Best wood for painted outdoor swing?

[Bob Swenson]

Black locust is all around you but is not used commercially. It's the farmers favorite wood for fence posts, it will last thirty years in the ground.
It is little used as fire wood because it's hard to start. Burns very hot and puts out lots of heat.
If you can find a local mill they might cut you some. It is dence, strong and rot proof. It was the wood used as pins to hold sailing ships together.
Bob  

 

[Brice Burrell]

Here in Pittsburgh quite a few houses have locust posts in the basement, there aren't milled at all, only the bark is removed. I've only ever seen a few with rot. I've only ever heard them referred to as locust and never black locust, I wonder if they are the same.

This black locust has peaked my curiosity, I've never seen or heard of it being for sale around here but I'm going to look into it, thanks for bringing this to my attention. 

 

[wnagle]

My Dad, at the end of last summer,  just built a pavilion type structure about 24 by 32 with a hip roof.  He lives in PA and cut the trees off his property, milled them on site and built the structure (mostly by himself at 82).  All the 4 by 6 posts were Locust and buried in the ground.  The rest of the framing and roofing he made of hemlock also cut and milled on site with a portable band saw. 

All of the electric fencing was held up by locust posts as I remember as a kid on the family farm.  I may make a trip there for Mothers day and bring some of the leftovers back and check it out.  I'll ask him if Locust is something available at the local mills or if he thinks it would be a good wood for your project.

 

[butzla]

I ended up going with white oak.  Details of construction and pics found here.  Thanks for all your input!

 

[Notorious T.O.D.]

....and imagine here in the USA we use oak for railroad ties and pallets...  I recall reading that 100 years ago Black Walnut was so common in Indiana that it was used for railroad ties also....  Sounds crazy but we have to keep in mind that not all parts or trees are going to give wood of furniture or cabinet quality, and even on the good logs you get down to the core that is best used for utility wood or ties....  I once read that some 20+ percent of all hardwood cut each year in the USA goes for shipping pallets....

Best,
Todd

 

[butzla]

It's funny you mentioned pallets.  I found one made of rough maple, I planed it down and it turned out to be highly figured.  I made some nice push sticks that to this day I still use.