Black Locust Beams

[Thomas Cook]

I was hoping somebody on here may be familiar with Black Locust as I've yet to use any in my woodworking.

I received a call today from a local salvage company I buy from a lot. Asked me if I wanted to buy a bridge :D

They have 98 boards, 6" wide, 4" thick and just over 10' long of Black Locust. I ran down to take a look and they are all mostly in great shape with no holes or rot, not much checking and they are all pretty straight. From what I read that is the issue and why it's not used so much.

Anyone run any on their CNC and have another wood that compares? I can get it at a great price and if it will hold detail I'll find some place to store it.

Thanks!

[steve_g]

Thomas…
No personal experience, in fact I’ve never even heard of it! Searching the web makes it sound like it’s God’s gift to humanity though! Apparently after drying, it machines beautifully… if the price is right, I’d snatch it up!
SG
http://www.wood-database.com/black-locust/
http://www.ablacklocustconnection.com/other_images/06-KempShipClose.jpg

[Ajcoholic]

Ive used a little bit of black locust. I made a set of bow limbs from it, for a take down recurve bow.

It is yellow in colour, with a look somewhat like elm or ash but not as pronounced grain. It is increadibly tough and hard. Also, very resistant to decay. It machined and sanded fine - probably dense like white oak or hickory. I think I have a small piece left in the shop.

[Thomas Cook]

Thank you both for the your experience and the links. I'm going to run down tomorrow and get a few beams. Not sure I can handle all 98 but it may be worth investing into a good bandsaw to resaw it down to 1" thick boards that are a little more manageable.

I talked to an Amish friend I have this afternoon and he was very interested in whatever I didn't use. May be able to work a deal to get it resawed in their mill for some beams.

[Thomas Cook]

Well they gave me a deal I couldn't pass up so I have 98 of these beams to pick up this week. Here's my wife with half of them. They said they were decking for a covered bridge and when they went to replace the new boards did not match the weathered ones so they ended up replacing all of them.

28946

28947

She was pretty excited when she saw them as she has big plans for some raise beds this fall for veggies next year. Says she's not ready to share any yet. Wants some tables made out of it too so looks like I'll keep busy this winter.

[Burkhardt]

Looks like a good deal (not knowing what you paid). You may want to consider selling some of that on eBay. There is some demand for Locust turning blanks. The weathered condition may add to the value?

[scottp55]

Thomas, Try to get as much info on which covered bridge, as history of repurposed timber is beginning to catch on and it can be a selling point.
The Landing Boat School in town;
http://www.landingschool.edu/
Is just beginning to look at more renewable local woods, one of which is Black Locust, but they're having problems sourcing a reliable local supplier of timbers and planking.
They gave Dad a chunk of it for me to play with, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
You may want to surface a chunk and finish it so your wife can see it, before it's all raised beds:)
Could be good for 3D's?
scott

[Thomas Cook]

Looks like a good deal (not knowing what you paid). You may want to consider selling some of that on eBay. There is some demand for Locust turning blanks. The weathered condition may add to the value?

Good advice, I did see the turning blanks on eBay but it does seem like a pretty rare wood to work with. I'm interested to see what it looks like under the weathered exterior so I'll grab a beam early next week that is a little rough and try and send it through the planer. I don't see any nail or holes in any of the beams so I'm really interested to know how they held them down. Still run the metal detector over them to make sure tho.


Thomas, Try to get as much info on which covered bridge, as history of repurposed timber is beginning to catch on and it can be a selling point.
The Landing Boat School in town;
http://www.landingschool.edu/
Is just beginning to look at more renewable local woods, one of which is Black Locust, but they're having problems sourcing a reliable local supplier of timbers and planking.
They gave Dad a chunk of it for me to play with, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
You may want to surface a chunk and finish it so your wife can see it, before it's all raised beds:)
Could be good for 3D's?
scott

Thanks Scott. My father is a historian so I've got him on the case of where these came from. I've donated items to the local historical societies in the past that I've come across that are the unusual. There is a covered bridge in a nearby town where these were. I may take a ride up tomorrow and see if it has new deck boards so the mystery may be solved. Always fun uncovering the history of some of the things we find.

From what I was reading drying and cutting the Locust is not easy. I checked around here and nobody works with it.

[scottp55]

Just thought the "stone wall" quote from Maine Urban Forestry was funny:)
"Interesting Features: Although black locust is not an important timber tree in the United States, it is used for a wide variety of products and is planted for many specialized purposes. The wood is heavy closegrained, strong and very durable. It is used for fence posts, poles, railroad ties, ship timber, tree nails for wooden ship construction, boxes, crates and stakes. It is said by some native New Englanders to last “3 years longer than a stone wall.”
Oh, Was thinking that one side probably has embedded gravel in it that won't show with the metal detector..be careful!

[bobmoore]

find some wooden boat builders before breaking those boards up. Black locust is a cherished species for them.

[myxpykalix]

That stuff looks old and weathered but flat and straight. I bet it will be great to work with. Show pictures when you finally cut it or make something. I have one squared off log i've had for years, i may have to get down and do something with now!!

[Thomas Cook]

That stuff looks old and weathered but flat and straight. I bet it will be great to work with. Show pictures when you finally cut it or make something. I have one squared off log i've had for years, i may have to get down and do something with now!!

I'll definitely get a piece this week and do a quick test. Look forward to see what you make from your piece!


find some wooden boat builders before breaking those boards up. Black locust is a cherished species for them.

Thanks for the tip, I sent a few emails to some boat builders around NY State and I'll see what they say.

[Thomas Cook]

Just thought the "stone wall" quote from Maine Urban Forestry was funny:)
"Interesting Features: Although black locust is not an important timber tree in the United States, it is used for a wide variety of products and is planted for many specialized purposes. The wood is heavy closegrained, strong and very durable. It is used for fence posts, poles, railroad ties, ship timber, tree nails for wooden ship construction, boxes, crates and stakes. It is said by some native New Englanders to last “3 years longer than a stone wall.”
Oh, Was thinking that one side probably has embedded gravel in it that won't show with the metal detector..be careful!

Haha that stone wall quote is great and I'll be sure to check over the boards. Brand new set of blades on the planer and I'd like to keep them that way for a bit.

[Alex Naumenko]

I used locus as a fence posts. It is naturally rot proof.