# How to split locust firewood for the best burn times.



## JA600L (Mar 10, 2014)

I measured up my wood piles the other day and this is what I have. 

1. 1 cord of 1 year seasoned Oak chunks. 
2. 1/3 cord of 5 month seasoned Hickory chunks.
3. 1 cord of 1-3 month seasoned Mulberry. 
4  2/3 cord of Hackberry, cherry, maple,  and Elm mix.  The cherry 2 years and the Elm 3 years are seasoned. I also have a pile of seasoned Oak locust set aside to finish out this year.

I used approx 3 cords of hardwood this brutal winter.

My idea is to  insulate a lot this summer and possibly upgrade to a hybrid stove.  

A friend from church just offered me some locust trees he would like taken down. So I estimate to possibly double my supply here soon. My question is should I  leave the locust splits in big chunks? Burning In a modern epa/ hybrid stove probably 2 years out. Any thoughts given my current supply?


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## wahoowad (Mar 10, 2014)

split it to stove size, stack and forget for 1 year


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## jatoxico (Mar 10, 2014)

Locust likes a lot of air. I have not had great success with big splits. I would/do tend to split a bit smaller than I do for other hardwood especially if you're going to burn it alone. If you're mixing with other stuff I'd say it's less important. Starting a fire w/ big chunks of locust = .


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## JA600L (Mar 10, 2014)

I would cut it so I could still fit some smaller pieces underneath. I did burn some locust chunks before and reloading on hot coals wasn't too difficult.


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## Shmudda (Mar 10, 2014)

Locust is one of the hottest burning woods there is, it's so dense and heavy that is a good all nighter wood.  I tend to leave my splits as big as possible, they last longer and the fires don't get away on you like using smaller splits.  It's a dirty wood to burn and sometimes stinks to high heaven, but the BTU's it throws is well worth it!

To your question, split as big as you and your stove can handle

Craig


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## JA600L (Mar 10, 2014)

Shmudda said:


> Locust is one of the hottest burning woods there is, it's so dense and heavy that is a good all nighter wood.  I tend to leave my splits as big as possible, they last longer and the fires don't get away on you like using smaller splits.  It's a dirty wood to burn and sometimes stinks to high heaven, but the BTU's it throws is well worth it!
> 
> To your question, split as big as you and your stove can handle
> 
> Craig



That's what I like to hear!


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## blades (Mar 11, 2014)

Depends when you will need it. Big splits 3 years to dry from green and that might even be optimistic. 4x4 sized likely 2 +, 2x4 1.5-2.  varies with your conditions of course.


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## Ralphie Boy (Mar 11, 2014)

blades said:


> Depends when you will need it. Big splits 3 years to dry from green and that might even be optimistic. 4x4 sized likely 2 +, 2x4 1.5-2.  varies with your conditions of course.



Blades is spot on with his estimates of drying time. So if you have 3 or 4 seasons to wait split as large as your stove can safely handle. And if not, split small and wait 2 seasons before burning. Locust is a beast to get burning on its own. Its best to have a big bed of coals or mix with a couple of flaming pieces of ash or soft maple then its off to the races!


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## gzecc (Mar 11, 2014)

Ralphie Boy said:


> Blades is spot on with his estimates of drying time. So if you have 3 or 4 seasons to wait split as large as your stove can safely handle. And if not, split small and wait 2 seasons before burning. Locust is a beast to get burning on its own. Its best to have a big bed of coals or mix with a couple of flaming pieces of ash or soft maple then its off to the races!


 
Wow, now Locust takes longer than oak?


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## Clyde S. Dale (Mar 11, 2014)

JA600L said:


> I measured up my wood piles the other day and this is what I have.
> 
> 
> 4  2/3 cord of Hackberry, cherry, maple,  and Elm mix.  The cherry 2 years and the Elm 3 years are seasoned. I also have a pile of seasoned Oak locust set aside to finish out this year.


 
Hackberry, eh? The only place I've ever seen hackberry is here on hearth.com in the Wood ID threads.  Never seen it around my locale but then again not sure I know exactly what to look for. I'm only 45 mins south of Lancaster so you've got me curious now...


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## bigbarf48 (Mar 11, 2014)

gzecc said:


> Wow, now Locust takes longer than oak?



I think theyre just saying the bigger you split, the slower the spits will dry


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## JA600L (Mar 11, 2014)

Clyde S. Dale said:


> Hackberry, eh? The only place I've ever seen hackberry is here on hearth.com in the Wood ID threads.  Never seen it around my locale but then again not sure I know exactly what to look for. I'm only 45 mins south of Lancaster so you've got me curious now...


 
I see hackberry all over the place here in Lancaster. You will recognize it by its unusual looking bark. What area do you live in?


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## Clyde S. Dale (Mar 11, 2014)

JA600L said:


> I see hackberry all over the place here in Lancaster. You will recognize it by its unusual looking bark. What area do you live in?


