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As Wood Types Go, How Do You Fare Elm?


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ive not long ago landed some spectactular lumps of elm. af first people were banding round things like "they'd make great coffee tables!" and they certainly would.

they arent the proper grain orientation of cut lumber, they are circular slices of tree trunk which are 5 foot diameter by 8 inches thick.

they are heavy as funk and will be chopped up for fire wood (by me)

i couldnt help but ponder the idea of cutting one up and trying to get a guitar body out of it. theres tons of wood talk on here but ive not heard elm mentioned. my mate says its great wood for making bows from as it has "an interlocking grain". its certainly a bugger to split with an axe.

it would need an incredible amount of cutting and whittling as i currently have nothing other than a few hand/power tools, no bandsaw or tablesaw.

possible great source of guitar wood? or am i just jerkin off? :D

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...! that pretty much says it all then!

i did see someones pictures of a les paul guitar being made with similar grain orientation. (this forum perhaps?) and it looked excellent! but it wasnt elm.

my usual spikey designs wouldnt last five minutes with elm not that i think about how the grain runs it would be too easy to knock a chuck off! but perhaps a more rounded solid les paul shape could take a bashing and stay together. i reckon i'll put a slice at the back of my shed for another day and another project.

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Elm is squirrelly stuff to begin with.....You don't even seen much furniture made from elm......The table idea is a good one, but you are in for years of dry time or will need to have it kiln dried by someone who knows what they are doing. I have made some high-end tables from cross-cut slabs of Claro Walnut with great results.....In general regarding elm.....If it is not burl......It is firewood.

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