(04-27-2022, 11:04 AM)Gregor1 Wrote: At $92 a gallon, I would think it would be more than amazing.
I was spending $50 - 60/gal for Ipe' Oil, Penofin Hardwood Oil, and Armstrong Clark oil stain. None lasted a year and every one got black mold. One Time is the first stuff I've used on my Ipe' deck that has actually survived over the winter w/o getting black mold, and it still looks pretty good. I think I'll get 2 or 3 years out of it. I'll be money and many hours ahead if it does.
I got around to using some of that grey elm for a project, other than just a cart to roll around the grill. If someone offers you some grey elm, RUN don't walk. That is the stringiest, most miserable stuff I have ever worked with. ( not that I have worked with a lot ) This stuff will eat router bits, and blades like nothing I have seen. I actually had sawdust glowing with embers in my router table, and no, I was not taking a large cut. No bigger than any other time anyway. I think the rest of this will become fire wood for the pit.
Sometimes it's better to keep your mouth shut, and have the world think you a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.
(08-02-2022, 11:05 AM)Gregor1 Wrote: I got around to using some of that grey elm for a project, other than just a cart to roll around the grill. If someone offers you some grey elm, RUN don't walk. That is the stringiest, most miserable stuff I have ever worked with. ( not that I have worked with a lot ) This stuff will eat router bits, and blades like nothing I have seen. I actually had sawdust glowing with embers in my router table, and no, I was not taking a large cut. No bigger than any other time anyway. I think the rest of this will become fire wood for the pit.
Burning is a sign your rpm is too high and feedrate to low. You need to put the heat into the chip, not the bit. Take shallower cuts at lower rpm and higher feedrate. I never knew how important this was until I got a CNC where you can really see the effects of those changes. I never ran a 1/4" straight or spiral bit below max. speed on my handheld router, so around 30,000 rpm. On the CNC I almost never run it higher than 12,000 rpm, which is 2 on the Makita dial with 6 being the max.
The best wood for this project is the western cedar you bought. In our East TN climate any oil finish used outdoors promptly turns black from mold growing on it.
Elm is a pretty wood but never used in furniture because of the huge difference in radial/tangential grain response to humidity changes. I built a desk from it anyway and the side is now split.
Dowels don't work well out doors. Better to use mortise and tenon.
(08-02-2022, 11:05 AM)Gregor1 Wrote: I got around to using some of that grey elm for a project, other than just a cart to roll around the grill. If someone offers you some grey elm, RUN don't walk. That is the stringiest, most miserable stuff I have ever worked with. ( not that I have worked with a lot ) This stuff will eat router bits, and blades like nothing I have seen. I actually had sawdust glowing with embers in my router table, and no, I was not taking a large cut. No bigger than any other time anyway. I think the rest of this will become fire wood for the pit.
If someone offers you wood for sale that you have never seen in furniture suspect there is a reason you have never seen it in furniture.
(08-03-2022, 10:03 PM)EdL Wrote: Never had a problem with Elm other than movement.....I enjoy working with it.
Machines well.....methinks you didn't get Elm.
Ed
Agree. What you have doesn't sound like elm I work with. I enjoy working with elm. It can be stringy, but not hard on tools. Glues and screws very well. I think grey elm is another term for American elm, but not sure. I prefer working with Siberian elm, which is a trash tree where I live and easy to come by. A high end furniture store in our area offers elm as an option for dining tables and chairs - and they charge a premium for it.
(08-02-2022, 11:05 AM)Gregor1 Wrote: I got around to using some of that grey elm for a project, other than just a cart to roll around the grill. If someone offers you some grey elm, RUN don't walk. That is the stringiest, most miserable stuff I have ever worked with. ( not that I have worked with a lot ) This stuff will eat router bits, and blades like nothing I have seen. I actually had sawdust glowing with embers in my router table, and no, I was not taking a large cut. No bigger than any other time anyway. I think the rest of this will become fire wood for the pit.
I've had good luck with elm. Mill it a little oversize, air dry under cover for a year or so, set aside the boards that misbehave, then kiln dry. This is some elm I used for paneling the sides of the stairwell about 40 years ago. In that time it's behaved nicely. There are some things I'd do a bit differently today in this project, but overall I'm still happy with the results. Also a kitchen I built for a friend, door panels are elm.
Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.
