Robinia to remove, any good for firewood?

[Bermy]

I have two clumps of Robinia to remove, I'll be checking the speedline videos as there are multiple targets below....be firsttime speedlining

*****Is Robinia any good for firewood? *****!!

If so it will save us a ton of time and hassle on disposal, 'cause it can go around the corner to our house.

Thx

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Yes you want for fire wood... High BTU

 

[Peter]

Excellent firewood, also very nice timber if there is anything decent in there.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Also makes good fence posts.....

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Also makes good fence posts.....

Heartwood only?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I just place them bark and all. Supposed to last longer than pressure treat even untreated.
I just cut 6-8 footers 3-6 inch diameter for posts. Bigger stuff, I just give to people to turn or use myself for fire wood. I get telephone poles pretty cheap for corner and gate posts. If not for free

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Reason I mention sapwood, I thought Stig recently mentioned in his experience, Black locust sapwood rots relatively fast compared to heartwood. Might be misremembering.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Fi, I generally google firewood BTUs. Find a couple tables on wood I'm unfamiliar with, then compare the different rating. You could google robinia psuedoacacia btus, as well.

an example
http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/heating_cooling/firewood.html
It doesn't tell you about coaling well, or what not. Western Redcedar is a common tree here, lower BTUs, but great for starting fires.

 

[stig]

Excellent firewood. I don't get to burn it often, since it is rare here and much sought after for turning wood.

 

[Bermy]

Thanks guys, excellent feedback, saved us a ton of work and time and will add nicely to the stack for next winter!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I love watching the flame that comes out of it.... the way it dances.... Kinda blue... Can't close the damper on my stove all the way when I use it, but it just seems to last.

 

[Steve Mack]

Don't see many Black Locusts around here, but a lot of Golden Robinias.

I've used them for firewood as a test, burns ok but seems to smell a bit. Don't think I'd like it in an open fireplace.

 

[Stumper]

Great firewood. In almost all species sapwood is more susceptible to rot and insects. The phenols and turpenes deposited in heartwood act as preservatives.

 

[Bermy]

Don't see many Black Locusts around here, but a lot of Golden Robinias.

I've used them for firewood as a test, burns ok but seems to smell a bit. Don't think I'd like it in an open fireplace.

That's ok, we've got a saxon stove...the neighbours might get a snootful though...

 

[FJR]

Here is some robinia from today. 36" x 10'. My brother plans to make some fence posts out of it.

 

[gf beranek]

The black locust here generally has a distinct line between the sap and heartwood. Prickly bastards when they've been pollarded. Oh, baby!

 

[Labour of Love]

Great firewood, but hard on the saws. I prefer it over rock maple.

 

[Bermy]

Good to know Kate! I usually go with two spare chains ready to go for each saw...I guess there will be lots of filing after that job gets done...

One I did the other day definitely had that colour change in the heartwood Gerry, that was before I knew it was good firewood, stump section was 18" or so...emailed the client and told 'em to rescue it from the burn pile and put it on their firewood pile!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Great to read you, Kate! Don't be a stranger!

Show us some Luv!

 

[woodworkingboy]

Black Locust doesn't seem to have a lot of water in it when green, or for some reason it loses it quickly. It burns well without much drying time. Can be pretty useful for woodwork, but a lot of quality variation in trees and a greater tendency to warp badly after slabbed and stickered up to dry in some. I've made a few tables and steam bent chair parts out of it. Straight grained it bends well, but it will also split easily when you don't want it to, I think something to do with the lack of connecting substance between cells. Not the easiest stuff to work with, rogue much direction changing grain can be common. Hard and heavy, without tools in good shape it will tear out. The best examples of it can be quite nice, ages to a golden color with quiet grain. Not a showoff type material, more humble looking. I used it in California and when I came to my present location, found it commonly growing along rivers.

 

[stig]

You can ammonia fume it with really good result. Since the sapwood stays light, you can get a good contrast by including that.

It is an excellent material for plain salad bowls, since the growth rings show up very clearly, adding some interest to the look.

 

[Labour of Love]

Great to read you, Kate! Don't be a stranger!

Show us some Luv!

Always love (almost) everyone here - just don't post unless I have something to add to the conversation.

 

[oldtimber]

My oldest longbow is Black Locust, made by Dick Robinson up in Hamilton MT when he was first starting out. It has turned a warm honey color over the years, and is still as tough as the day he made it, it's just too much bow for me any more, but I still admire it.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Bill, could you post a photo of your Locust bow at some point?

 

[oldtimber]

Oh brother, I swear to try. This will have to be from my full retard phone to the mystical computator. It will be a first, and I'm sure epic. Probably easier to send you the damn bow.......Bill