Got me some Locust wood today

[Jason Ritchie]

I went to my Dad's house today and he told me about a locust tree he had cut down this past month. I cut a few big pieces to make bowls out of. It still feels very solid inside so I think it will be fine. I'm not sure what kind of locust it is though. Sorry for the rough pics, it was almost dark out when I got back.

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Once I turn some of this I can cross locust off my have not turned list.

[John Keeton]

Jason, when I first started turning, I picked a piece of locust from the firewood stack and tried turning it. That was the beginning and end of my need to turn locust! I am sure it had much to do with my inexperience, and the locust being partially seasoned. I suggest you turn this quickly while it is still green. Otherwise, it is like turning concrete!!

[Paul Singer]

I got some Locust last year and turned it with great results. I would gladly do some more if I could find some. It can be hard to turn but keep your tools sharp and the end result is very nice. Excuse the photos but hopefully this gives you an idea of what the end result will look like. The bowl is 11" in diameter and 5" deep. I rough turned it then did a DNA soak and finished it a couple of months later.

Good luck.

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[Jason Ritchie]

Paul, that is a nice looking bowl! Thanks for sharing the pics! One of the things I noticed about the pieces I cut were the very prominent growth rings so it should look nice once turned. This stuff is hard and heavy! I will need to sharpen my chain after just cutting a few pieces. Paul, do you ever get down to NC? If so I can save a few pieces for you.

[Scott Hackler]

Good luck with your locust. My experience is very sinilar to John's. I find it incredibly hard to turn while wet. Strangely, I find it easier to turn AFTER it had dried out. Wet, it fought me so bad that I never even tried the other half of the log! Of course that was some of the first wood I tried to turn and now, with a few years experience, it might be a different story.

[Bernie Weishapl]

It will be some difficult wood to turn wet or dry. I have turned quite a bit and will avoid it if I have other wood to turn. When dry it is like turning concrete and will use a fingerless glove on my left hand to keep the hot shavings off my hand.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Congrats on the wood! Looking forward to seeing the end result as well as how you felt about turning Locust!

[Paul Singer]

Jason,

Thanks for the offer but we pass through NC on our way to Florida end of December and again on our way back up north first of April every winter. Other than that we never get down there.

[Doug Herzberg]

Jason, I haven't turned much of anything yet, but I did try a piece of Honey Locust. I didn't find it too bad to work with, but that may just be because I don't know what I'm missing. (Maple is certainly easier to work with). It polishes up to a nice finish. I'd vote for turning it green with sharp tools. Hope you post the results.
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[Jamie Donaldson]

Paul, your wood is Honey Locust, and like all Locust varieties is hard when dry but can yield some excellent results. I can't ID Jason's from those images, but we'll see when the work is posted!

[curtis rosche]

jason, i think yours is honey locust based on the color and the tiny bit of bark i can see in the pic. i would say turn one half wet, then turn the other half after it dries. then you get to try both ways. i preferer turning it wet, but hate trying to sand it when wet

[Steve Kubien]

Honey locust is a JOY to turn. Sands like a dream too!

[Jason Ritchie]

Here is my first rough out from a quarter sawn piece of the locust. I didn't put it in a paper bag just to see what it would do. Bad move, started cracking so that's why you see some CA streaks. The bowl is about 6.5" in diameter and 3.88" tall. The wood caused my bandsaw to go on strike and refuse to cut it but it cut pretty nicely on the lathe. I had to lop the corners off with my chainsaw to form a rough round shape.
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[Reed Gray]

Jason,
Black locust. The locust trees are very hard, and you can't really hog them out fast. Most of the honey locust is a Morraine locust which is a hybrid. The wild honey locust has thorns up to 12 inches long. For drying, if you are planning on returning, seal it first. You did round over the rims which is good. I wrap the rim in the stretch plastic film, several times around, and stretch it out, about 1 inch on the inside, and the rest on the outside. Start the bowl drying on the concrete floor. Higher humidity there.

robo hippy

[Robert Henrickson]

If the color is true, then black locust indeed. It can be beautiful, but can definitely have problems with cracking.

[brian watts]

really like to turn locust . i can see why people donot but wish i had some more black locust..

[ken gibbs]

Jason,

Why don't you get a nice chunk of concrete and turn that instead of black locust? It would be easier than locust and you would feel better about the condition of your turning tools when get through it. :-}}}}}

[Jason Ritchie]

Jason,

Why don't you get a nice chunk of concrete and turn that instead of black locust? It would be easier than locust and you would feel better about the condition of your turning tools when get through it. :-}}}}}

I have been trying but I can't find any without rebar in it. I thought about just trying to turn it anyway and leave the rebar in for decoration. Seriousy, this Black Locust has not been hard to turn at all. I keep my tools sharp and it cuts very consistently. The only trouble is with my Fisher Price band saw refuses to cut a bowl blank out of it. It actually refuses to even lop the corners off of it.