Black Locust

[njtuna]

got very lucky and scored some black locust last weekend. :greenchainsaw: about a half cord i think. local tennis club has been clearing trees, so i asked if i could have some. asked for a couple of oak limbs, but the groundskeeper took them for himself. however, he said i could take the black locust that was behind one of the courts. it was already bucked, stacked and waiting to rot. i was ecstatic! loaded it up and took it home. just split almost all of it. it's yellow, very interesting. read up on it and decided to split it right away as it is supposed to turn as hard as concrete after it seasons. which brings me to my next question. how long to season? i read someone who said it was very quick, 6 months, and another who said to season it 2-3 years! talk about a difference of opinion!

 

[Al Smith]

If I recall correctly black locust has about the same btu's per cord as shag bark hickory.

The stuff burns real well,splits rather easily also.While it is not as rot proof as osage orange,it will last for decades as fence posts etc.

I don't know the exact genus the tree belongs to but it kind of colonizes much like a quacking aspen or so it seems.I've bulldozed patchs of the stuff out and it seems it was just one interconnected mess of roots.

 

[Brushwacker]

In ideal conditions split into firebox size pieces 6 mo. is long enough. In log form 16 inch in length about 1 year or longer. Can be longer if not exposed to dry air etc.

 

[cantcutter]

I love the stuff....it is one of the few things that will burn 12 hours in my Vermont castings stove.

 

[computeruser]

Good score!

What year is that truck? How does it handle a load of logs? I want to finally get a truck someday, and keep eyeing the older trucks (70s when being practical, 50s when daydreaming) and imagining the fun of having a running, restored old truck for hauling stuff around in.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Yes, you did get lucky to get that! Locust is one of the top 3 burning woods going. It doesn't seem to take very long to season; it's more on the "dry" side to begin with, but you did right by splitting it asap. Good luck and enjoy it.

 

[Agnes]

Nice Score on the wood! Pretty distinctive truck you have there what year is it?. I'll be sure to recognize it and say hello to you when I'm in Bergen County considering I'm in the neck of the woods every now and then.

 

[kevinj]

got very lucky and scored some black locust last weekend. :greenchainsaw: about a half cord i think. local tennis club has been clearing trees, so i asked if i could have some. asked for a couple of oak limbs, but the groundskeeper took them for himself. however, he said i could take the black locust that was behind one of the courts. it was already bucked, stacked and waiting to rot. i was ecstatic! loaded it up and took it home. just split almost all of it. it's yellow, very interesting. read up on it and decided to split it right away as it is supposed to turn as hard as concrete after it seasons. which brings me to my next question. how long to season? i read someone who said it was very quick, 6 months, and another who said to season it 2-3 years! talk about a difference of opinion!

Judging by the lengths cut, 1 year should be good. Two years better.
However, be careful with those dang branches.
Those thorns can cause a nasty inflamation if your not careful.
Somehow they seem to break a tiny piece off in yer hand sometimes.
And you may not know it till the next day.
Try to wear learther gloves with black locust.

But yeah, good wood for the fireplace...

 

[Al Smith]

While black locust does in fact have it's share of thorns,honey locust is the thorny one of the bunch.

 

[derbyguy_78]

from a older truck fan.......

Good score!

What year is that truck? How does it handle a load of logs? I want to finally get a truck someday, and keep eyeing the older trucks (70s when being practical, 50s when daydreaming) and imagining the fun of having a running, restored old truck for hauling stuff around in.

i at one time also day dreamed the same idea,,,but....made it come true.so be it, i restored a 1975 dodge 4x4 full size pick up. I use the truck for my part time firewood/logging business. i will try to post a pic here soon. Scott:chainsawguy:

 

[derbyguy_78]

wow!!!!

got very lucky and scored some black locust last weekend. :greenchainsaw: about a half cord i think. local tennis club has been clearing trees, so i asked if i could have some. asked for a couple of oak limbs, but the groundskeeper took them for himself. however, he said i could take the black locust that was behind one of the courts. it was already bucked, stacked and waiting to rot. i was ecstatic! loaded it up and took it home. just split almost all of it. it's yellow, very interesting. read up on it and decided to split it right away as it is supposed to turn as hard as concrete after it seasons. which brings me to my next question. how long to season? i read someone who said it was very quick, 6 months, and another who said to season it 2-3 years! talk about a difference of opinion!

i just have to say awesome truck!! i am a proud owner of a 75 dodge truck..and just wanted to give props to you on your truck.........Scott

 

[Jimfound]

NJ -
you will always have a difference of opinion where people are involved - thats the beauty.

Can you throw it in your woodstove/fireplace after 6 months - yes. Will it be fully seasoned - no. Its up to you. Personally...I like to burn fully seasoned wood. Anyway...good score on the locust - I too was suprised too to find the first time I cut some that is was yellow. I have a pile of locust that was cut into rounds and sat for about 6 months and has been split and stacked for another 8. I might try to burn it this winter but I will have to see how it goes. I'll let you know how it burns....by November it will be 17 months since the tree was felled.

 

[njtuna]

thanks for all the replies. i am very excited about burning the locust, although i realize it may not be this season. it does seem fairly dry to begin with when i split it. did not encounter any thorns. it was fairly easy to split too. 1 or 2 rounds were a little tough b/c looked like they had a branch starting out inside. but, overall, very satisfied with ease of splitting. the truck belongs to my dad. it's a 1951 dodge b-series half-ton. original engine and all (rebuilt 3 times). my dad is a very good mechanic, and keeps her running very well. it is so much fun to drive- i actually learned how to drive on it, driving through the lincoln tunnel the first time behind the wheel...that was scary. 3 speed shifter on the steering column. flat 6, lots of torque. she handles the firewood pretty well, had her loaded pretty heavy. it was around a half cord of locust, which i imagine would be significantly more than a half-ton. my dad has had her since 1965. someday, she will belong to me, and i really would like to restore her to her original red color. but i am very happy to drive and use the truck when i need. she's a real workhorse!

 

[Ravens_talons]

Before you burn it

If you split the wood and get some straight, knot-free pieces, see if a bowyer would be interested. Black Locust is a reliable bow wood. The bowyer will want to see the wood to judge if it's useful, but is also likely to pay better than someone buying firewood.

 

[SWI Don]

I have a place not too far from me that they girdled several hundred black locust trees. We got in there towards the end of last winter and from what I see the wood will will most likely be burnt this winter.

If it proves to be too hot I have a bunch of maple to mix in with it.

Don

 

[Jimfound]

I have a pile of locust that was cut into rounds and sat for about 6 months and has been split and stacked for another 8. I might try to burn it this winter but I will have to see how it goes. I'll let you know how it burns....by November it will be 17 months since the tree was felled.

I thought I would revisit this old thread...the mulberry vs. Osage hedge thread got me thinking back to this one.

I have been burning every night for about the last 2 weeks (live in Northern VA), and I can say that the locust I have been burning is not seasoned yet. It has been split for about 8 months (it sat on the ground cut into rounds for about 6 months before that). Thats 17 months since the tree was felled. I have been burning it and it has been putting off a bitter smoke and not really catching like seasoned wood does. Very very dense wood. By next year this stuff should be good to go. For now I will put it aside. I am not an OWB guy, so this is just for nightime and supplemental indoor heat. For an OWB it would probably be perfect. Bottom line...after my experience...locust needs more than 1 full year to be fully seasoned if it was cut fresh (not standing dead).

The 3 year old (barkless) elm I have on the other hand is some of the best fuel I have ever put in my woodstove. Really hot and no smoke. Good luck trying to split it though!