Originally Posted by
julie Graf
i have not (yet) milled locust - what's the downsides? i was thinking of building a a gardening table out of it for the backyard - it's a local wood and know a mill i where i can get it.
Julie,
I've build a lot of outdoor stuff out of white oak and it really works well! That said, I've also used locust and actually like it better. It is a little harder to mill but not that much more than white oak. And it doesn't require any finishing, just a little sanding brings out a "soft" glow. And it will last forever --- you've seen the fences around PA, farms, Gettysburg, etc., they are made out of locust an been around 300 - 400 years.
Again a little hard to mill and sometimes hard to find in the different sizes.
You probably will not find it kiln dried but it air dries pretty quickly. Ask the mill for "previously" cut stock.
Cost can also be an issue but being in western PA, you shouldn't have much of a problem. Around here, eastern PA, would expect to pay around $1.50 bd ft, white oak, around $2.50 bd ft.
(BTW, how do you tell white oak from red oak? Both have thin black "threads" in them. The length of them in red oak are rarely longer than 3/4", in white oak upwards to 2". And for not aware of it, white oak can be used outside, red oak it terrible outside).
HTH, Joe
Two weeks, your project will be done in two weeks!!! (From the Money Pit)