Smelly elm

[Ironballs]

Been cutting and planing some elm for the first time this weekend and the thing I noticed was that it generated a smell just like a farmyard. Pig manure to be precise. Really quite pungent.

Is this normal or have I just got a piece that has been maturing in porcine poo. I had to cut up a few pieces of ash to make the smell go away

 

[CHJ]

Been cutting and planing some elm for the first time this weekend and the thing I noticed was that it generated a smell just like a farmyard. Pig manure to be precise. Really quite pungent.

Is this normal or have I just got a piece that has been maturing in porcine poo. I had to cut up a few pieces of ash to make the smell go away

Not had any Elm with pronounce aroma but I have a fare bit of coloured Ash that needs a substantial exposure to fresh air and a good sealant on the surface to calm it down. A pile of Porcine Poo is quite sweet in comparison.
I believe there was a long term Owls nest in the trunk cavity before it finally fell to storm damage.

 

[JonnyD]

Not had any smelly experiences with elm but zebrano lets of a whiff of the farmyard.

jon

 

[Rich]

I have heard of a long eared owl, but a long term one is new to me, :wink: :lol: :lol:

Rich.

 

[bjm]

Here's something I never knew till now - elms (and other trees) suffer from a bacterial infection called bacterial wetwood or slime flux. The smell you experience could be down to the source tree being infected? I've never experienced any bad smells with elm. It could also be that you have a particular sensitivity to this wood?

Brian

 

[Rich]

I do hope it's not a return of the dutch elm disease which ravaged this country in the late 60's.

Rich.

 

[CHJ]

I do hope it's not a return of the dutch elm disease which ravaged this country in the late 60's.

Rich.

It never went away Rich, it's now endemic, hence why most young Elm root sproutings in hedgerows die back once they reach about 25 ft high.

 

[Rich]

I do hope it's not a return of the dutch elm disease which ravaged this country in the late 60's.

Rich.

It never went away Rich, it's now endemic, hence why most young Elm root sproutings in hedgerows die back once they reach about 25 ft high.

Rich.

 

[Finial]

Been cutting and planing some elm for the first time this weekend and the thing I noticed was that it generated a smell just like a farmyard.

I have found this before back when i could get wet elm for turning. I think it was ok when it dried out. Acacia also can be bad, i wondered if the wood was contaminated, (roots in a drain perhaps?) but it was not uncommon.

 

[Ironballs]

Don't know, the wood looked to be in great condition with no signs of disease or rot and when i cut it it was as dry as a scorpions ***. I have another piece that I don't know what I'm going to use for yet, will see if that smells the same when I chop it up.

Certainly wasn't pleasurable compared to the smells from chopping up ash, oak, maple, cherry and mahogany

 

[custard]

Most elm smells like that, it's very distinctive. It's kind of a mouldy, musty smell.

I've heard that an old name for elm was "corpse wood", maybe it was because it's one of the traditional timbers for coffins (posh coffins-oak, average coffins-elm, cheap coffins-pine), or maybe it was because of that smell of mouldy decay.

 

[woodbloke]

It does have it's own peculiar pong...but I quite like it - Rob

 

[Ironballs]

Rob, you're odd :wink:

It smells like poo

 

[Steve Maskery]

I've got a small block of Raspberry Jam Wood in the cupboard.

And yes it does.

S

 

[Ironballs]

What on earth is raspberry jam wood?

 

[bjm]

Raspberry jam wood is Acacia acuminata - from Australia.

My favourite smelling wood is West Indian Satinwood - Zanthoxylum flavum - it has a smell of coconut when you cut into it - aaahhhh!

Back to your elm - there wouldn't be any sign of rot or decay in the wood but the smell from the infection may permeate the wood?

Brian

 

[Ironballs]

No none at all (there may even be pics appearing in a project soon...). The other piece has some mild spalting but I haven't touched that one

 

[Richard Findley]

Most elm smells like that, it's very distinctive. It's kind of a mouldy, musty smell.

Yep, I totally agree, all the Elm I've used has this kind of mild manure smell. Could be worse I guess.....

 

[woodbloke]

Rob, you're odd :wink:

...so SWIMBO has mentioned once or twelve times :lol: - Rob

 

[OPJ]

Someone at college bought some English Elm in and, according to him, it smells like cat's pee! :shock: