Rotting black locust bark smells awful. But I love the smell of split black locust. Unlike the smell of red oak. Yuck.
Ive been careful to put this stuff up off the ground but with its resilience to rot, im surprised you're seeing it. Unless its fence posts deep in the ground I dont hear a lot about black locust rotting so much.
I have had friends down to one of my burnpiles that is right near my main pile of splits wonder who had vomited when the wind shifted after a cord or so of red oak was split a few days earlier and thrown on. It does closely resemble puke IMO. Sometimes while I'm splitting it gives off a vinegar smell. Like sniffing a bottle of white vinegar.
The wood itself seemingly never rots. The bark however, if in contact with the ground where it's moist or wet rots into some putrid stuff. I tossed a good pair of gloves after handling some.
Ok Babaganoosh i took a couple pieces out to split smaller. I cant notice any real smell to it. Its subtle but maybe im missing something here? Could i have cut up a dead standing tree and the smell is likely gone?
Not to fear....if the bark ain't rotting off, and if it's not BL anyway, stack it and wait til it's ready to burn
Thats the stuff im splitting. And im trimming the bark off and that is burning as good as doug fir alone!
Just a pit fire dry before i give it a stack up. Chit. Thats like finding gold in your yard and walking around like a dunce...
You're likely right about that. I actually got a locust cookie around here thats part of burl. This tree had a Bunch of burl on it, Its pretty. I think id need to stain it or the like and bring out the grain. But couldnt agree more. This tree was cut at my neighbors he came over and asked me to help him out and i obliged not knowing that Slogging it out was ...more than worth it. It had blown down in october last year and they finally got a dry day to ask me. I was just trying to get it cut up and haul it out without even really knowing what it was much less that it was standing dead! Trust me i will cut some cookies out of this and possibly if they are flat enough make a cutting board or two. With that heart shape, looks nice. The other stuff is alright I just didnt have a lot of time or equipment to keep it all in one piece but sure can keep others.
No shame when its good, I hope you were able to get a decent price for it. Im not smelling a whole lot when I burned a tiny bit of BL and mostly bark tonight. Something in the soil? Hm. But sure does burn well. I was just exposing the wood more so th bark wouldnt rot
Some morning wood. Cut this just before heading out, same log I have pictured above. Its a bit rough yeah probably can get it looking better with some sanding and maybe a planer might help me here. About a foot wide, 2 inches thick. Might be a bit thick for the time being but with what might come off would even out nicely. Heading to the woodwork forum for questions there.
