Question about poplar

[Mike A. Smith]

After I got my lathe I remembered that the previous owner of the house left a large 4x10 plank that looked like they had planned for a mantle. I thought even if it wasn't very good wood I would have some nice blanks to practice on. The wood looked brown, but when I cut into it was VERY green on the inside. Looking at the grain and comparing it to some boards I had from other woodworking projects I decided it was poplar. Now I'm not so sure (like I said VERY green all the way through). I'm wondering if this has been pressure treated. Anybody have any ideas how to tell?

[Mike Lipke]

I put poplar trim in my home, and it was very green, especially after cutting. BUT, after it is exposed to UV, it turns a beautiful brown.
There is no green wood in my house anymore, but gorgeous brown streaked wood.

[Dennis Peacock]

Poplar is a very good turning type wood. It cuts well and finishes well. Turn you some shallow bowls and platters with that wood. You may just be surprised. :D

[Mike A. Smith]

I put poplar trim in my home, and it was very green, especially after cutting. BUT, after it is exposed to UV, it turns a beautiful brown.
There is no green wood in my house anymore, but gorgeous brown streaked wood.

Thanks guys. Just wanted to be reassured I wasn't bringing something toxic into LOML's kitchen. (Not for food use, just decoration, but still...)

I did turn a small candlestick just to see how it worked. I just used Danish oil and wax for the finish. Should I stick near the window to speed the color change?

[Mike A. Smith]

I took your advice and turned a bowl from the poplar. I'm kind of proud of this one, it's the first one so far where the form was exactly what I was shooting for. The foot even turned out the way I wanted it. However, I would appreciate any suggestions.

8.75 x 2.5, that was pretty tight on a 10" lathe! 1/4" thick, a little more at the bottom because the wood is pretty light. Three coats of wipe-on poly, turners wax, then paste wax hand rubbed to take a bit of the plastic look off of it.

There were a couple of places on the inside vertical face that show tool marks, barely visible in the pictures. I could not see these when turning, everything looked smooth. But when I started sanding there they were, smooth but discolored. Looking closely it seems that some of the end grain was bent instead of cut. I could not get it sanded out and I already had it as thin as I was comfortable with. Did I just let the tools get too dull to cut this? (You can see some of this on the left and right of the middle pic)

The third pic really is the same bowl, bit of an optical illusion there.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Very nice Mike. I like the form and finish. Nice job.

[Shane Whitlock]

You have a right to be proud of it ... Its a great looking Bowl Mike!

Happy Turning,
Shane Whitlock

[Norris Randall]

That is a very attractive bowl. I like it, I like it.

However;

I'm still a "freshman" here BUT I have never seen poplar with that much of a pronounced grain. Are you sure it's poplar?

Just wonder if there is more than one poplar.

If the #2 lead pencil is the most popular, why is it still #2?:D

[Mike A. Smith]

Norris,

I'm not sure at all (see begining of thread). However, the grain was not neary as vivid prior to turning and finishing.

[Chip Sutherland]

You can turn anything on a lathe. Fingers, knuckles and red oak aren't the most pleasant things to turn. But...the first bowl I ever sold was red oak natural edge...go figure.