Monster split of Black Locust! Wow...

[NordicSplitter]

After producing a nice bed of coals which mainly consisted of ash and oak.. I decided for the first time to use the front doors on my Jotul F600. Until now I just use the side door.....just easier. I went ahead and place one HUGE piece of blak locust. This must a weighed 20-25lbs and it took a steady 2-hand approach. Opened the damper all the way for the first hour or so and then slowly backed it down to about 3. Put it in around 6:30pm and when I got up at 5am.....still glowing in the center of the stove! I was amazed. One piece went that long. Living room was at 78F. Upstairs at 74F & far family room at 71F. I have 3 more of those massive pieces and then about a face cord of it split. If I would have known that about black locust.. I don't think I would have split any of it. Oh ya...one more thing I noticed..went outside real quick to throw out some trash....black locust stinks to high heaven,,,Wow!

 

[steeltowninwv]

thats the primo stuff thats just how i use locust here...

 

[SolarAndWood]

I started making a few monsters 3 years ago when I started getting ahead. I put a couple 35-40 pound splits in the other night when it was cold and blowing, one Beech and one Locust. I ran at max burn for 16 hours, 4 hours longer than usual. I have about 6 cord of monsters in the pipeline now for special occasions. Definitely take longer to dry but I think the results are worth it.

 

[Ken45]

I don't know why black locust should "stink to high heaven" if it's being burned right and is seasoned. I don't burn much of it here, I prefer to let it grow for use as fence posts.

Ken

 

[red oak]

I've heard great things about black locust but have not burned any in my stove yet. I came across some this year that I am saving for a cold, windy night - haven't had many so far this winter! Not sure about it stinking but I know it does not smell good when it is split green.

 

[lukem]

I started making a few monsters 3 years ago when I started getting ahead. I put a couple 35-40 pound splits in the other night when it was cold and blowing, one Beech and one Locust. I ran at max burn for 16 hours, 4 hours longer than usual. I have about 6 cord of monsters in the pipeline now for special occasions. Definitely take longer to dry but I think the results are worth it.

How big is a "monster"? Big for me is about 9x9x16...

 

[SolarAndWood]

How big is a "monster"? Big for me is about 9x9x16...

I aim for 8x8 to 10x10s out of the bigger denser rounds. If it goes in my splitter (24"), I don't bother cutting it down. Figure either way, there will be a bed of NS smaller stuff over the coals with a couple of 40+ pounders on top.

 

[gzecc]

Its great stuff. It does stink outside, but life is a compromise.

 

[DiscoInferno]

It's the bark that really stinks. It takes a while to get big dense splits going, and there's going to be some smoke in the meantime.

 

[CTYank]

I don't know why black locust should "stink to high heaven" if it's being burned right and is seasoned. I don't burn much of it here, I prefer to let it grow for use as fence posts.

Ken

Exactly. If it's really dry (what does the MM read) and being burned, as opposed to smoldered, it should not stink at all. Much of what I burn here is BL, so I have some sense of its quirks. Unless it's got some more volatile wood mixed in, it can take quite a while to establish secondary combustion, which would [drum-roll here] cause it to stink from the unburnt crap going out the pipe.

Incidentally, that crap going out the pipe is UNBURNT fuel- not doing anyone any good. Might have better results here with cat stove.

 

[OhioBurner©]

Yeah for me its the worst smelling wood I have burnt. Think I have only smelled it on the old smoke dragon though, I'll have to pay attention next time I put black locust in the new stoves to see if I can still smell it or not.