Last week, I scored Black Locust from fallen off trees from previous storms in nearby forest. Several people here identified it as black locust. I live in New York City and have very limited backyard space so I can only store what I can burn in the current year. When I cut and split the wood, moisture content was ranging between 18 to 27 % mostly below 24%. I stored them in single row Landmann brand rack and top covered them with a tarp. If it doesn’t rain for two days , I remove the tarp to let them get any sunlight they can. My question is that how fast does dead black locust season with mentioned MC percentage ? Do you think I would be able to burn the ones above % 20 MC this year around February/March?
If it were summer you would have no problem. It’s going to be harder now that it’s raining 5 days this week and even has some snow mixed into the forecast. I’d split it thin. Keep it dry like you are doing and let it have all the sun that you can when it isn’t going to rain/snow. If you are able to keep a weeks worth of wood inside before burning you will get some significant drying in also. Like 2-3 pct. It’ll be close. Keeping all precipitation off it is key.
near the wood stove. a garage is not a good place to dry wood. You need three things to dry wood. Sun (or heat), air and time. If you remove any of those key ingredients, the other two need to be increased.
Stand those up around your stove for a few days before burning and you'll be surprised. BL gives up what little moisture it has very easily.
Caution on the odor, black locust can have an odor under the bark. Great stuff, but if ou can wait a year I would suggest it.
They have been falling dead for year with no bark on them. Would they still smell when they get burned in a stove?
Black Locust is well over 50% of my stacks and I only cut dead/fallen over trees. I collect during the fall and winter, have it split and stacked by early spring and its good for next year.
And Black Locust burns long & hot so you don't need much to keep the heat pumping. Its really valuable to me, that yellow devil. Splits right down the grain, I make 12" long blocks about 4" thick. I couldn't bring myself to burn a half cord last winter, always hoarding it...
Years ago, my dad would actually put a piece or 2 of wood on the top of the stove for a short time while it was warming up. I thought it was kind of ridiculous. But, now, i'm older and while i don't do that, i do bring a piece or 2 inside and put it along side the stove, if it has gotten unusually wet while outside. I keep it so it will not fall into the side of the stove and cause a problem. Nothing wrong with bringing a couple of pieces of wood inside to do that with.
We bring in a cord at a time. Lasts us six weeks. You can really tell a difference each day for the first week as the wood comes up to room temp (which is 75-86* at times). It will snap and crack for the first three days like crazy as it warms up.
