Locust

[Jeremy102579]

Does this type of wood Rot ? I have some that has been seasoning for a few years now and still doesn't feel any lighter in weight than when I split it back then ?

I know there are "better" woods out there, are they the same way ?

Just wondering, thanks.

 

[CTYank]

There are two species of locust (at least, that I know of anyway.) Black locust with the deeply ridged bark and honey locust typically with the near-lethal thorns. Hopefully for you, you have BL.

I've seen some BL trees around here that were felled or blown down many years back. The heartwood was just fine, and difficult to cut as usual. Only rot visible was in small limb cavities, and very little of that.

Once cut and split, it still took a while to dry to equilibrium moisture content. Once it dried like that, it was really fine stuff. Like any wood, how and where you stack it will affect the finished product.

Even air-dried as much as possible here, it just doesn't work for me to load the stove with only BL. Adding in a stick or two of more volatile wood helps a lot. Ash, maple, birch are good.

 

[dustytools]

Its about as good a firewood as you can get. About 75 percent of what I burn is BL.

 

[jhoff310]

dont listen to them. Locust is junk wood. Send it to me for proper disposal :hmm3grin2orange:

In all honesty locust (black and honey) is EXCELLENT firewood. It buts out more BTU's per cord than oak and hickory. My experience has been that honey locust takes longer to season than black locust. They both take a good 2 years to season. With that being said, my dad had a honey taken down 10 years ago I just burned it last year. There was "some" rot from being thrown on the ground in a big pile, not stacked ( I mean minimal rot, 1/2" around the edge of a 16" round). I would pass up oak and hickory for a load of locust. It's just as heavy when you burn it well seasoned as when its cut. that sh*t is DENSE.

Jeff

 

[howard270]

I must have a different sub-species of black locust here, cause I find more of I rotted and crumbles by hand than I do solid. I think it turns pinky faster than the black walnuts I have cut over the past few years.

Of course I am also comparing it to hedge, which takes decades to rot. We don't get a lot of rain here and have mostly sandy soil so I was surprised at how quick it rots.

The only way the black locust here won't turn punky after a year or two is to cut it green and growing and get the bark off and get it off the ground. Whereas the hedge I have to take a shovel to dig out of the sand but it is just as solid as when cut.

I cut about a 1/3 cord of black locust today and 1/3 of it was too rotten for me to fool with.

 

[turnkey4099]

I must have a different sub-species of black locust here, cause I find more of I rotted and crumbles by hand than I do solid. I think it turns pinky faster than the black walnuts I have cut over the past few years.

Of course I am also comparing it to hedge, which takes decades to rot. We don't get a lot of rain here and have mostly sandy soil so I was surprised at how quick it rots.

The only way the black locust here won't turn punky after a year or two is to cut it green and growing and get the bark off and get it off the ground. Whereas the hedge I have to take a shovel to dig out of the sand but it is just as solid as when cut.

I cut about a 1/3 cord of black locust today and 1/3 of it was too rotten for me to fool with.

You must have something other than BL. BL just does not rot. I burned the last of the BL I cut in 1993 2 years ago. Even the chunks right on the ground in the stacks had only a bit of surface detioration, less than 1/16" on the side directly in contact with the ground

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

Does this type of wood Rot ? I have some that has been seasoning for a few years now and still doesn't feel any lighter in weight than when I split it back then ?

I know there are "better" woods out there, are they the same way ?

Just wondering, thanks.

There are only a few woods better than BL and those aren't 'better' by much. BL is right at the top of thie charts for quality firewood.

Yes, it is heavy, dense wood. The difference between green and seasoned weight different but not by much - noticeable if you have a green chunk in one hand and a seasoned one in the other.

Harry K

 

[Wood Doctor]

Harvest It

Just for the record, there are now thornless and podless honey locusts growing all over Nebraska. Several of the local nurseries have planted thousands of them to replace dying elm trees. I have one growing in my front yard that's 28 years old, and it shades the entire yard with easily a 60' spread across the crown. No pods and no thorns, the bark is surprisingly thin and the density is about the same as red oak.

The only trouble most people have burning locust is failure to season it dry. It's rot resistance is very impressive. Locust may be the fastest growing dense hardwood that there is. If I were to dedicate land for growing wood fuel, I would choose locust over poplar, cottonwood, or any other fast-growing species that there is. I'm convinced locust would win out if measured in BTU/Acre/Year.

Then I would call Harry to come help harvest the trees.

 

[naturelover]

I've heard it'll burn your grates out if you don't mix it with other wood.

Dont know if true or not, but it does burn hot when dried.....


