Help needed from experienced locust burners

[Marc]

Being a southern NE boy, the vast majority of my firewood is red oak, sugar maple, ash, cherry, white oak, hickory and sometimes some yellow birch, elm and soft maple. I know, I have it pretty rough.

I've got the wood wagon full, at the moment, of what I think is honey locust, or black locust, but that's the first question. I have no pictures, but the wood color, where it's been seasoning, has turned a dark golden brown, with almost burgendy hues. It's quite pretty. When I split open one of these seasoned pieces, it's a golden yellow color. The other night when I was loading it into my wagon, I had a thorn about a half inch long stab me right through the middle finger. It's the only thorn I've noticed so far, but now I'm keeping my eyes open.

So, is it locust? And if so, what sort?

The other question is... I'm burning it in my Hearthstone Heritage. My normal seasoning routing goes something like... leave it stacked, uncovered for a year or two, depending on what it is (red oak seasons at least 2 years) then tarp the top of the pile in September/October of the year it is to be burned. That's how this stuff has seasoned, right next to a big pile of red oak I've been burning and that stuff has burned great.

The locust (maybe) for whatever reason, doesn't want to burn well for me. Even split up small, with a real hot coal bed, it doesn't want to burn that hot for me. It burns for a long time, but I have trouble getting my thermometer on the pipe just above my outlet above 350-400. With the primary wide open. The wood doesn't hiss, there's no water coming out the end grain or anything. It does spark a hell of a lot when I open the door though. I closed the primary down last night only about 1/4 (iow, 3/4 open). This morning I had lots of half-lit coals left that don't have enough heat or air to burn away completely as they should.

I've seasoned the oak the exact same way and it burns fine. Even big splits. My stove is very tight, (I just tightened the front door handle), stove is in its 4th year, all door gaskets pass the dollar bill test.

I know locust is dense with lots of BTU's and I'd hate to waste such a good firewood, but I feel like that's what I'm doing. Anything I'm doing wrong? Is mixing other species in just something you have to do with locust?

Thanks in advance.

 

[jam4430]

sounds like honey locust to me. watch those thorns they have a toxin on the tip and usually give me burning sensation for a couple days if stung by one. ive found burning it is kinda like burning coal, it needs more air from underneath to get its full potential. ive had no trouble getting pipe temps to 800 when burning it. as far as the sparks, just crack your feed door and leave it be for a bit. it will eventually calm down and then you can fully open it.

 

[dustytools]

The description makes it sound like Black Locust to me.

 

[PA Plumber]

Here's the if's...

If it's Honey locust...
- It doesn't sound like it is seasoned yet.
- when seasoned, it doesn't need much air to burn hot.
- when tightly stacked, it won't season the same as the outside edges of the pile. The inside stuff will need at least another year.
- I've found that in South Central Pennsylvania, it needs at least 3 years split, to be ready to burn.
- Those reddish/brown pieces are the cast meow for some very, very hot/low draft fires.
- Even the dark brown/reddish punky pieces, when dry, will put out some serious heat.
- Locust borers seem to really like freshly felled Honey Locust. We had oodles of them through the first summer of seasoning.

 

[Marc]

Thanks for the help so far guys.

Here's the if's...

If it's Honey locust...
- It doesn't sound like it is seasoned yet.
- when seasoned, it doesn't need much air to burn hot.
- when tightly stacked, it won't season the same as the outside edges of the pile. The inside stuff will need at least another year.
- I've found that in South Central Pennsylvania, it needs at least 3 years split, to be ready to burn.
- Those reddish/brown pieces are the cast meow for some very, very hot/low draft fires.
- Even the dark brown/reddish punky pieces, when dry, will put out some serious heat.
- Locust borers seem to really like freshly felled Honey Locust. We had oodles of them through the first summer of seasoning.

Most of the stuff was from the edges of the pile. And like I said, I'm not getting any hissing or steaming or anything. Too bad my cheap moisture meter shart the bed. I need to get another one of those.

 

[dms]

I have a small stove and I found that mixing the Locust with a lesser wood like soft maple box elder helps keep keep the locust burning hot.

 

[crzybowhntr]

watch those thorns they have a toxin on the tip and usually give me burning sensation for a couple days if stung by one.

Ya buddy. Here in WV we have them by what seems to be the millions! I am in the process of clearing more pasture and have run those darn barbs into the meat of my hands and it hurt like heck for days!!:frown: Great fence posts, etc and good firewood too. My dad actually prefers it to anything around.

 

[daleeper]

Sounds like locust to me. I'm not an expert on burning locust, as I have only burned a little of it, but what I have is drying similar to the oak I have, so it may not be dry enough yet, I know mine is not quite as dry as I would like.

 

[openloop]

Here's the if's...

If it's Honey locust...
- It doesn't sound like it is seasoned yet.
- when seasoned, it doesn't need much air to burn hot.
- when tightly stacked, it won't season the same as the outside edges of the pile. The inside stuff will need at least another year.
- I've found that in South Central Pennsylvania, it needs at least 3 years split, to be ready to burn.
- Those reddish/brown pieces are the cast meow for some very, very hot/low draft fires.
- Even the dark brown/reddish punky pieces, when dry, will put out some serious heat.
- Locust borers seem to really like freshly felled Honey Locust. We had oodles of them through the first summer of seasoning.

