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Smelly Elm

C

CBSears

Joined
Jan 2, 2009
Messages
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Location
N. E. Pennsylvania
A few weeks ago I helped cut down a mature American Elm that finally succumbed to Dutch Elm disease. It's beautiful wood 30+" at the base - and naturally, I grabbed a bunch. It turns like butter and I've rough turned a number of bowls and closed forms, which I've set aside to dry. The problem is: the tree grew in a barnyard and after one sniff, there is no doubt that that is where it came from. 😱

Any thoughts about how to get rid of the horse manure smell?
 
Makes no difference where it grows, elm smells. The "butter" will harden up and present a bit of brittleness when dry, but the stuff's almost proof against splits.

BTW, plants use chemicals, not cowflops for food
 
Michael is right. An elm that has succumbed to Dutch Elm disease smells regardless of where it grows. The problem is not from the soil. The elm died during the growing season while the sap was up. The wood has plenty of sugars, etc. in it. The sugars ferment to form alcohols, which smell. The alcohols are converted to acids, which smell even more.

The smell will slowly dissipate with time.
 
Turning Elm to me smells like wet dog hair. It turns like butter, finishes well and doesn't crack. I have turned a number of pieces with no splits as MM said. If turned real thin for bowls it is kinda brittle but if left 1/4" to 1/2" thick makes great bowls.
 
Afterthought.

If you put the heart down, the swirl and curl seems to display better. Give it a try. It's almost as if it's not the same log.

Often called "piss elm" for some reason....
 
I recently turned a bunch of American Elm. All of the wood was very dry. Some of it smelled like a cow pasture but dissipated quickly. Once it was oiled and shellaced the smell was completely gone.

Burt
 
The stink has nothing to do with where the elm tree grew -- they all stink. I have turned very little elm for that reason. My impression from what little elm that I have turned is that it warps like crazy if turned wet. One of the demonstrators at our club used elm for his program once and drove a lot of the people out of the room.
 
I agree. I turn a bunch of Siberian Elm and it does have a furtive smell when wet. I don't think they were blighted, just stinky.

Aaron
 
A barnyard is a good discription and don't forget about slippery elm... when the bark is removed it's so slick you can't pick it up. I will say when turning hats the brim can be bent so it touches the band without breaking.
 
Thanks much, guys. I appreciate your feedback. Obviously, this is the first time I've worked with elm. That said: I've got quite a bunch of it, so I guess I'll just rough turn and set it aside where the family won't be bothered until it drys out.
 
CBSears said:
Thanks much, guys. I appreciate your feedback. Obviously, this is the first time I've worked with elm. That said: I've got quite a bunch of it, so I guess I'll just rough turn and set it aside where the family won't be bothered until it drys out.
Click to expand...

Free advice, be nice to the family and wait until summer and full ventilation to try and cut anything in the willow family as well. My bunch says it's more offensive than elm, with all that stagnant water inside it.

NEVER microwave elm or willow. DAMHIKT
 
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