Locust

[fin460]

I just wished we had some black locust around me. Its in my Region and its listed to be in every county around me, but on that map it says its native to my county but isn't present.

I'm going to keep my eye out for black locust, but its hard to see the black locust for the honey locust.

We have all the honey locust anyone could ever want, and its great wood, love it, but I want the best.

 

[BrokenToys]

I've dug out BL pieces out of the mulch pile a few years old and it is as solid as the day the people threw it in there to "rot". It's damn fine stuff to burn. Again; I am glad the people at my local landfill throw it out thinking it's junk wood.

 

[Hedgerow]

I just wished we had some black locust around me. Its in my Region and its listed to be in every county around me, but on that map it says its native to my county but isn't present.

I'm going to keep my eye out for black locust, but its hard to see the black locust for the honey locust.

We have all the honey locust anyone could ever want, and its great wood, love it, but I want the best.

You got Hedge up there??? It's the heavy weight champ...
But like BL, it's best if mixed with a more volatile fuel...
Like Elm, Hackberry, Ash, or even soft Maple...
That Damn Honey Locust just seems to take a long time to season. It has a much higher moisture content than Hedge or Black Locust.

 

[Streblerm]

Here is a BL post that has been in the ground for well over 50 years. It could be over 100. The tree growing over it is a black locust over 20" DBH.

I pulled 20 of them out of the ground and not a single one was rotten. I figured I'd leave this one alone.

 

[Hedgerow]

Here is a BL post that has been in the ground for well over 50 years. It could be over 100. The tree growing over it is a black locust over 20" DBH.

I pulled 20 of them out of the ground and not a single one was rotten. I figured I'd leave this one alone.

Yeah... I'd say if a Black locust is rotten, there's something going on besides weather...
Or...
It's Honey Locust...
Cause that crap rots...:msp_mad:

 

[farmerboybill]

Know what else it's good fer? I'm cutting about 4 of them a day right now to feed my renter's cattle. The drought isn't near so bad as last year, but we got unmeasureable amounts of rain in July/August/September (until this morning - over three inches so far). Even with good rain for the next few days, we won't have any grass worth eating for two weeks.

I knock 'em down and the cattle go in. 20 minutes later, I come back, cut relatively straight lengths into 8-9 foot posts, and lump the rest up for firewood. "Everything but the squeal"

Any volunteers wanna come over and set the posts?

 

[howard270]

Would you guys call this black locust?

 

[dustytools]

Yes.

 

[turnkey4099]

Would you guys call this black locust?

Bark sure looks like it but something doesn't look right on the standing dead trees in the top area.

In any case, if it rots, it ain't black locust.

Harry K

 

[howard270]

The close up of the bark is the live tree/left tree of the two standing trees.

These trees suffered some damage in our bad ice storm 4 years ago. Most of what I cut is standing dead black locust. If I do cut a live tree and allow it to cure, it will last as long as you guys state. But, when I cut the standing dead trees, about 1/3 of it is punky or rotted like below

The two end pieces are the ends of the two trees lying down in the previous post. They ere cut standing dead. The piece split open is a piece I split this morning from a standing dead tree I cut down and bucked last weekend.

I don't know how long these trees have been dead or why they died, it may have something to so with the soil here, but black locusts rot in this area like in these pics.

 

[Jere39]

Here is a BL post that has been in the ground for well over 50 years. It could be over 100. The tree growing over it is a black locust over 20" DBH.

I pulled 20 of them out of the ground and not a single one was rotten. I figured I'd leave this one alone.

We used all Black Locust for fence posts before pressure treating was available. Our BL posts are still rock solid. An Old guy once told me when you put a Black Locust fence post in the ground, lay a nice flat river stone on top of it. When the stone wears out, replace the fence post.

 

[haveawoody]

howard270,

I bet the tree was dead for many years before the storm took it down, reason they came down me thinks.
Odd to see that amount of punk and rot on a BL but I guess disease bugs and time will rot anything if the conditions are right.

I've seen them lying in ponds and for a few years but once you pull them out of the water and cut them into rounds precious little has gone bad.