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

 

[philoshop]

BL will rot under the right circumstances, but you'd have to work at it!
Honey locust, in my experience will rot a little quicker.
There has been a lot of cross-breeding, grafting, etc between the two for many years. In general honey locust has big bean pods and is orange-colored on the inside. BL is greenish on the inside, and may also have bean pods. Thorns vary by region. I have mature black locust on my property without thorns. My cousin lives 25 miles away and has thorns on all but the biggest of his BL. :msp_confused:
The live BL locust that I cut and split on my property around Thanksgiving to Christmas was in the range of 20 to 25% MC green. It's a lot like ash in that regard. I haven't checked the mc recently. I'll get back to you.

 

[RiverRocket]

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.

 

[tomtrees58]

wood Rot ? no it will not used for posts house beams ect its the best wood more btu then oak but if you put it in a wood stove and dont mix it you will buckel your stove

 

[philoshop]

The live BL locust that I cut and split on my property around Thanksgiving to Christmas was in the range of 20 to 25% MC green. It's a lot like ash in that regard. I haven't checked the mc recently. I'll get back to you.

17.5% on the BL.
View attachment 314466
A piece of honey locust that was cut and split a couple of years ago. Color comparison.
View attachment 314467

 

[Wood Doctor]

wood Rot ? no it will not used for posts house beams ect its the best wood more btu then oak but if you put it in a wood stove and dont mix it you will buckel your stove

I always mix in a little ash, maple, or elm with locust. Sometimes a tough wild stallion needs a good jockey.

 

[howard270]

You must have something other than BL. BL just does not rot. I burned the last of the BL I cut in 1993 2 years ago. Even the chunks right on the ground in the stacks had only a bit of surface detioration, less than 1/16" on the side directly in contact with the ground

Harry K

It's got the same leaves, bark, and growth patterns as what you have been cutting out of that farmers field. It was planted by my great-grandfather back in the 19teens and 1920s. Granted most of what I cut is standing dead, but I find a lot of it is rotted and punky.

If I cut it while it is green, and allow it to cure properly I believe it will last a few years before turning punky, otherwise gotta burn it within a year or two.

 

[haveawoody]

I've never seen locust rot.
Even when they fall over and land in a puddle and stay that way for a couple years the worse you get is a bit of punk on the wet zone.

Locust is really a couple year drying process, seems like locust only starts to burn decent after 2 years of being stacked and dried.
Before 2 years it's quite hard to make it burn well, after 2 years it's quite hard to put it out. LOL

No need to rush though, I have had locust in stacks for 10+ years and it's just as heavy as it ever was but no sign of punk, bugs or rot and burns just like 2 year old dried wood.

I always burn locust on the real cold nights and only after the fire has a good set of hot coals already, then it burns like a champ.

 

[TKeller]

Locust is kinda wierd. It doesn't rot after cut and split, but in my area a fairly high percentage of the trees have rot. They say it is from the locust borer. I have been disappointed many times cutting locust trees that have as much as 30 to 40% rot in the interior. That is one reason they are suspectible in wind storms along with having brittle limbs and a shallow root system. I usually split and saw the rot out, one great firewood though.

 

[turnkey4099]

Locust is kinda wierd. It doesn't rot after cut and split, but in my area a fairly high percentage of the trees have rot. They say it is from the locust borer. I have been disappointed many times cutting locust trees that have as much as 30 to 40% rot in the interior. That is one reason they are suspectible in wind storms along with having brittle limbs and a shallow root system. I usually split and saw the rot out, one great firewood though.

All my recent locust is 'borer killed'. I don't find any more rot in them than in the old green stuff I cut back in 93/94. IME the rot in old locusts only goes up the trunk a few rounds worth and I've never seen one that lost enough wood to rot to matter.

Other species I have cut have had as much as 10 or more feet of the butt too deteriortated to bother with.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

It's got the same leaves, bark, and growth patterns as what you have been cutting out of that farmers field. It was planted by my great-grandfather back in the 19teens and 1920s. Granted most of what I cut is standing dead, but I find a lot of it is rotted and punky.

If I cut it while it is green, and allow it to cure properly I believe it will last a few years before turning punky, otherwise gotta burn it within a year or two.

If it rots as quick as what you are seeing it is something other than BL. Perhaps a regional "Black Locust" name given to some other species.

Harry K

 

[bicylindrico]

I burn quite a bit of Black Locust and will say it's the worst smelling wood I have ever burned. Smells like a brush fire with trash thrown on it. I only burn it overnight when I need a fire to last and I don't have to smell it. Terrible.