poplar

[johnw]

i have access to some green poplar. would this be ok for "practice" bowls?

 

[Steve Worcester]

It's great wood for practice or anytime.

 

[Barbara Gill]

It's great wood for practice or anytime.

I agree. If you look closely at Yellow-poplar you can see some grain similarities to cherry. Of course the color is different. Quartersawn you have very similar fine ray flecks.

It is easy to turn, pretty stable, and takes a finish nicely. Oil gives it a nice look. IMHO

 

[GeorgeH]

Poplar for "practice"? Heck, I make finished pieces with it. Not that it's too good for practice, you've gotta use what you have. But don't overlook the value of poplar as a nice wood for practical turning.

 

[john lucas]

I turn a lot of poplar because it turns well, is cheap and since I paint, dye, carve etc, this a good wood for all of those things. Not a great wood but a very useful wood.

 

[Mike Gould]

I have had real good luck staining yellow poplar with red wine.

I usually use whatever the wife has left over in the open bottle.

I wet a clean cotton cloth with the wine and wipe it on. The more coats you put on the better it looks. I usually do about 5. I allow it to dry between coats overnight.

Once good and dry, I sand with 400# to knock down the surface.

Also I have found that if I use 5 coats of shiraz and then cover that with Minwax Wipe-on-poly. The color shifts from a deep purple to something that is more brown. The summer wood and garining are really highlighted.

Fun to play with color.

---Nailer---

 

[KEW]

It is definitely good practice wood.
While the wood is generally bland, it is wood and therefore you don't really know what you might find once you start turning it. I have seen some stunning figure in poplar.

Cheers,
Kurt

 

[Gretch Flo]

upbringing

I have had real good luck staining yellow poplar with red wine.

I usually use whatever the wife has left over in the open bottle.



---Nailer---

I thought people from Mass knew better!!!!(I am from Greenfield, Ma.) I was taught to eat everything on the plate and drink everything in the glass/bottle!!! Gretch

 

[Doc Ron]

Poplar makes a decent substitute for cherry with an appropriate stain, the grain can match pretty well.

 

[Paul Engle]

Yep, tea, coffee, huckleberrys, blueberrys, blackberries, most berries work pretty good, I know I got some white t shirts that can attest to the effectivness of stains ...