# The Log Wins Today



## Allen Tomaszek (Aug 30, 2015)

Today was not my most productive day of sawing but I learned a few things so I guess it's all worth it in the end. Between a fussy Elm log that just didn't want to stay where I put it, friends and strangers curious about sawmilling, an alignment problem and a fussy bearing I got a grand total of 150bf out of one log today. Turned out to have a couple of nice bookmatched sets so it almost feels like a win.

If you're not familiar with a swingblade mill the blade in the horizontal position has a very tiny lean to it so that the teeth of the blade are always cutting fresh wood when traveling through the log. In the double cutting mode where you cut a horizontal pass on the left side of the log and return with a horizontal pass on the right side of the log that very tiny lean on the one side of the blade results in a very tiny ridge on the other side of the blade since it's ever so slightly higher. It's not very noticeable if the blade is aligned but when it's not you get this... oops...



The correct way to fix it takes more time than I wanted to spend as my day was getting eaten up by other issues already so eventually I figured out that if I lower the blade on the retun pass I can compensate for the alignment issue.

Anyway...after fussing with all that I was able to get some nice 6/4 bookmatched sets out of this Elm log 16" wide boards and 10' long as well as some odds and ends of 8/4 lumber.

Reactions: Like 8 | EyeCandy! 12 | Way Cool 4


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## David Van Asperen (Aug 31, 2015)

that is some good looking wood

Reactions: Agree 1


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## TimR (Aug 31, 2015)

Looks good from my angle! Some nice table tops in making there.


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## ironman123 (Aug 31, 2015)

Those turned out like some top notch elm.


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## ripjack13 (Aug 31, 2015)

Saaayyyy...that's some perdy wood right thar....


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## Nature Man (Aug 31, 2015)

Very nice elm. I've never worked with any, but always admired it. Always seems to have nice figure. Chuck


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## barry richardson (Aug 31, 2015)

Nice sets! Gonna make some spectacular table tops...


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## Wilson's Woodworking (Aug 31, 2015)

It looks like you figured out how to make a silk purse out of a sows ear! That is some darn nice wood.


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## Kevin (Aug 31, 2015)

Nice. I love elm ... another often overlooked wood in woodworking and as you see it can be spectacular.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Allen Tomaszek (Aug 31, 2015)

Totally agree with Elm being an overlooked species.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Wilson's Woodworking (Aug 31, 2015)

Wilson's Woodworking said:


> It looks like you figured out how to make a silk purse out of a sows ear! That is some darn nice wood.


Just to clarify I was talking about how everything else was going that day. 
I love the look of elm and how it works. My niece has a dinning room table made out of elm that is absolutely gorgeous!!!!!!!!


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## NYWoodturner (Aug 31, 2015)

Allen - It looks to me like you won by a long shot. Thats some gorgeous wood.


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## Graybeard (Sep 1, 2015)

What type of elm is that? Looks like red but don't know elm that well.
Graybeard

Reactions: Useful 1


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## Kevin (Sep 1, 2015)

Not sure either David but it looks a lot like the American Elm I milled years back.


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## Allen Tomaszek (Sep 1, 2015)

I think this is a Siberian Elm. The American Elm I have is a lot lighter in color than this material. I took a picture of a leaf that was attached to the tree because I wasn't 100% sure.


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## woodtickgreg (Sep 2, 2015)

My guess would have been siberian elm as well due to the color and grain of the wood. Pretty stuff indeed. I have milled a bunch of it, common tree around these parts.


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## NeilYeag (Sep 2, 2015)

Russian, Siberian, Ukraine, whatever! those wide slabs are incredible.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Graybeard (Sep 2, 2015)

That looks like what it is. Interesting from the Minn. DNR http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/woody/siberianelm.html We have American Elm in our timber. Grows only so big, then dies. Good for morels until all the bark is gone. Good firewood but hard to split because it's too stringy. 

Doesn't look as nice as the stuff you milled that's for sure.

Graybeard


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## NYWoodturner (Sep 7, 2015)

Gotta go with Slippery Elm - Ulmus Rubra


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## Mr. Peet (Sep 7, 2015)

Allen, I agree with elm. Are the logs on the trailer the same as the tree in question?

Reason asking is that the leaf you showed is more like Slippery elm than Siberian elm, however, Siberian elm bark is firm and fissured, looking like a cross between "Black Locust" and "White Ash". Slippery elm is more often platey or flakey as it matures, but is similar to "American elm" at youth (1-20 years). The double serrated edge of the leaves of Siberian elm are also more often stronger in appearance than the leaf shown.

Is the leaf shown smooth to touch and rub from petiole to leaf tip? And likewise from tip to petiole?

My first thought was English elm, _Ulmus procera_, and then the second thought was where in Hell would he come across that?


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## Allen Tomaszek (Sep 7, 2015)

All the logs are the same and I don't have the leaf any more. The leaf was smooth though. The bark is deeply fissured especially on the larger logs which I have yet to get to the saw. The ones I've done so far are 16" to 20" in diameter and were the uppers. The trunk is around 36" in diameter. Here's a few pics of some more boards I was able to saw from this set of logs this week along with a pic of some of the logs on my trailer giving you a better view of the bark. And also a pic of a little visitor.

Reactions: Like 2


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## woodtickgreg (Sep 7, 2015)

Cool toad. Man I dig that deck over trailer!


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## Allen Tomaszek (Sep 7, 2015)

@woodtickgreg I love the deckover trailer. I used to run with a car hauler to transport logs because it had a lower profile making it easier to get logs on but difficult to get off. With this rig I just roll the logs off the side of the side of the tailer....done.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Mr. Peet (Sep 8, 2015)

I'd run with the Siberian ID, _Ulmus pumila_...


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