Anyone here have much experience with Black Locust?

[Max Neu]

I have an opportunity to get some Black Locust sawn up from a guy who has a couple of logs.After reading about it,I'm interested in getting some for some smaller projects like wood tops or smaller cabinet jobs.From what I read it is very hard,but is very nice looking,and stable.I was wondering how it would look if I have it quarter sawn,would I get straight grain like quarter sawn white oak?I don't care if it has the flecks in it like white oak,I just want the straight grain.Also,can you get Locust veneer?I looked around and didn't see any from my suppliers,I am just thinking ahead if I do a cabinet job with it and need to lay up some panels.If it's not available,is there another species that would match that I could get in veneer if I needed to?

[Peter Quinn]

It suffers from a blight that has been on going for almost a century? It is highly insect and rot resistant, as good or better than pressure treated material. Problem is it dies off at about 9 years old so never reaches commercial maturity. If your supplier has a large tree that will produce lumber it's pretty rare these days. Around here they sell these post and beam fences to seperate fields, beams are poplar and rot quickly but the posts are usually black locust, they are maybe a 6" diameter, that's most of the trunk, spindly but very durable. So you often see posts with no beams as the beams rot and fall off. I'm told the mud sills in my old house are mad from it....they eat drill bits....black locust used to be poplar for sills before pressure treat as they were highly durable even in contact with masonry. As to how it looks for cabinetry I have no clue, never seen it used except as rough work.

[David Helm]

May have difficulties in the East, but out here in the NW it is a very healthy tree. I have many on my property with two of them being around 90 years old and over four feet in diameter. Wood is straight grained and finishes kind of greenish. It also makes pretty good firewood. The trees reproduce constantly, both through seed and from roots. I cut many of the seedlings while cutting grass. They grow pretty fast for a fairly hard wood.

[David Helm]

P1050593.JPG This is a photo of an unfinished slice of Black Locust wood.

[Kent Adams]

I have a couple of very large orange planters made from black locust. The wood is ugly in my opinion until a finish is applied and then it looks beautiful. I used waterlox on my planters and they are very pretty.

[Wade Lippman]

It suffers from a blight that has been on going for almost a century? It is highly insect and rot resistant, as good or better than pressure treated material. Problem is it dies off at about 9 years old so never reaches commercial maturity. If your supplier has a large tree that will produce lumber it's pretty rare these days. Around here they sell these post and beam fences to seperate fields, beams are poplar and rot quickly but the posts are usually black locust, they are maybe a 6" diameter, that's most of the trunk, spindly but very durable. So you often see posts with no beams as the beams rot and fall off. I'm told the mud sills in my old house are mad from it....they eat drill bits....black locust used to be poplar for sills before pressure treat as they were highly durable even in contact with masonry. As to how it looks for cabinetry I have no clue, never seen it used except as rough work.

It is very common around here, with no problems of disease. It tend to fall down in strong wind, but is fine otherwise.
I found this on the Forest Service website:
"In locust stands 10 or more years old, fast-growing dominant trees are usually able to withstand attack, but slower growing overtopped trees are badly damaged or killed."

I only used it once; when I got a bandsaw 15 years ago, I made a kitchen spoon out of a piece of firewood. It has been through the dishwasher 1,000 times, but still looks great. It has an odd look that I don't think I would want in furniture.

But it is the very best firewood.

[peter gagliardi]

I see large trees around here occasionally, but as far as I know it isn't commercially sold.
I too would like to get my hands on a few planks to try it. I have done some minor machining of very small log/limb wood. It is quite hard, and when green has almost a fluorescence to it when cut. When dry it is still green- reminds me of green apples. Machines and finishes nicely the little I've done.

[John TenEyck]

Black Locust grows great around here. I made this outdoor bench out of a log that I milled from a storm damaged tree about 20" in diameter.

20090707_0002.JPG

It's hard and heavy but works easily. The surface feels like talcum powder when you sand it; probably due to something in the pores. When first cut it's a pretty bright yellow, but turns a more mustard color after exposure to light. The face sawn grain is very pronounced; looks much better rift or QS to me. It's a great choice for outdoor furniture because it will never rot. I wouldn't use it for indoor projects; there are just so many other nicer woods available. But I'd definitely get it sawed up and air dry it for outdoor projects.

John

[Scott DelPorte]

Heres a couple pictures of quarter sawn black locust. I got some of it years ago to build guitars with since it is very stiff and has a nice tap tone, but have yet to build with it. In the second picture, I put a piece of unfinished maple next to it for contrast.
IMG_0918.jpg IMG_0919.jpg

[Max Neu]

Scott,thanks for the picture of qtr.sawn locust,I think I might have him qtr. saw the logs after seeing that picture.The locust tree's grow pretty well around my area,and the sawyer told me they are some nice logs.I am not worried about the natural color,since about everything I do for customers is stained,I think it's nice to be able to offer another option when customers ask for something extra hard and durable.I remember reading a while back on wood database that black Locust is one of the most underrated woods out there.It's also interesting how it glows to flourescent green under a black light.

[Kevin Jenness]

Hard, dense, gnarly- hickory on steroids. If you dry it thoroughly and keep it in a stable environment it should perform well- it certainly won't rot- but unevenly dried stock will twist like a pretzel. Some people are allergic to it and develop contact dermatitis. It can be attractive, but be prepared for a workout.