119 First Cuts of Burr Elm

Spread the love

When we put a log on the bandsaw there’s always a decision  to make about what the first cut will be. This first piece sawn for purely practical reasons, making a flat surface for the rest of the log to sit on the dogs* safely and securely without rolling around.

We are bound by the laws of sawmilling to think about how our customers will use the wood from the logs we saw so we make our choice based on the best possible use of the log and sadly, that requires a sacrifice.

Decisions, decisions.

Will it be best as 41 or 65 mm for joinery use or should it be 54mm for worktops and table tops?

Tom studies the logs, often whilst they’re still standing, in fact even better if they’re still standing because he can see how they’d stood, get the soil in his hands, check the direction of weather and the gradient of the land.

So he makes his decisions. There’s always a sacrifice. These ‘sacrifices’ are what you see before you.

The extraordinary, never to be repeated, once in a lifetime, first cuts.

Elm burr bundle waiting for sticking burr elm first cut boards seasoning Burry elm first cut boards elm first cuts back from the sawmill burry elm boards waiting for stickI Elm bur bundle waiting for stickin in the air dried yard elm first cut boards seasinging Elm Burrs elm furst cuts

These one’s are ELM from gnarly, burry trees that stood and weathered the Scottish and Northumberland-ish winters for decades, even centuries until they found their way to us.

They’ve been secretly seasoning in unruly bundles in the air dried yard and whilst they settled and calmed their cellulose selves we pondered on how to manage them. Luckily David appeared on the scene and has taken them under his wing. He’s spent time with them, nurturing them through their wild and wayward first seasons so that now they’re behaving themselves nicely.

As you can see there is nothing ordinary, regularised or typical about these 119 boards in any way shape or form but as a guide to dimensions they range from 30 – 190mm in thickness, from 150 – 750mm in width, from 1 – 4 m in length.

 

scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr scottish elm burr

SEE the ELM BURR stock onine

or come and see them in the flesh (grain) anytime.

If you want more information or you want to talk to someone about the Burrs call the office 01730 816941 and ask for our David. He’s lovingly tending to these boards whilst they are still with us and knows them intimately!

p.s. if you like one of these click on it and you’ll get a filename that includes it’s Item No. and you can search for that on the online stock search tool HERE

 

MORE

More on ELM https://www.englishwoodlandstimber.co.uk/species/elm/

See all the ELM stock http://bit.ly/2IbG6zs

See all the Burrs in Oak, Elm and Plane http://bit.ly/2wQPGkY

 

*the dogs = the arms which grip and hold the log as it passes to and fro through the bandsaw

Posted on June 13th 2019 under english hardwoods, furniture timber. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.