Old Elm

[shooter]

She was full grown 32yrs ago, guessing 80-100yrs old
kids had tree forts, I rigged up a zip line, home to raccoons n birds
Lightning strike 2 years back, by this spring the big limb on top was cracking and woulda took out the front corner of the barn
so busted out my 14" Husqvarna!!  cutting from both sides she still didn't reach! cut sideways, some wedges and BOOM!!!

[SILVERGUN]

Well, the easy part is over.
Now what?
 

[shooter]

 
Tree art!!!
I'll let the neighbors talk awhile, It's on there property anyway,.... now 


I bought a wood stove and log splitter so eventually i'll whittle it down.  The barn is safe, that was my only reason, otherwise God woulda finished the job,....although I'm still alive so   

[sluckey]

That big ole crotch and stump may be hiding some nice bowl turning blanks. Could be some nice money too. It's possible you could get it cut up, hauled off, and make some bux too.

https://www.google.com/search?q=turning+elm+crotch&oq=turning+elm+crotch&aqs=edge..69i57.9471j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[shooter]

I haven't used a lathe since H.S.!  there is some good wood left and the neighbor does have a  bandsaw for trees!, I've got a back walnut waiting for the 2 center boards.  gonna try and cut the "top limb" (viewed) about 8ft to see if I can get a few pieces there.
most of the wood is pulp where the lighting just seared everything inside, then 2 years standing mostly without bark. 


It's the Oddest lighting strike tree I've cut, you'll go 5' nothing but goo, then hard as nails for another few feet then back to pulp goo.


I seen the strike hit, maybe 10 pm, it was like every limb became a path to ground, some smoldering, but no fire since the rain was so heavy it hurt to go out in it, and well, I didn't want to become a conductor 

[shooter]

nice day to whittle some more 

[SILVERGUN]

Ahh, see, now you're having fun with it 

[shooter]

 
fun is a relative term!


Just finished cutting, splitting n stacking a face cord. the 6th one!
I'm still analyzing the 2 ton log sorta just balanced.  maybe time to break out the Dodge tow motor and some old climbing rope

[acheld]

My god, I'd have finished an entire bottle of Advil after splitting and stacking 6 cords.

Bravo!

[sluckey]

But you would have only needed two Aleve tabs.   

[shooter]

only 3 2 cord, a face cord is 1/3.  you just get in a rhythm, 1 log, 2.  next verse, same as the 1st, just a little slower this time
Some herbal muscle relaxer at night 
the key is to look at your accomplishments for the next 2 days to motivate you 

[acheld]

So it's done in a 32 bar blues form . . .

There's a song in this. . . just sayin'

[shooter]

full disclosure;

my 1st 20+ years burning wood was hand splitting with a 12lb maul
this go around it's with a 25 ton hydraulic labor conversion machine 

[acheld]

Yeah, yeah, it's till a lot of heavy lifting . . . I know about this.   Or at least my back does.   

Were you able to get a guitar body blank out of it?  I have no idea how resonant (or not) elm is.

Cheers.

[shooter]

I did cut a blank outta the Cherry I took down 2yrs back.  started working it last year but got distracted 


I have 2 "chimney" logs I saved.  get a good campfire going then set it on upright and you got a poor mans gasifier   


I quit burning wood when my back and the stove blew out the same year
the back i've learned to manage and it's self welded together with enough calcification to support a good (smart:) workout.
most of the nerves have been chaffed enough to have a good scar build up so the legs just go numb instead of lighting bolt shocks 

[shooter]

different perspective
The silver maple's doing well, her 2 daughters are hiding the garage with help from the blue spruce
the Norwegian spruce is always happy
shot from 300 ft

[silverfox]

There's a song in this. . . just sayin'

silverfox.

[shooter]

   my whole life is a song in Bflat

[shooter]

the stinging Nettle, blackberry, n Raspberry vines taking care over the leftovers

[shooter]

after a couple months I'm at the finish_line for the 'ol Elm

[shooter]

Sadly another "old growth" comes down.
The rains loosened the roots, the listing started prying against the foundation I poured 2 years ago, pushed a main 8 X 8 bean up 2" causing siding to bow and crack.
the barn wins, boxelders are common around here 100yr old barns are not.