down low and only a small twig coming off the trunk that is what I got the size from. Didn’t pay a lot of attention to the leaves on the crown. Neighbor has an elm that the bark looks the same as the one I cut but leave size varies a lot on this tree.
These are off the neighbors tree. I think it may be that same but not 100% sure.

Title: Re: Elm species.
Post by: Morgan on September 08, 2018, 12:56:07 pm

Looking at bark pics online I think it is most likely American, slippery is a possibility though, there is not a whole lot of differences in the bark of a tree that small.. Chinese and Siberian have entirely different bark

Title: Re: Elm species.
Post by: upstatenybowyer on September 08, 2018, 02:20:44 pm

I'm going w/ American.  )W(

Title: Re: Elm species.
Post by: mullet on September 09, 2018, 07:01:57 am

It doesn't look like the Chinese Elm around here. It is planted everywhere as an ornamental and everyone I've seen is twisted and knarly.

Title: Re: Elm species.
Post by: bushboy on September 10, 2018, 02:58:23 pm

White/American elm has brownish Heartwood and leaves just like you posted.