While clearing a parcel for a new Kingdom Hall, I ended up with several nice-sized (~12-14" dia) logs of American Elm. That's the gloat part.
The 'sorta' part is that we had let most of it go for firewood (free, no less!) before I realized what was being cut (there was box elder and mulberry growing with it and I had been cutting on those two species along one fence line while while spiritually mature (but wood ignorant) Brothers had been cutting the elm along another fence line.
It was a pretty big tree ... I got enough for perhaps 2 doz. bowls and
50-60 pens. But there WERE branches large enough to justify milling for the lumber.I just turned my first couple of bowls from it. It turns awesome when wet(it spits!). I got both bowls (~9" dia x ~2" deep) turned to drying dimensions in under an hour each.
The grain is gorgeous ... easily the equal of any of the imported woods I have seen. It tore somewhat using a scraper, but looks like it will sand up nicely.
Bill