I use it all the time for unpainted projects. I like the way it works and looks.
I use it all the time for unpainted projects. I like the way it works and looks.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”
I’m using poplar along with Alder and white pine for a chest or drawers. The popular i sourced is very nice wide boards with a small amount of sap wood. Easy to saw easy to plane glues up as good anything. The boards I have all seemed to be kiln dried perfectly super stable.I been planning everything down to 1/2 inch from 3/4.
The drawers are all Dovetailed and will have a coat of shellac inside and out for fresh clean smell.
Thumbs up for popular
Aj
Nice work Andrew, are you related to Derek.
Thanks warren not related but think you already know that. The only woodworker in the family I know of was my Grandfather in Germany. He raised rabbits one year I got built new hutches with him. Wow was he fast. We both agreed my work was nicer but that hardly mattered to rabbits.
Good day sir.
Aj
I too like poplar from the store, usually genus liriodendron I think. That stuff, both according to the books and my experience machines easily and takes finish well. The book also says rot resistant. I have built two exterior window frames poplar, but they are only about five years old. Give them another 15 years before I can say rot resistant in my experience.
I am getting paintable finish in Liriodendron sharpening to 600 grit. I would sharpen higher for a clear finish like shellac and pretty much have all my edges up to 8k grit now anyway. I think of it as an entry level hardwood. Mastering poplar on your way to oak and hickory from construction lumber is a good idea.
Always use it for drawer boxes that I apply a face to.
old guys could make poplar look like mahogany. Not exact of course but very good. Series of stains different types in layers
if I make an old piece ill use poplar over soft maple as it will have an older and less clinical look to it.
Throw that book away. Old growth, slow grown yellow poplar (Liriodendron Tulipifera) was rot resistant but not likely to be found on the market now. Similar to Eastern white pine in that respect, but worse. I worked on a large home where the exterior trim was made of poplar and saw extensive repairs done within 20 years due to rot. Heartwood is likely better suited to exterior conditions than sapwood, but most commercial poplar I see is >80% sapwood.
Last edited by Jim Becker; 08-07-2022 at 4:36 PM. Reason: FIxed quote tagging
look up door and window expert Brent Hull, he will talk old growth and windows over 100 years old with some care along the way. Even when i did my porch I had three levels of cedar .The posts were old growth you could never get anymore..
Never saw them do mahogany - bet that was neat. But I have see them make poplar look like cherry several times. Like you said, it was "old guys", craftsmen who had been finishing for many years. I have an Aunt who's house they did it in, and it's a pretty close match. Wish I knew their secret.......
[Edit: Going off topic a little bit here, but maybe it will be helpful. Just found the finishing regimen in an article from Steve Mickley's website. It's the last article under "Coloring Wood".LINK]
Last edited by Frederick Skelly; 08-07-2022 at 4:29 PM. Reason: More info
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”
Poplar has almost no decay resistance. I sure hope those wagons are going into museums and not used outside in the rain! Also all the green and some purple streaks all turn some shade of brown or tan when exposed to UV light.