Can black locust take more than two years to dry?

[Gark]

The BL stack of splits (single row) has been out in the open for 2 years, top-covered. I always thought that after years of handling firewood, you got a feel just by a split's weight if it is dry. Some of the wide solid splits (6" dia., 18" long) are HEAVY. When dropped on a concrete floor, they say "clunk" instead of the nice bowling pin "ring" sound. I have heard here that BL dries fast, but after 2 years these maybe are not ready yet. Has anyone else found large splits of BL to take so long?

 

[red oak]

I would think that it should be dry by now, but maybe the larger splits means that it needs another year? I would try burning some this winter and see how it burns. BL is one of the denser firewoods.

 

[tfdchief]

Black Locust, 2 years.......it's ready enough. I would burn it in a heart beat. Dennis will probably tell you another year would be better, and if you have another year, that sure won't hurt. But the clunk is because it is extremely dense wood. Try it...."the proof is in the pudding"

Edit: Red Oak beat me to it

 

[red oak]

Black Locust, 2 years.......it's ready enough. I would burn it in a heart beat. Dennis will probably tell you another year would be better, and if you have another year, that sure won't hurt. But the clunk is because it is extremely dense wood. Try it...."the proof is in the pudding"

Edit: Red Oak beat me to it

Sorry, but that just proves that great minds think alike!

 

[rdust]

I have some BL at the 2 year mark and it isn't near ready. Not sure whats going on with it since I always hear/read how quickly it seasons. If I split a piece it's still damp on my cheek, stinks like the day I cut/split it and reads high on the MM.

 

[tfdchief]

I have some BL at the 2 year mark and it isn't near ready. Not sure whats going on with it since I always hear/read how quickly it seasons. If I split a piece it's still damp on my cheek, stinks like the day I cut/split it and reads high on the MM.

That is really strange. I have never had any species of wood that I could not burn at 2 years. Where and how is it stacked?

 

[weatherguy]

Black locust is a different animal, I dont think it ever makes that baseball bat sound, its too dense, I have some 2 year seasoned BL and its still heavy as hell, I have some beech like that too.

 

[rdust]

That is really strange. I have never had any species of wood that I could not burn at 2 years. Where and how is it stacked?

Single stacks with 3' between rows where I have those, it's even the outside row on the west side of the rows.(W/NW/SW winds are the common winds here) I've also been surprised by it since all the other stacks of oak and everything else season well in this area.

 

[scotvl]

the black locust in my avatar is about 14 months old and i split and tested a few large splits a couple weeks ago and they were14% .on the other hand I have some 18 month old honeylocust that is still stuck above 30% and visibly damp inside.

 

[tfdchief]

Single stacks with 3' between rows where I have those, it's even the outside row on the west side of the rows.(W/NW/SW winds are the common winds here) I've also been surprised by it since all the other stacks of oak and everything else season well in this area.

Well, I don't have a clue. It should be seasoned from my experience. I have burned quite of bit of BL and never had that trouble. I would try it in the stove just to see what happens. Good luck. It is great wood

 

[rdust]

Well, I don't have a clue. It should be seasoned from my experience. I have burned quite of bit of BL and never had that trouble. I would try it in the stove just to see what happens. Good luck. It is great wood

No biggie either way, I have plenty of other wood ready so I'll give it another year.

 

[Gark]

Ahah. We have figured it out, like I knew we could. It only dries slow in MICHIGAN!

 

[Woody Stover]

I'm not convinced that the "sound test" is 100% accurate. I would test with a meter, or re-split and try the cheek test or knock 'em together again and see how they sound. As was mentioned, though, the only foolproof way is to toss a few different ones on the fire and see how they do. The majority of my BL was dead standing so I expect it to be pretty dry when I get around to burning it. But you guys have me re-thinking leaving some of it in 4-5" rounds and figuring two or three years will do it on those...we'll see.

 

[onetracker]

shouldn't

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Well, I don't have a clue. It should be seasoned from my experience. I have burned quite of bit of BL and never had that trouble. I would try it in the stove just to see what happens. Good luck. It is great wood

See Steve, you thought I was kidding you about the 3 years.

 

[blwncrewchief]

I can't believe BL isn't ok by two years. One year may be a little iffy depending on the MC when it was cut and the seasoning conditions. I have 2 cords of BL c/s/s green in March and it is down to 16-20% on 4-6" splits. I like BL as dry as possible as I find it makes a difference even as it drops thru the teens in MC. After 2 years I would not hesitate to throw it in the stove if I needed to as long as it was c/s/s with at lease a little air gap.

 

[gzecc]

With my BL experience I would question the identification of the afformentioned "Black Locust. I have also found BL to ring even louder, at a higher pitch than other woods. The however can not be huge splits. I do however depend on a MM and not clanking wood together to determine specific moisture content.
Post some pics of this BL.

 

[Gark]

]
Single rows with enough space between to drive a truck. Westerly winds blow through north-south rows. This stuff IS black locust, isn't it? Two years sittin' out there and the fat splits don't seem right yet. Maybe a cheapie MM in my near futurRE. Where the bark fell off is a stringy paper like skin.

 

[gzecc]

] View attachment 75690 View attachment 75691 View attachment 75692
Single rows with enough space between to drive a truck. Westerly winds blow through north-south rows. This stuff IS black locust, isn't it? Two years sittin' out there and the fat splits don't seem right yet. Maybe a cheapie MM in my near futurRE. Where the bark fell off is a stringy paper like skin.

So actually your assuming that the wood in you pic (that does look like BL to me) is not seasoned. Locust is still very heavy when seasoned. It looses very little of its moisture content, because it starts out with little to begin with.
Get yourself a MM. You'll be pleasantly surprised by Mr. Locust. I have some super dry locust that rings like a bell when hit together. These have been seasoned for a few years.

 

[etiger2007]

My BL was split just over a year ago and it still reads high 20's with the mm and thats splitting it and checking the fresh heart wood. Sure it will burn and catch fire easily however you wont feel the BL wrath until it seasoned properly.