Larger versus Small Split Wood - Locust Nightmare Scenario

[Woody Stover]

Pretty sure that's not Locust. Have you got some examples that you did get split? Pics of fresh end grain (if you've got a saw) and fresh splits might help us with ID. Does the wood have a distinctive smell when split?
I happened to think, if you have a smaller round and no chain saw, maybe cut part of the end with a bow saw, then chip off the sawed piece with a maul to expose the end grain for pics?

 

[paul bunion]

That is definitely not locust. The bottom front piece looks like it could be maple. I'm not sure of the stack of three in back but it looks like it has a lot of knots. That will never be fun to split by hand.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

And forget that statement about the bark at the end of the night. When night ends, burn wood. We burn bark only because it is on the wood. Some might save some bark to use as kindling wood but if the bark is off the wood, we use it for mulch or throwing in the trails in the woods (wet spots).

 

[red oak]

That is definitely not locust. The bottom front piece looks like it could be maple. I'm not sure of the stack of three in back but it looks like it has a lot of knots. That will never be fun to split by hand.

Knots will ruin any piece for splitting. I have a small collection now of pieces that are full of knots that are being reserved for the chainsaw. Usually I'll get a small pile of odd-shaped pieces that I use for campfires but they work fine in the stove also. I'm just waiting for it to warm up a little before tackling them.

 

[red oak]

And forget that statement about the bark at the end of the night. When night ends, burn wood. We burn bark only because it is on the wood. Some might save some bark to use as kindling wood but if the bark is off the wood, we use it for mulch or throwing in the trails in the woods (wet spots).

As the wood dries a lot of bark just falls off. I've used a lot for kindling over the years, I put it in a couple of large barrels and store them inside when cold weather hits. If dry it works fine for this. I've also started putting some on the walking paths in our garden as it seems to keep the weeds down fairly well. Not a lot of heat in the bark, and definitely not long-lasting.

 

[gzecc]

Here are the pictures of the wood I believe to be locust. Not all the woods in this picture of locust. In the one picture that I stacked a log (half chopped up) on the other, I believe those two pieces to be locust. The wood is a little dirty but hopefully you can tell me what you guys think it is. I can say that it is definitely not pine! The pile of wood is a little over 5' tall at the highest point. I have been saving the bark on the top right side of the pile because I heard that the bark burns real slow and hot and great for putting on the fire at the end of the night to help it burn long. I don't know if that is true but if I heard it, then it must be true, right? LOL

If you want to see a couple of cords of BL, I can show you in Bedminster NJ. Let me know.

 

[Soundchasm]

I'll run into rounds out of the same tree that are impossible w/o extraordinary measures. When I take a minute to examine them, I'll see a twist to the thing where the grain has a sort of barber pole thing going on. For me, those are hydraulic - actually I mean a bigger hydraulic - candidates. I've got one of those little electric splitters and have gotten very satisfying results.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

this is black locust...