is locust good firewood?

[Flatbedford]

I was scrounging some Locust last week and there was another guy there cutting too. He told me that I should be careful because Locust burns too hot. I told him that I would be just fine with it. He insisted that I be careful with it. Maybe he was just trying to make me leave more for him.

 

[Loco Gringo]

It can warp a stove. I get lots and burn it mixed in with other wood, preferably maple.

 

[firefighterjake]

I only wish I had some locust to burn . . . or even some oak . . . most of my wood is mid-range BTU.

 

[lukem]

Technically speaking, any wood can warp a stove. I wouldn't give locust a bad rap. It may be easier to do with locust just because it is high BTU.

 

[Adabiviak]

If I'm looking at the BTU chart in Sweep's Library correctly, you're referring to Honey Locust @ 23.7 MBTU/cord? Is that considered a hot fuel, or does this take into account the speed at which that heat is released? I have quite a bit of Live Oak (not shown on this list, but on another list at 36.6 MBTU/cord) and a handful of Manzanita (32 MBTU/cord), but this list rates similar woods a little higher than Sweep's. Should I be concerned about the integrity of my stove (I'm don't think there's any sheet metal in it)? Usually 2-3 splits/knots will keep my place warm overnight (disclaimer: small house), so it's rare that I put more than this in for a burn.

I have heard local stories about Manzanita breaking stoves because it burns too hot, but that may have been back when stoves were made out of a weaker cast iron than now? When I picture sheet metal, I'm thinking of very thin steel (so I'm probably thinking of the wrong thing). What stove is made of sheet metal? I also favor a couple local species of buck brush (ceanothus) when I can get thicker trunks of dead standing specimens, but I never see them in BTU charts.

Other list: http://firewoodresource.com/firewood-btu-ratings/

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Is locust good firewood? Is the Pope Catholic?


Most times it seems people mistake the btu thing. Just because a particular wood has more btu does not mean it burns hotter. It just burns longer. For example, we burn soft maple along with white ash. There is a huge difference in that there are more btu in ash than the soft maple. Yet, the soft maple actually burns hotter, but not as long. Most times if a stove warps from getting too hot it is not because of the fuel, it is because of how the stove was operated. One more thing, smaller splits will burn hotter than larger splits or rounds.