bower4311
ArboristSite Operative
Is black locust worth anything more than firewood? Has anyone ever sold black locust logs whole? Will mills buy them for anything?
Thanks
Thanks
Black Locust
- Thread starter bower4311
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Fence posts. Ron
Mallet Heads?
I make mallet heads out of it using my lathe. Good density and easy to turn:
The handle was walnut. This carver's mallet is one of my favorites:
I have never understood how locust can grow so fast and be so dense at the same time. In these two respects, no other species of wood in the entire world can match it.
I make mallet heads out of it using my lathe. Good density and easy to turn:
The handle was walnut. This carver's mallet is one of my favorites:
I have never understood how locust can grow so fast and be so dense at the same time. In these two respects, no other species of wood in the entire world can match it.
howellhandmade
Addicted to ArboristSite
Lots of old houses in this area have locust timbers, especially in the basement.
Mike Williams
Addicted to ArboristSite
I make mallet heads out of it using my lathe. Good density and easy to turn:
The handle was walnut. This carver's mallet is one of my favorites:
I have never understood how locust can grow so fast and be so dense at the same time. In these two respects, no other species of wood in the entire world can match it.
That's some nice work :thumbup:
Mac88
Addicted to ArboristSite
Agreed.
bower4311
ArboristSite Operative
Anyone know if it ever sells by the log load? I might call around to some local mills.
Steve2910
ArboristSite Guru
I have heard of a contractor in S.E.? or S. central?, PA whose entire business is building Black Locust decks.
Don't have any more details, maybe one of the members from York or Lancaster co. knows more?
If there's one, there are probably more...
I make mallet heads out of it using my lathe. Good density and easy to turn:
I have never understood how locust can grow so fast and be so dense at the same time. In these two respects, no other species of wood in the entire world can match it.
I am amazed! From what I see in the posts and firewood I have cut, B. locust checks and cracks so badly as I dries I didn't think one could make a finished product out of it. Even the old posts and beams I have run into are all rough sawn.
Harry K
Justsaws
Addicted to ArboristSite
It has been and is used for flooring and furniture, I have seen some cabinets and such that were very nice looking. My experience with it is the drying needs to be done slowly and the boards need some significant clamping to keep them straight. It is not a bad wood to work but Oak and Ash are much easier, I would rather work Locust then Elm though. All I have ever made out of it is rough sawn outside use items, such as compost bins. I have used hand and power tools to plane it, cross cut it, rip it, turn it, router it and such but never fit and assembled the finished pieces. After thinking about it for a bit I do not ever remember ever sanding any of it, kind of weird.
It requires pre-drilling of everything and sharp tools. Going to mill a couple of small logs and make some outside garden benchs and possibly a workbench top soon, we'll see how it dries, might just be some more compost bins.
Those mallets look good, chisels were sharp.
Last edited:
Justsaws
Addicted to ArboristSite
Some of the mills around here will buy it but the small individual speciality millers will typically pay better if they have an order waiting. To put things in perspective I recieved a couple 100 board feet of poor quality black locust boards that were sold at .50 a board foot earlier this year. Good outside rough stuff but not for finished work.
Decking BL is usually around a $1.00 a board foot straight off the mill.
Not a big money maker for these guys. The large clear boards can fetch a much higher price but only if they have somebody that wants it.
BrokenToys
ArboristSite Operative
Everyone I seem to meet thinks it even sucks as firewood; so I agree with them and take it off their hands or salvage it from the local landfill in truckloads... :msp_wink: .. must've come across at least 10 cord easily in the last 2-3 years..
Black Locust = Black Gold ! Really like the woodworking pictures attached up there too. I use it here for lawnscaping borders and for standing stuff on [bird bath, lawn globe, stuff like that]; and my son kicks a large branch I stuck in the ground for his TKD kicking routines. And it's the majority of my firewood as well, at least 60-65% is all Black Locust.
Black Locust = Black Gold ! Really like the woodworking pictures attached up there too. I use it here for lawnscaping borders and for standing stuff on [bird bath, lawn globe, stuff like that]; and my son kicks a large branch I stuck in the ground for his TKD kicking routines. And it's the majority of my firewood as well, at least 60-65% is all Black Locust.
