Saving/Drying Elm

[Puckdropper]

We took a dead Elm tree down (not sure what type, probably American) and I've been wondering what I can do to use the wood for woodworking. I'd like to have someone mill it so I can stack it and store it in the barn. (If anyone knows of someone in the Peoria IL area that will do just the 1 tree, please let me know.) Is there any need for a rush getting the material milled?

There were some massive limbs on the tree as well. Some of them are 8-10" in diameter. Will they dry out to usable lumber?

I took a few samples off a wedge and jointed and planed one. Beautiful stuff with nice close growth rings. It'll be hard to get better stuff.

Puckdropper

[Sonny]

A local tree service will likely know where a mill is in your area. Mills aren't crazy about milling a yard log because of the probability of having nails, fencing or some other metal imbedded in the wood. Limbs are used for lumber because they have lots of tension wood and are most apt to warp, bend, twist, etc., etc.

Sonny

[Martin H. Eastburn]

It would be nice to find a band saw mill - less loss.

Can you quarter saw it ? - large enough to get grain ?

Mill will know - you will get narrower boards.

They should offer drying abilities - in an in-house kiln.

Mart> We took a dead Elm tree down (not sure what type, probably American) and

[Sonny]

Correction: Limbs are NOT used for lumber because....