….and then he says “do you want some trees”

It seems to me that it depends which BTU chart a guy looks at. Some show it even. Some show it more. Oak must split like a dream, because locust is very easy..........if it's not green, or there's no knot. I wish we had oak out here. I'd like to mess with some sometime.

 

I have the same attitude towards scrounging.

 

Most oak splits nice and straight if you sneeze with an axe in your hand.


The charts that show locust as even with oak I simply ignore. Because I know that locust is more dense than oak, and therefore more BTU's.

I get a lot more honey locust here, there's pockets of BL when you find it, like at the end of my road that's pretty much all there is on those couple of lots, but there's at least one HL in everyone's yard here in my town and city.

 

I guess we can agree to disagree. White oak pumps out btu after btu for hours and hours. And the density thing, Old Ironsides might debate you on that.. and the internet:
Wood - Densities of Various Species

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF COMMON WOODS

http://edge.rit.edu/edge/P19422/pub...ign/Material Resources/Wood_Density_Chart.pdf

Is it going by what you’ve experienced? I’ve been processing both of those the last couple years. White oak is no joke. I’m not implying locusts aren’t, but…

 

Im thinking dead/down BL gets harder with age. Ive noticed a difference between green fresh cut BL and the former.

 

So if I score a petrified log, I win the density competition? J/K. That said, I don’t doubt your statement.

 

If its any consolation i felled some dead white oak today! And it will be processed for firewood!

 

Great looking wood there! It won't take long to dry either. You could burn it next year you think?

 

Pretty sure the 5” and under is ready to go now. next year it will all be ready if I can get right after it.

 

White oak is great, but...... It's less BTU than locusts. Shagbark hickory hickory puts all of these to shame.

I'm going by science and by experience.

White oak is different though, there's a reason why it's used for liquor barrels.

 

Where do you see locust denser than white oak?

 

Can't find it right now, but the ones I'm looking at now have locust and white oak pretty close. I was a biology major in college, so there's a lot of info I've seen while in school. White oak is more dense than red oak, and that's partially why white oak has more BTU's than red. Shagbark is more dense than either though. It's not just density in what makes the BTU's, but that's a part of it.

 

White oak should be nurtured and given special attention.
then used exclusively for BOURBON/WHISKEY barrels !

 

Yes, 100%. Another reason I'm forgoing fresh cut green BL from now on. The dead/petrified variety cuts totally different (harder on chains) IME it burns better/longer too. I cut a small amount of long-dead black cherry back in August that was also denser than normal. It cut fine, but splitting it by hand was a bear. Then a couple days ago, I threw some of it in the stove. It took a while to get going, but once it did it lasted quite a while in the coaling stage. Completely different burn from a fresh cut and dried cherry. I think all the dead elm fans have it right too. The aging process makes middle-of-the-road firewood much better, and it makes good firewood superb.

 

Yep looks like dead Siberian elm. Alot of those trees around ranches and farms in the high plains.

 

All sorts of alcohol gets extra special in white oak barrels. Wine, Bourbon, whiskey, tequila etc, then used bourbon, whiskey and wine barrels get used to age beer, tequila, maple syrup etc...

 

Sugar Maple should also get special attention. Especially in late winter/early spring. They must be hugged on the cold days to warm them up so they will drip sap......squeeze extra hard! Only dead/ diseased maple should feel the bite of a chainsaw. Even the perceived to be ugly ones produce gold!

 

Truth.


I split a bunch of what was a prime sap producing sugar maple today. It was already dropped and blocked earlier this summer. There was a hollow bit to it and I was told it was not in great shape. It will become primo firewood in about 2 years. Heavy stuff. I thought it was black locust based on weight, and the bark was similar. But the wood was too light in color. Splitting it this weekend confirmed it was sugar maple. It was a win win whatever it ended up being.

 

Ill take all the bark on stuff you dont want! Only reason i had so much was the two storms August 2020. Most i get now is barkless unless you guys send me a FBM lead.

Got a text today from a customer who bought a cord of bark on locust last Winter. Says its the best wood he's ever had and asked if i have more! Only bark on and he's in for a surprise!

 

I’ve cut a Black Locust that had the density of tulip. Very pale yellow and the saw went through it so easy I stepped back numerous times wondering what the heck was going on
I’ve had the hardened barkless Black Locust that throws sparks off the chains. It’s a strange weed tree.
Honestly I’m not that impressed but I’ll not turn it down either.
One nice thing about locust is it ages like fine wine. Split and stack it and leave it for twenty years and it’ll be better than two. It hardens instead of degrades. White Oak may have similar characteristics. I wish I could get more to offer an opinion.