iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Honey locust uses

Started by Upstatewoodchuc, September 02, 2018, 08:41:34 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Upstatewoodchuc

So near the garage I had a honey locust that was starting to get too big for it's britches and was losing branches from above every wind storm. I dropped the tree and made firewood out of the small branches, but I got 3 decent sized solid logs out of the trunk and was wondering if they were good to mill. I know black locust makes great barn beams (can lay a sill right in dirt) and fenceposts, but is honey locust anywhere near as good? I know from firewood experience with the stuff that it seems just about as hard and brittle as black locust, maybe just make a bunch of 4/4 boards 4" and 6"? Also does it dry easily without checking? Thanks guys.
Current collection: Husky 3120xp,  372xp, 365, husky 55, homelite xl12. Michigan 85 wheel loader, Ford 8n with loader and forks. Farmall super C, 1988 international dump truck, John Deere 440ICD dozer, 19ft equipment trailer, 40 ton TSC splitter, modified dieder splitter with 4 way.

Darrel

Can't help with your question other than honey locust is mighty purdy stuff. 
1992 LT40HD

If I don't pick myself up by my own bootstraps, nobody else will.

Magicman

I sawed nothing but Honey Locust for a customer this past Friday.  No you can not expect it to last if it touches the ground but it does make beautiful lumber and slabs:  LINK
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Brad_bb

Honey locust is not nearly as rot resistant as black locust or white oak heartwood.  It is pretty and a very useful wood.  I'm using it for timber frame braces and got some side lumber at the same time,  I  also slabbed a 24" log for table tops.  I've got 4 HL in my yard now waiting to be sawed.  There's at least an old 22" that I will likely slab and the rest will be brace stock.  I wouldn't hesitate to make boards though if I had more.  I'd make furniture and projects from it. What  little boards I have seemed to air dry well.  I've had HL with very tight rings that grew very slowly, which I think is more typical of wild, thorned HL, but I've also got two logs in my yard with very wide growth rings that were fast growing, so those may have been thornless yard trees?
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

Upstatewoodchuc

Awesome guys, thanks for the input! I think I'm going to turn the two smaller logs Into dimensional lumber and than slab out the bigger of the two, I guess I had never seen a locust slab in person so I didn't really think of that!
Current collection: Husky 3120xp,  372xp, 365, husky 55, homelite xl12. Michigan 85 wheel loader, Ford 8n with loader and forks. Farmall super C, 1988 international dump truck, John Deere 440ICD dozer, 19ft equipment trailer, 40 ton TSC splitter, modified dieder splitter with 4 way.

Ron Wenrich

I sawed several Mbf a number of years ago.  The boards I kept were 8-12" wide and flat sawn.  The boards were clear, and I stickered them in my barn.  Many of them split about 2' in from the ends.  Just something to think about, especially on slabs.  A lot of tension in the wood.  You should be okay with narrow boards.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

OffGrid973

Check out the table I have in my family room, it's my favorite wood along with Walnut for table tops.

Has natural floresants in it so it actually glows under the black light.

http://www.wimerhardwoods.com/about.html
Your Fellow Woodworker,
- Off Grid

Thank You Sponsors!