Did a quick search and didn't some up with much. Friend of a friend just reached out to me asking about milling some honey locust he has. 3 pieces 3-4.5 feet in diameter and 12' long. I'm wondering how it compared to say white (chestnut) oak. Sounds like this would be a very slow go on my CSM. I don't want to set myself up for failure. My longest bar is 42" so all wouldn't be live edge slabs. Not my pic: Anyone ever mill it with their chainsaw?
No chain saw milling.....but I've cut a log or two on the Woodmizer... Saws way easier than white oak! in fact it cut better than red oak as well. I'd say it's about like milling black walnut, which is no sweat on a band mill. Sorry I don't got no experience with csm on this stuff. Good luck.
A csm is cheap compared to some of the other toys..... Not to mention there's a risk you could even make some $ to finance the other stuff you need Lumber and live edge slabs are worth lots more per pound than firewood, you know....lol
Report back if you attack it with a chainsaw mill. I got a bunch I'm going to be doing throughout winter.
It shouldn’t be as hard to mill as something like hickory but should be similar to something like hard maple. Hard maple and honey locust are pretty close to 1500 on the janka scale of hardness. Of course that’s just one factor in its composition. Things like local growing conditions, the lignin/cellulose ratio, etc. can have and effect, but it definitely shouldn’t be harder to mill than white oak Jason. Having said all that the only applicable experience I have with it is noodling big rounds down to quarters.
Good to know. I still haven’t replied to him. I’m trying to weigh out the worth of my time. This would definitely have to benefit me financially to do the work. The walnut was for a friend so I didn’t mind doing it. And it would have to wait for cooler weather.
Hey I have not been here in a while but it does not mill that bad not as bad as white oak last one I did was a while ago @36 inch used a 3120 with 404 super skip rip chain JB
Thanks for feedback. I've messaged Ben back and told him I'd try out one log and see how it goes before making a decision on the rest. Just need the temps to cool off a bit first. We are headed back to the 90's this week apparently. Next to work out is how to charge for the service.
Just spoke with Ben. Turns out this is his friends wood. We got to talking and I tell him my 42" bar maxes out at about 36-37". He tells me they are more like 48-54" and all 3 are cut to 12'!!!! I told him we could make 4 cuts to square one at 36", then slab away, IF he can roll it after each cut. He said friends tractor can't budge the logs. So we agreed to meet tomorrow and check them out. He said at this point his friend just wants the wood gone . They were hoping to get some slabs to use/sell but if that doesn't happen, it's ok. We will see. Sounds like monster wood.
Holy smokes! Those are monster locusts! Well, that'll be some amazing firewood, if the slabs don't happen, but man, that would be a shame.
Honey Locust... Something about it, just brings a smile to me... I love the color of the wood and the smell..... Good Luck... pictures...
I cut some big slabs out of a massive honey locust a few years back, talk about beautiful wood! Two of those slabs were used in a high-end bartop. I still have one left....
You and me both fella. Everything about it is good, except the thorned honey locust. Those thorns are ruthless.
