Hybrid Poplar worthless
#18
(05-08-2019, 07:50 PM)petertay15 Wrote: Last summer we cut a large hybrid poplar. I suspected the wood was of no value, but the 30-inch diameter bole was so clear and straight, we milled it into 8/4 boards. Of course it is still wet, but I just tried working with it. The table saw, the thickness planer, the jointer, and even a hand plane, none of them will leave a clean surface. Chips, nicks, splinters. Guess I’ll take the load to the burn pile.  —Peter

I used it for turning several times and loved how easy it was to add color to them.
As of this time I am not teaching vets to turn. Also please do not send any items to me without prior notification.  Thank You Everyone.

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#19
(05-09-2019, 02:15 PM)Edwin Hackleman Wrote: Cottonwood is actually better, if that's any comfort. I cut poplar for campfire wood and kindling. I suppose you could use it to make pallets.

pallets? Heck, mill them into boards and make farmhouse tables out of it. Get a propane gas flame thrower and shou Sugi ban the wood and sell the table for $800. Those magnolia farm shabby chic ladies won't care the wood is garbage.
Laugh
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#20
Cottonwood is not hard to work with at all, best used someplace where it will get no wear.

This printer stand is all cottonwood.

Ed

   
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#21
Looks very nice Ed.  Cotton wood also turns nicely also.
As of this time I am not teaching vets to turn. Also please do not send any items to me without prior notification.  Thank You Everyone.

It is always the right time, to do the right thing.
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#22
Cottonwood bark carves nicely; really nicely.
Gary

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#23
(05-10-2019, 10:53 AM)Arlin Eastman Wrote: Looks very nice Ed.  Cotton wood also turns nicely also.

Thanks, Arlin.

I'll have to try turning some.

Ed
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#24
(05-09-2019, 08:56 PM)mvflaim Wrote: pallets? Heck, mill them into boards and make farmhouse tables out of it. Get a propane gas flame thrower and shou Sugi ban the wood and sell the table for $800. Those magnolia farm shabby chic ladies won't care the wood is garbage.
Laugh

It's all about the marketing 
Wink
Laugh

Guy I talk to online has a swingblade sawmill similar to mine. He gets regular work for a local sawmill that cuts cottonwood to make pallets. It works because it's cheap and light when it's dried. Lighter pallets mean it costs less to freight the load, and everyone wants cheaper pallets. They save all the logs that are too big for their mill and get him in to saw them into cants they can then feed through a resaw. You can saw a LOT of wood with a swingblade mill if you are cutting 6x6s from a 4ft+ dia log, and the mill's big forklift to do the heavy lifting. Then they can feed the cant's into an industrial resaw and get the boards they need. 

As firewood it's not very good. Green it's mostly water, and when it dries out it's very light. So processing it green is just as much work as Oak or Maple, but when it's dry it has so much less weight and therefore BTUs, so you have to burn 2X as many cords. If you have nothing else it will keep you warm, but you wouldn't burn it by choice.
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