 

[rwoods]

I have Locust post in my pasture that have been there over 50 years
Black Locust gets hard as nails when it's dry and last forever, under the right conditions.

The close up of the bark is the live tree/left tree of the two standing trees.

These trees suffered some damage in our bad ice storm 4 years ago. Most of what I cut is standing dead black locust. If I do cut a live tree and allow it to cure, it will last as long as you guys state. But, when I cut the standing dead trees, about 1/3 of it is punky or rotted like below

The two end pieces are the ends of the two trees lying down in the previous post. They ere cut standing dead. The piece split open is a piece I split this morning from a standing dead tree I cut down and bucked last weekend.

I don't know how long these trees have been dead or why they died, it may have something to so with the soil here, but black locusts rot in this area like in these pics.

I have seen both of the above in my short life. Old hard as nails fence posts in western NC and rotten black locust in Eastern TN - less than a 100 miles a part. Ron

 

[howard270]

howard270,

I bet the tree was dead for many years before the storm took it down, reason they came down me thinks.
Odd to see that amount of punk and rot on a BL but I guess disease bugs and time will rot anything if the conditions are right.

I've seen them lying in ponds and for a few years but once you pull them out of the water and cut them into rounds precious little has gone bad.

My wife's grandpa always said what you guys are saying (and I usually listen when he speaks), so I just couldn't understand what he was talking about due to all the rot/punky wood I was finding so I showed him in person and he couldn't understand why it was rotting like that.

I do need to clarify, the two ends of the two downed trees I felled while they were live in April of 2012 and there was only a little spot in the center about the size of a dime that was punky then. But as you can see now it is about 1/2 the diameter of the log now. It must be bugs or something allowing water in there cause I have had those 2 trees off the ground since felling them.

Don't get me wrong, if I can get a solid piece, it is my favorite wood as it burns long and hot and does not throw sparks like hedge.

 

[Streblerm]

I'm not convinced that those pictures are black locust. The bark doesn't look right and the color of the wood isn't what I am used to seeing. All the BL I cut has a very distinct and consistent yellow color, like hedge. Even some of the old fence posts I've cut were still yellow on the inside. The bark I'm used to seeing is more furrowed, grayer, and narrower plates.

Cutting old BL makes you question whether you know how to file a chain.

 

[Mulemann]

Does anyone have a good way to deal with the thorns on locust?

 

[turnkey4099]

I'm not convinced that those pictures are black locust. The bark doesn't look right and the color of the wood isn't what I am used to seeing. All the BL I cut has a very distinct and consistent yellow color, like hedge. Even some of the old fence posts I've cut were still yellow on the inside. The bark I'm used to seeing is more furrowed, grayer, and narrower plates.

Cutting old BL makes you question whether you know how to file a chain.

Same here. Looks a lot like it but there is just something odd about both the down and standing that doesn't ring right.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

My wife's grandpa always said what you guys are saying (and I usually listen when he speaks), so I just couldn't understand what he was talking about due to all the rot/punky wood I was finding so I showed him in person and he couldn't understand why it was rotting like that.

I do need to clarify, the two ends of the two downed trees I felled while they were live in April of 2012 and there was only a little spot in the center about the size of a dime that was punky then. But as you can see now it is about 1/2 the diameter of the log now. It must be bugs or something allowing water in there cause I have had those 2 trees off the ground since felling them.

Don't get me wrong, if I can get a solid piece, it is my favorite wood as it burns long and hot and does not throw sparks like hedge.

Do those trees have thorns on the young wood and, if so, how long are they?

Harry K

 

[haveawoody]

Mulemann,

Well the only real way to deal with locust thorns is with a pair of good sharp garden sheers and a bit of time removing them.
Drop the tree and spend 15 minutes clipping them off, then cut as if it was a normal tree and just keep an eye out for hand holds when moving limbs and rounds.
Seems like you always miss a few thorns even with shearing them all off, and the ones you miss seldom miss you LOL

 

[haveawoody]

howard270,

Yep I bet your right it's a combination of fungus, bugs and damp working on the locust.
I would just cut and split the entire thing punk or not, once dry the bugs, damp and fungus will depart and the rot will drop away.
Then again even punky BL is still pretty good firewood.