Bill,
Where is this tree native to? Be great if you could email a picture to me.

TomNie

"W Canaday" wrote in message
news
Semi-gloat.

I stumbled across some slippery elm while helping clear a building site
for a Kingdom Hall recently. At first I had NO idea what I had on my
hands. Lots of it was set by the road with a sign that read "free
firewood". But, curious about the color, I hung on to a few larger pieces.

I've got enough to make perhaps 15 bowls and I hope I can find more before
this runs out!

The wood itself is basically a walnut brown but it has
awesome interlocking tan grain that really shows up when turned at shallow
angles (think platter or shallow bowl). It's a very fine herringbone sort
of pattern (think fine lace or partridge breast plumage) that is both
subtle at first glance but very pronounced on closer examination.

I turned it wet and I think you should, too, if you get the chance. It
turned beautifully easy. But wear a raincoat, the sap spins out of here
like crazy!

My moisture meter pegs at 26%. I turned two bowls at near-net dimensions
(about 3/8 sidewalls; 1/2' base) then dried them to 6-10% in the
microwave. It took about 30 minutes of microwave time (spread out over
several hours) to get the wood below 26% moisture content.

When wet, the wood stinks somewhat like the north end of a southbound
horse.

Once dry, it sands nicely.

So far I don't have anything completed yet, but wiping it with a pure
tung oil + turpentine mix popped the grain nicely and gave it a soft
sheen. I haven't yet made up my mind, but that may be all the finish it
gets. It looks good right where it is.

Bill