167 Black Locust

167 Black Locust

Author: Shannon Rogers March 25, 2026 Duration: 38:59
Today I feature Black Locust and talk about how it was/is used for tree nails, how it resists rot for a hundred years in ground contact and how it invades and colonizes the soil around it for total world domination. Its a tough and imperialistic tree, what is not to love?

Shannon Rogers hosts Shannon's Lumber Industry Update, a podcast that feels like a conversation with a knowledgeable friend in a well-stocked workshop. Forget dry industry reports; this is an accessible, engaging dive into the world of wood, framed around the questions real people have. Each episode tackles the practical and the curious, from selecting the right board for a project to unraveling the history and science behind how trees become timber. The goal is to cut through common misconceptions and foster a deeper appreciation for the material that has shaped human civilization. You'll come away not just with answers, but with a sharper, more nuanced understanding of lumber's journey from forest to finished piece. It’s a space where beginners and seasoned woodworkers alike can develop a more intuitive sense for their craft, becoming, as Shannon puts it, a little more wood savvy. Tune in for a consistently informative and surprisingly relaxing listen that makes the complexities of an ancient industry feel relevant and fascinating. This podcast naturally finds its home in the Leisure category, perfect for anyone who enjoys working with their hands or simply wants to understand the stories hidden in the grain.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Shannon's Lumber Industry Update
Podcast Episodes
157 - Roots of Terror [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:33
Happy Halloween! Let's explore some lumber and tree lore from around the world and some spooky tales that may make you think twice before you cut down that tree or plane that board for your next project.
156 - Catalpa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:36
The featured lumber species today is Catalpa. A very oak like tree but with a really soft workability. High quality, clear lumber that is easy to work and comes in decent widths and lengths. Why doesn't this wood more po…
155 Composite Lumber [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:17
Today I fight my strong wood bias and take time to talk about composite lumber. All the various plastic boards you will find on the market from wood flour and plastic slurry to polyethylene capped boards and fully plasti…
154 - Buckeye [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:14
My featured species this episode is Buckeye. Its a non commercial species but not terribly hard to find and has some unique color and high propensity to form burls. But the real meat of this show is a look at how a fores…
153  Hard to Source Woods [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:52
How do you find unusual and typically non commercial wood species? In this episode I give some tips to help the listener build a network of wood sources.
152 Monkeypod [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:20
Monkeypod is a great timber coming out of Costa Rica that is almost entirely FSC. It is often sold as wider slabs due to the lighter weight and the way it is sawn in the jungle. A great alternative to many of the tropica…
151 - Plantation vs Natural Forests [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:47
Let's define plantations and natural forests and talk about what we can expects from the lumber coming from plantations. Also how plantations can evolve into natural forests. Ultimately why do we need plantations and why…
150 - Hickory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:36
It could be said that Hickory built America. Hickory's properties made the American felling axe possible with its extremely high MOR and MOE values. Today we discuss this great American wood and why you need to add it to…
149 Douglas Fir [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:59
Douglas Fir is a species we find everywhere. So much so that we may not even know we are looking at it. It has two distinctly different markets: construction lumber and fine (very fine) lumber for cladding, decking, soff…
148 - Common Lumber, Common Uses [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:44
What are the markets for the common species of lumber you find at your hardwood lumber dealer. I delve into who is buying what and for what. Plus further discussion about logging in national forest land, wood movement an…