The live HL I cut down last spring meters 12% on the moisture meter Do you cover the tops of your piles to protect from rain?

 

[Wagnerwerks]

My favorite firewood

I wish I could have nothing but locust in my pile. It burns all night when used with more than one log. In my airtight stove it actually goes out if I only use one log and I turn back the stove for a long burn. It's super hard. I also don't have any problem drying it. One year max. Works best as mentioned when mixed with oak or gum.

Take a dry chunk of it and saw off a slice at dusk. Sparks fly!

 

[cheeves]

You've had some great input here. Without pics hard to tell, but sounds like honey locust. Live cut HL takes a long time to age to where it's burnable. It's why I only cut it when it's blown down from storms, or someone hires me to cut it down. Find the dead ones to cut. Best firewood(around here) there is. If not be patient, and let it cure. Nothing wrong with red oak!

 

[Locust Cutter]

The only bad part of working Locust is having to shave the tree w/a saw to be able to handle it w/o thorns,... And then trying not to either step on one, or get one in your tire. I've always cured for a year and then mixed w/Oak, Silver Maple or Hedge. It's fantastic in an older stove or a fireplace, but a bit of a PITA in an air tight stove. I have the same problems w/Osage orange though in my Pacific Energy T-6. I can't really damper it down, or I have chunks of coal. It's more dense than my Wife's stubbornness and requires a lot of air to burn properly. Burn it tight though and it'll run you out of the house and produces very little (and fine) ash. I love it.

 

[PA Plumber]

The live HL I cut down last spring meters 12% on the moisture meter Do you cover the tops of your piles to protect from rain?

No and we have had some wet weather.

I do move a season's worth of firewood under roof in Late August/early September.

 

[meadowsuper]

View attachment 217142View attachment 217143

I dont know if the photos will work, that is the first time I have tried. But where I scrounged all my wood this year I was told that this was Honey Locust. It had no thorns on it, and I admit to not seeing much of whatever this is around our parts. I have a bunch of Black locust, which this obviously is not. But I was hoping this was HL so I could see how it burns.

Is this what your pieces look like>if it worked.

 

[iowa]

View attachment 217142View attachment 217143

I dont know if the photos will work, that is the first time I have tried. But where I scrounged all my wood this year I was told that this was Honey Locust. It had no thorns on it, and I admit to not seeing much of whatever this is around our parts. I have a bunch of Black locust, which this obviously is not. But I was hoping this was HL so I could see how it burns.

Is this what your pieces look like>if it worked.

That's honey locust for sure. There is thornless HL. But HL does have the long needles that can be as long as 6"!! Sometimes they are inside the heartwood. Which is pretty cool to see when splitting them!

Black locust does have needles, but they are much shorter and usually only on the new growth..

 

[jam4430]

View attachment 217142View attachment 217143

I dont know if the photos will work, that is the first time I have tried. But where I scrounged all my wood this year I was told that this was Honey Locust. It had no thorns on it, and I admit to not seeing much of whatever this is around our parts. I have a bunch of Black locust, which this obviously is not. But I was hoping this was HL so I could see how it burns.

Is this what your pieces look like>if it worked.

definitely honey locust. once in a while i run across a thornless one and those are a must grab. dont let word get out that you like cutting it cause you phone will drive you nuts. everyone around here hates it cause of the thorns and wanst to get rid of, but dont want to deal with it themselves cause of the thorns.

 

[howellhandmade]

Agreed with the honey locust votes, that's definitely what it is. Black locust is more grayish/greenish, doesn't have that sharp break between heartwood and sapwood, has thicker bark. Having just cut/split/stacked a cord of honey locust, I'd say that it is harder, tighter-grained, and denser (there ya go, I didn't say it was HEAVY) than oak. It may be that it's burnable for some guys after a year of seasoning, but in my climate I find that both oak and black locust, while burnable after one year, are much better after two. Given honey locust's density, I would expect it to take at least as long as those woods to reach its peak, possibly longer. I think it's higher than both oak and black locust on some btu charts.

If you're used to oak, even black locust burns differently. Locust is GREAT firewood for heat -- very rot-resistant, lots of btus -- but it doesn't burn as eagerly and cheerfully as oak. It takes a hotter fire to really get it going; works best for me to use something else for kindling. Because it's so rot-resistant I tend to let it season longer, kind of my firewood savings account, as the cherry and maple seasons quickly and is burned up before it rots. Maple is on a 1-year plan, cherry is on a 1-2 year plan, oak is on a 2 year plan, locust is there for when I need it.

 

[Peacock]

I mix ash in with locust for a fire that is HOT and has plenty of coals. No better firewood than those 2 IMO.

 

[PA Plumber]

I mix ash in with locust for a fire that is HOT and has plenty of coals. No better firewood than those 2 IMO.

Well look at that would ya. Wondered if your computer still worked.

 

[cheeves]

I mix ash in with locust for a fire that is HOT and has plenty of coals. No better firewood than those 2 IMO.

Great combo no doubt. Locust found dead is a different burning wood than one cut green. It will start easy and burn nicely, throwing tremendous heat. It is my Jan., Feb. wood. And although we have hardly any ash here ( really miss it!) mixed with oak will heat this whole house when it's above near 10 degrees. Miss the Shaggy Hickory too!!!