Turning Elm

[ianedge]

what is elm like to turn, I have my eye on some that is coming up for auction, 80mm x 150mm 3m lengths looks like a bargain, there is plenty of other timber to choose from if I don't go for the elm though

 

[finneyb]

Google turning elm wood
There are some US forums with results

Brian

 

[ianedge]

Thanks Brian, I will have a look , is there much difference between native, European and American elm as there are all 3 in the auction, it is too far to go for a look so all online

 

[finneyb]

No idea if there is much difference in the elms, sorry.

Brian

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

elm is lovely. Has some fantastic figure, a lot of variation and if you can get hold of Elm burr....fabulous.

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

Elm is lovely to turn and has a really nice smell when cutting. You can get a lovely shine right off the tools. I have some lovely boards I got from my local supplier, which will appear as part of a top secret project once I'm fully fit again. I even have some that's lightly spalted, and other boards are partly burred. Really beautiful.

 

[CHJ]

Beautiful wood to turn in all its variations, just take care if it is old and well dried that little critters have not started to lunch on it.

 

[Brianp]

It's a beautiful timber to turn, and can really zing with a coat of oil.

 

[JimB]

I've used quite a lot of it mostly for stool and chair legs. As everyone else says, it finishes beautifully.

 

[KimG]

It's unlikely that there is much difference between the species, it was one of the reasons cited as a difficulty in combating Dutch Elm disease, the lack of genetic variation in Elms worldwide, as such it is hard to try and breed for any resistance. I seem to remember reading as much many years ago now.

 

[ianedge]

Thanks everyone, will keep an eye on the lots up for sale and have a bid or three may be stocking up on some turning blanks too as there are job lots going cheap at the moment