Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
Family: Leguminosae
Common names: Acacia, Black locust, False acacia, Golden oak, Green locust, Loco, Locust, Post locust, Red locust, Robinia, Shipmast locust, Virginische schotendorn, White locust, Yellow locust
Distributed in: Canada, United States (North America)
Distribution overview: This species occurs in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec in Canada. Its growth range in the United States includes Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The tree is usually found in old fields and other open areas, and in woodlands. It prefers moist to dry sandy and rocky soils.
Common uses: Agricultural implements, Bearings & bushings, Boat building (general), Boat building: framing, Boat building: planking, Boxes and crates, Bushing blocks, Cabinetmaking, Casks, Chairs, Crossties, Farm vehicles, Foundation posts, Fuelwood, Furniture, Heavy construction, Insulator pins, Joinery, Levers, Light construction, Lock gates, Machinery parts, Mine timbers, Novelties, Packing cases, Paneling, Piling, Poles, Posts, Propellers , Pulley sheaves, Pulley wheels, Railroad ties, Skids, Stakes, Tables, Trestle, Turnery, Utility poles, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wheel spokes, Wheels, Woodenware
Product sources: Supplies of Black locust are readily available in the eastern United States, and is usually priced in the moderate range.
Environment profile: Vulnerable
Tree size:
It is a fast growing species. Spiny tree
Colors: the heart isReddish brown, Yellow to golden-yellow to orangeand the sapwoodWhite to yellow, Yellowish.The grain isStriped figure, the textureUnevenand the lusterPronounced
Natural durability: Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles, Very durable
Odor: No specific smell or taste
LightInduced Color Change: Darker
Kiln Schedules: US=T6A3/T3A1
Drying Defects: Severe end splitting, Severe twisting/warping
Ease of Drying: Reconditioning Treatement
Tree Identification: Bole/stem form is straight
Comments: General finishing qualities are rated as good
Blunting Effect: Moderate dulling effect on cutting edges
Boring: Fairly easy to very easy
Carving: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Cutting Resistance: Cutting resistance with dry wood is moderate
The soft earlywood is more difficult to cut than the hard latewood
Gluing: Good properties
Mortising: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Moulding: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Movement in Service: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Nailing: Holds nails well, Possible if prebored
Planing: Responds very well to machining
Resistance to Impregnation: Heartwood is highly resistant
Response to hand tools: Moderate working qualities
Routing recessing: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Veneering qualities: Moderately easy to veneer, There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits
Steam bending: Very good
It bends equally well in either the green or air-dried state.
Screwing: Poor screwing properties, Possible if prebored; Turning: Good results
Polishing: Satisfactory; Staining: Satisfactory properties ;
- Numerical data Metric
- Numerical data English
- Strength properties
- References
|
|
|
|
Item |
Green |
Dry |
Metric |
Specific Gravity |
0,65 |
0,65 |
|
Density |
|
705 |
kg/m3 |
Bending Strength |
895 |
1319 |
kg/cm2 |
Crushing Strength |
79 |
126 |
kg/cm2 |
Hardness |
|
707 |
kg |
Impact Strength |
109 |
142 |
cm |
Shearing Strength |
|
160 |
kg/cm2 |
Stiffness |
121 |
137 |
1000 kg/cm2 |
Tangential Shrinkage |
7 |
|
% |
Radial Shrinkage |
4 |
|
% |
Weight |
737 |
721 |
kg/m3 |
Maximum Load |
0,84 |
1,05 |
cm-kg/cm3 |
Toughness |
|
|
cm-kg |
Static Bending |
|
|
kg/cm2 |
|
| | | | Item | Green | Dry | English | Bending Strength | 12738 | 18761 | psi | Crushing Strength | 1137 | 1793 | psi | Density | | 44 | lbs/ft3 | Hardness | | 1560 | lbs | Impact Strength | 43 | 56 | inches | Maximum Crushing Strength | 6159 | 9259 | psi | Shearing Strength | | 2282 | psi | Stiffness | 1735 | 1961 | 1000 psi | Work to Maximum Load | 12 | 15 | inch-lbs/in3 | Specific Gravity | 0.65 | 0.65 | | Weight | 46 | 45 | lbs/ft3 | Radial Shrinkage | 4 | | % | Tangential Shrinkage | 7 | | % | Volumetric Shrinkage | 10 | | % | |
Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. 1 Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Max. crushing strength = medium Max. crushing strength = high Hardness (side grain) = medium Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact strength) = high Max. crushing strength = low Hardness (side grain) = soft Weight = very high Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Max. crushing strength = very high Hardness = medium Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = very high Air-Dried condition about 12% moisture content
Black locust is stronger and stiffer than White oak, and its bending properties are comparable to those of Ash and Beech. The tree is widely planted as an ornamental and for shelterbelts. It is also used for erosion control, especially on strip-mined areas, because of its spreading roots system.
Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois and E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Madison, Wisconsin.Brown, H.P. and Panshin, A.J.,1940,Commercial Timbers of the United States Their structure, identification,,properties and uses,McGraw-Hill, LondonBrown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 6 Europe,TRADA, Red Booklet SeriesClifford, N.,1953,Commercial Hardwoods - Their Characteristics Identification and,Utilization,Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. LondonClifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. LondonDave Faison. Into the Woods. Personal Communication, 1993.Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSOForest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1967,The Steam Bending Properties of various timbers,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Leaflet,No.45HMSO, 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, BuckinghamshireHoward, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed.I.U.F.R.O.,1973,Veneer Species of the World,Assembled at F.P.L. Madison on behalf of I.U.F.R.O. Working Party on,Slicing and Veneer CuttingKline, M. 1983. Robinia pseudoacacia - Black locust. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 318.Kloot, N.H., Bolza, E.,1961,Properties of Timbers Imported into Australia,C.S.I.R.O. Forest Products Division Technological Paper,No.12Laidlaw, W.B.R.1960. Guide to British Hardwoods.Published by Leonard Hill [Books] Limited, 9 Eden Street, N.W.1, London.Little, E.L.1980.The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees -Western Region.Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.Markwardt, L.J., Wilson, T.R.C.,1935,Strength and related properties of woods grown in the United States,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin,No.479McAlister, R.H.,1971,American Woods - Black locust,USDA, Forest Service American Woods FS-224Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. 1980. Textbook of Wood Technology, 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical PressRecord, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University PressRendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. LondonSmith, D.N.,1959,The Natural Durability of Timber,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Record,No.30Stone, H.,1924,The Timbers of Commerce and their Identification,William Rider & Sons Ltd. LondonT.R.A.D.A.,1942,Home-grown timber trees - their characteristics, cultivation and Uses,TRADATimber Development Association Ltd.,1955,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Timber Development Association Ltd.Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd editionU.S.D.A. Forest Service,1974,Wood Handbook,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Handbook,72USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook:Wood as an Engineering Material. Agriculture Handbook No. 72. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin.USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.Wolcott, G.N.,1950,An Index to the Termite Resistance of Woods,Agricultural Experimental Station, University of Puerto Rico Bulletin,No.85
|