black walnut

Its all relative. I don't like it either. I would take it if it was dropped in my lap. Wouldn't go out of my way for it.

If you don't have to drive far to get it, go ahead and grab some for those not-so-cold days.

Couple years back I dropped one, around 10" to get it out of the way. It was more of a nuisance tree than anything else. Figuring it'd burn anyhow, I bucked it and loaded it out with the rest. The stuff heats similar to gum. I wouldn't travel to get any more.

Isn't that an expensive wood for woodworking industry?

prezes13 said:

Isn't that an expensive wood for woodworking industry?

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Yeah, but I'm assuming the Amish took the logs, and the stuff he's getting would be what's left over. I've got a little here; I got a top that was left, and had been sitting out there (off the ground) for at least twenty years. Heart wood, and still rock-solid, very rot-resistant wood. It burns OK, medium-heat, about like Cherry, and smells good when burning. I don't go after a lot of the medium stuff but if it falls in my lap I'll take it and burn it in mixed loads.

To be any good to a mill needs to be at least 8ft long trunk no branches in that area and I forget the min. dia., most won't even bother with any type of yard tree, too many possible nasties contained there in. A local person might but don't expect much $ wise. Isn't worth anything more than any other firewood until sawed into pretty boards and properly dried. Then just maybe or it could be sawed and still be nothing more than firewood due to rot bugs ect.

I've been burning MOSTLY black walnut, the last three years, as that's what I have on and around my property. It sends the catalytic combuster temps rocketing into the stratosphere, if you have a full load of BW, but is otherwise similar to any medium hardwood (eg. Maple or Ash). No, it's not oak, but it's better than most.

Black Walnut = 20.0 MBTU/cord
Ash = 17.9 to 21.6 MBTU/cord
Maple = 17.4 - 23.2 MBTU/cord

https://chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm

For me, black walnut splits like american elm. stringy as he##. I'll take it if it is easily available. I won't work for it.

Missouri Frontier said:

For me, black walnut splits like american elm. stringy as he##. I'll take it if it is easily available. I won't work for it.

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Your black walnut is something entirely different from ours, then. The black walnut of which I burn at least 5 cords per year, splits so easy it makes you feel like he-man with the maul.

Walnut is not one of my favorite firewoods either, and luckily I haven't had a lot that I have come across. One though about 18 in. in dia. came down in an ice storm falling across my neighbors' farm lane. It was a joy to process as it has poison ivy vines about a inch in diameter wrapped all around it. Split easy though and I just got a little poison ivy from it.Ha! ha!

Joful said:

Your black walnut is something entirely different from ours, then. The black walnut of which I burn at least 5 cords per year, splits so easy it makes you feel like he-man with the maul.

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Mine too. Just shoot it a nasty look while holding your splitting implement of choice and it falls into perfect 4" square splits.

Almost.

Joful said:

It sends the catalytic combuster temps rocketing into the stratosphere, if you have a full load of BW
Black Walnut = 20.0 MBTU/cord
Ash = 17.9 to 21.6 MBTU/cord
Maple = 17.4 - 23.2 MBTU/cord

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I thought I read that BW contains some volatiles (they account for the rot-resistance, I believe)...maybe they would cause the combustor to get hot. I'm just guessing, never burned a full load of BW, or Pine for that matter, through the cats. The BTU charts I look at have BW a little higher than Cherry (20) but I take the charts with a grain of salt. However, some of the chimneysweep numbers appear so far off that I have no faith in that chart. In this case, those Ash numbers must be Green or Black...White Ash is generally ranked almost as good as Red Oak and hard Maple (23.6 vs. 24) and that seems in line with what I see.

Joful said:

Your black walnut is something entirely different from ours, then. The black walnut of which I burn at least 5 cords per year, splits so easy it makes you feel like he-man with the maul.

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The 20 year old top I found split easy, too. I have a torn-off branch from a live tree...no problem splitting that either, but it wasn't too big...

The branches and center cuts of BL split like a dream. I have run into some that even the hydraulic didn't like.
I found if you split it in bigger pie shapes it burns pretty good. It's a three year seasoning type wood though.
You can't get away without the white fly ash though

Paulywalnut said:

It's a three year seasoning type wood though.

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I thought I saw someone say it dried pretty quickly? But you would know, you're Paulywalnut, after all.

I've been burning mine after 1 year, out of necessity (new house, new wood stash). I find the smaller splits (4" and less) are at 19% - 21% after 1 year, on a freshly split face. However, my larger splits (6" and more) are indeed NOT dry after 1 year.