 
Southern Chester County almost at the MD/PA line.  Like I said, they may be all around me but I never encountered one on a scrounge so not exactly sure what to look for.  Decent firewood?


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## Chimney Smoke (Mar 11, 2014)

I used to be of the bigger split mindset due to longer burn times.  With a 2.2 cf firebox I now find that I can't fill the box with as much wood with bigger splits so I actually get less burn time.  When loading for an overnight burn I like to put one large oak or beech split in and then pack the rest of the box with medium sized splits.  I've found that I can load more wood and get a hotter and cleaner burn this way than with 3 big splits and extra airspace in the firebox and I usually still have plenty of coals in the morning for a reload before going to work.


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## tsquini (Mar 11, 2014)

Locust well take at least 2 years to season.


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## JA600L (Mar 11, 2014)

This is my new play ground. All of the locusts standing are to be cut down. There are logs and branches laying everywhere too.  I even have a tractor to use ( I am a tractor mechanic). I've found some dry piles of wood lying around too.  My chain saw took a beating.... sparks were flying.


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## Paulywalnut (Mar 12, 2014)

Let locust go 3 years. It just doesn't burn well by itself. It will sit ten years in a stack and not deteriorate one bit.


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## jatoxico (Mar 12, 2014)

Paulywalnut said:


> Let locust go 3 years. It just doesn't burn well by itself. I*t will sit ten years in a stack and not deteriorate *one bit.



I'm bucking and stacking wood rounds now that I will split in a few months or maybe next fall. Locust and oak. The locust is going on the bottom.


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## Paulywalnut (Mar 12, 2014)

jatoxico said:


> I'm bucking and stacking wood rounds now that I will split in a few months or maybe next fall. Locust and oak. The locust is going on the bottom.


Perfect


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## Ralphie Boy (Mar 12, 2014)

bigbarf48 said:


> I think theyre just saying the bigger you split, the slower the spits will dry



I  can't speak for the other poster but your statement is correct in regard to what I said.


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## Ralphie Boy (Mar 12, 2014)

Clyde S. Dale said:


> Hackberry, eh?



I may not be too common in our area. Can't miss it; light gray, 'warty' bark that gets smooth in the less mature upper parts of a large tree, nothing else looks like it. Produces a small dark berry that is quite tasty.


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## JA600L (Mar 16, 2014)

Some pictures of my locust scrounge.  I picked up some more Mulberry wood as well.  The cross stacked photo does not include the wood loaded on the trailer. I also included a photo of my wood pile before.  I have several cords of locust to cut up yet. A good bit of the wood I am cutting up has either lost its bark or it falls off when split. The mulberry is still very green.


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## Ralphie Boy (Mar 17, 2014)

Clyde S. Dale said:


> Hackberry, eh? The only place I've ever seen hackberry is here on hearth.com in the Wood ID threads.  Never seen it around my locale but then again not sure I know exactly what to look for. I'm only 45 mins south of Lancaster so you've got me curious now...



Follow these links to see Hackberry. It may not be in your area. http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=26
http://forestry.ohiodnr.gov/hackberry
http://mushroomexpert.com/trees/celtis_occidentalis.html


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## Clyde S. Dale (Mar 17, 2014)

Ralphie Boy said:


> Follow these links to see Hackberry. It may not be in your area. http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=26
> http://forestry.ohiodnr.gov/hackberry
> http://mushroomexpert.com/trees/celtis_occidentalis.html


 
Thanks - the ones with maps show it is in my area so I'll definitely be on the look out now. It's usually the Mid-West guys that post about hackberry trees so I never thought much about it around here.


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## Osagebndr (Mar 17, 2014)

I'm a newbie to burning, but  from what I know from selling firewood fo a long time and just a short time burning it is very good firewood.


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## midwestcoast (Mar 17, 2014)

My experience is with Black Locust only. I have found that it dries significantly faster than Red Oak for me. I've ended-up burning lots of Black Locust this year that was meant for next season, but succumbed to the ongoing brutal winter.
It was split & stacked in a holzhausen in fall 2012 (so, just 1 summer in there) and it's burned great. Red Oak under those conditions wouldn't be good at all by now in my experience.
I'd be pretty confident of Black Locust after 1 year here if single-stacked in a good location.  Honey Locust as I have heard is a different story & is 2 year wood for sure.

Best use for me is to split it meduim to large, get it nice & dry and have some lesser wood to mix with it for start-ups & filling in the spaces. Primo!


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## JA600L (Mar 17, 2014)

A lot of what I am cutting up, the trees have been knocked over for 2 years, the bark is gone, and dry saw dust comes out of the chain saw. I will aim to dry it two years but I may burn next year if needed.


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## Osagebndr (Mar 18, 2014)

Most of my firewood has been down for two yrs. red oak seems to take its time drying for sure.  Some of  mine still isn't dry after 2.5 years down and split.


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