If you ever get the itch to do something different try your hand at making a Self Bow.
As in Bow and Arrow. Black Locust and Osage are great for that.
I have been making them for almost 30 years now. Time consuming but lots of fun.
David
As in Bow and Arrow. Black Locust and Osage are great for that.
I have been making them for almost 30 years now. Time consuming but lots of fun.
David
bower4311
ArboristSite Operative
Called a local saw mill today and he said it can go for $0.60 per board foot in log form. Does that sound right? I was assuming thats what he was talking about. He said if its good stuff and around 20" is a good size he could send out a truck to pick it up. So I may have a project for next summer.
Chris-PA
Where the Wild Things Are
Awesome for firewood and fence posts. I've used it for timbers on my front porch as well as a post I replaced on it - had the local lumber mill cut me a post to the same size as the other old posts and then shaped it to match. It can get a little splintery when it dries, and it's tough stuff to work with. But it's strong and lasts.
I've been trying to propagate it all through my woods - it does grow fast and it's just one of the most useful trees around.
I've been trying to propagate it all through my woods - it does grow fast and it's just one of the most useful trees around.
Here's how to grow black locust: Clear a field for crops and try to keep it out. You will be guaranteed to see fantastic growth and multiplication!
Good Stuff
The only reason black locust could possibly be not good firewood is because people try to burn it green. But, to my knowledge, that's true of any wood species. Let the locust dry out. It takes awhile. Simple as that. It splits great, even when green. Many wood species do not, so I say split locust early, expose the grain, and enjoy the heat from dry wood that's almost as dense as oak.
The only reason black locust could possibly be not good firewood is because people try to burn it green. But, to my knowledge, that's true of any wood species. Let the locust dry out. It takes awhile. Simple as that. It splits great, even when green. Many wood species do not, so I say split locust early, expose the grain, and enjoy the heat from dry wood that's almost as dense as oak.
Chris-PA
Where the Wild Things Are
Around here you'd get a field full of autumn olive overgrown with oriental bittersweet and Japanese stiltgrass. And multiflora rose and wine berries. They wine berries can stay - love those little buggers.
And seedlings you want will be eaten by the deer.
Steve2910
ArboristSite Guru
There may be regional differences in density, but around here BL is way better firewood than Oak. Most of the BTU charts I've seen seem to agree...
Excellent Fuel Source
Frankly, I think the best overall tree species for cultivating wood as a source of heat is locust. It grows faster than any dense hardwood and I imagine it could outproduce both poplar and cottonwood in BTU/acre/year.
This past January I cut up a large black locust tree for fuel at a clearing site. The only difficulty I had was lifting the largest rounds onto the tailgate of my pickup. I had no choice but to noodle several of them in half, and I had to quarter the largest two rounds. One tree yielded four full truckloads of rounds to be split, and my truck groaned as I carried each of them away.
Now you fellas have talked me into lathe turning some of this stock again. It's been awhile. One of my friends turned a large black locust bowl from one of my rounds. It's a beauty. So little time, so many projects.
So do I for the most part. The oak species vary considerably in heat content. Density usually generates more BTU/lb than anything else. Some live oaks growing in the South are so dense that they sink in water. They are also very slow growing.
Frankly, I think the best overall tree species for cultivating wood as a source of heat is locust. It grows faster than any dense hardwood and I imagine it could outproduce both poplar and cottonwood in BTU/acre/year.
This past January I cut up a large black locust tree for fuel at a clearing site. The only difficulty I had was lifting the largest rounds onto the tailgate of my pickup. I had no choice but to noodle several of them in half, and I had to quarter the largest two rounds. One tree yielded four full truckloads of rounds to be split, and my truck groaned as I carried each of them away.
Now you fellas have talked me into lathe turning some of this stock again. It's been awhile. One of my friends turned a large black locust bowl from one of my rounds. It's a beauty. So little time, so many projects.
Last edited:
