Ugly elm - Woodworking Talk

**Daren** · 07-23-2009, 02:40 PM

And I have a song stuck in my head. I got a call last night from a buddy of mine who takes care of a local cemetery asking if I wanted an ugly log they had been pushing around in the mud for a month doing an expansion. I asked what is it. He said "It's just an old elm, but it has alot of forks like you like (crotches) and bumps all over it that look like big strawberries with twigs growing out of them (burls)" So maybe my buddies don't know the terminology, but at least they think of me when they see an ugly tree.

He dumped it in the yard early this morning in 2 pieces. And it does have strawberries growing on it (and I have the song "Strawberry Fields Forever" stuck in my head

)

I am buried in the sharpening shop today, just in for lunch. All I had time to do was whack the small end off and throw it on the mill to make some crotch table slabs. The piece on the mill (last picture) is the same as the first picture, just flipped over.

The dude in the second picture is my nosey neighbor, he is ring counting it for whatever reason. He is about my size, the big end of the log is 36". Crooked/nasty/limby/burly chunk of wood, I will see what I can do with it

.

I will post pictures in this thread when I open that first piece up, it may not be until weekend, not sure.

jeffreythree · 07-23-2009, 04:37 PM

Can't wait to see what is inside. Been a while since you put something odd up here, Daren. I have one of those burly elms waiting for me, just to much on my plate to get around to it so its still growing.

**Daren** · 07-23-2009, 05:03 PM

What the heck, I don't have anything to do tonight...I guess I can work all night sharpening. I had to open that one piece...then of course my luck came back to bite me, explained in next post.

I have milled many burl logs and the burls are usually only on the surface, same here really but they did go further than I expected. I pulled a few slabs that are decent looking.

**Daren** · 07-23-2009, 05:06 PM

I am just in cooling off/grabbing my wallet 'cause I gotta go get some welding rod for cast iron

I just got to the nice crotch figure and BOOM ! The band came off. I went to put it back on and found this...the wheel is broke in 4 places. I am a welder, not a big problem...just more BS to deal with.

firehawkmph · 07-23-2009, 05:23 PM

Daren,
nice looking piece of ugly ol' elm. You must be given that bandsaw a real workout for it to break like that. Will that weld up pretty easily?
Mike Hawkins

**Daren** · 07-23-2009, 07:22 PM

It was a cumulative thing I am sure Mike...I have been very hard on this mill for 5 years and the only thing I have broke until now was the starter rope. I could tell at least one of the breaks was old, just never noticed it before.

Yea it welded up no problemo.

I did not have to go fetch any rod. I just used 309 stainless welding rod, works good for cast iron. Preheat the joint, weld and put the heat back on and slowly let the area cool. That is why most people have trouble welding cast. It cools too fast and keeps cracking right beside the weld.

I need a new belt though. There is a belt that goes on the pulley like a tire that grabs the bandsaw blade. Dad happened to call to see how things were going and he was right across the street from Tractor Supply...so I am sure he will find the belt and I am back in business tomorrow.

Leatherneck · 07-23-2009, 09:37 PM

Mr. fix it,

very nice eye candy!! that grain has alot in common with walnut. It's great you can weld .. not much down time.
How much for a slab?

**TexasTimbers** · 07-24-2009, 07:56 PM

Man-o-man. That is some goooood looking wood bro. I haven't cut much elm but i need to find some like that.

Maybe call Schmidt and ask them if they think you need to send that wheel off for balancing. It doesn't take much to prematurely wreck some bearings or journals. Even if you can't feel any additional vibration than before it can still do damage. . If they say it needs to be balanced they can tell you where to send it. I could be erring on the side of caution but I would at least look into it if it were me.

**Daren** · 07-24-2009, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasTimbers

I could be erring on the side of caution but I would at least look into it if it were me.

No, we think along the same lines. But you already know that...well because we think along the same lines

. It is just a standard 19" Browning wheel and I am looking around for another (they sell cheap on ebay some times). It only put 2 sticks of 3/32" welding rod on it, but it is all on the same side from 6 o'clock-9 o'clock. And I am sure it did throw it out of balance some.

don716 · 08-09-2009, 11:31 PM

Daren,

That is some ugly elm. I think you should give it to me and you won't have to fool with it anymore.I know it's alot of trouble but that's the least I could do.

.
Donny

Chad · 08-10-2009, 07:09 PM

What is going to become of the ugly elm?

**Daren** · 08-10-2009, 07:22 PM

I am not sure where all of it is going. I know one book matched set from the crotch above a guy spoke for the day I was milling it. He is going to butt them up end to end and make a bed headboard.