Churchill and Choices

[James Combs]

Had a customer order for a Platinum Churchill Fountain pen and he wanted it in "Blue Poplar". He chose the wood from a slimline I had in my sample case. Nothing blue about it, more purplish green if you ask me but that is what he wanted. Well did not have any stock large enough for a Churchill so he agreed to look at some I suggested. Here are the three suggestions. (The steam punk is described in a previous thread.)

All are CA finished and MM to 12000.
From Left to right.
1st His Churchill Platinum dressed in Ambrosia Maple(entirely the darker ambrosia wood), 2nd Asian Walnut showing off a Churchill Gold Titanium and 3rd is Claro/Walnut Burl (thanks John K). I did not have any more kits for the last one. He made his choice from the finished barrels and then I assembled his and an extra one I had. See this post (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?172563-Digital-SteamPunk%21%21) for the Steam Punk.
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[Jim Burr]

Super work JD!! I know those will go over well. Pens Rule!!

[ray hampton]

good work, blue poplar is a new one, purplish-green may appear to be blue or black if the light are right

[David E Keller]

Nicely done on all counts, but that claro is drop dead gorgeous IMO!

[James Combs]

good work, blue poplar is a new one, purplish-green may appear to be blue or black if the light are right

Ray, In my experience (which is very little) blue poplar is dark purplish until finished and then a hint of green is added after finishing. You are right about it appearing different colors. To me it changes from dark-dark-dark green to brown to black. Some customers have thought it was walnut. The piece I had was just a small 1/2" to 3/4" thick vein running through your otherwise typical whitish poplar. I think it is more a mineral stain to the wood then it is something that is genetic to a particular popular species.

[ray hampton]

I see this streak in the poplar that the lumber yards sells , never noticed in the green poplar, it looks brown or black to me, if we raise a poplar from a seedling in a pot and add red dye solvent in water to the soil in the pot, will the wood turn red ?

[James Combs]

Nicely done on all counts, but that claro is drop dead gorgeous IMO!
David +1 on the Claro, it would have been my choice if it were me.


I see this streak in the poplar that the lumber yards sells , never noticed in the green poplar, it looks brown or black to me, if we raise a poplar from a seedling in a pot and add red dye solvent in water to the soil in the pot, will the wood turn red ?
Ray, yep, black to dark grey also works if it is straight from the lumber yard. Can't answer the red dye question, maybe there are some horticulturalists here on SMC that could answer that.