# spalted hackberry? elm?



## phinds (May 1, 2016)

Got these from a guy trying to ID them. Based on the end grain's ulmiform pore bands, I think they have to be either elm or hackberry but the spalting is a bit weird, particularly for elm and somewhat less so for hackberry.

Look familiar to anyone? @Mr. Peet, these are the ones I emailed you about yesterday.


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## Dennis Ford (May 1, 2016)

I can not add anything to your analysis of the pictures, odor might help when sawing or sanding to separate elm from hackberry.


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## phinds (May 1, 2016)

Dennis Ford said:


> I can not add anything to your analysis of the pictures, odor might help when sawing or sanding to separate elm from hackberry.


Yeah, but sadly I cannot smell. I'll poke it under Mark's nose and see what he thinks.


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## Kevin (May 1, 2016)

Hackberry is significantly lighter weight than any elm I believe.


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## phinds (May 1, 2016)

Kevin said:


> Hackberry is significantly lighter weight than any elm I believe.


Good point. I thought of that myself but the charts I checked had them well overlapping. The low end of hackberry is well below elm though, so I should check it anyway.


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## Mr. Peet (May 1, 2016)

A few dumb questions that I need to ask. Are these samples that you received representatives of full 8'-10' foot or more by 6"-8" wide or more planked lumber? If they are and the coloration is consistent for the length and width of the stock, one possible scenario comes to mind.

I have seen similar from American white elm, _Ulmus americana_, that was killed by Dutch elm Disease, left standing dead for around a year and then milled. The wood already had white rot throughout, but the wood was still quite sound. It was rained on a bit to promote spalt, but it soon developed blue stain, so the sawyer placed it in the kiln and had blotchy wood with water stained looks and rot pockets that were still sound. The wood crafters ate it up and it is out there somewhere now.

I would guess, not "Hackberry". I have seen some "English elm" with wood like that. What is the likely hood of it being a street tree or landscape tree for the source of the wood?


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## phinds (May 1, 2016)

Mark, I've asked him to take a look at this thread and give me an answer to your question.


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## phinds (May 1, 2016)

Mark, here's his repy:

All the usable lumber that's left of a tree or 2 milled 30-35 years ago in south Louisiana.


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## phinds (May 1, 2016)

Also, I see that English elm has the thin row of early wood pores that would be consistent with his pieces.


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