Cheating at Inlay Work

[FS7]

Beech is difficult to dry; I think that's why not more is harvested commercially.  So is white oak but it has broader appeal so it's harvested more because it commands a higher price.  As for poplar, it depends upon which one you are referring to.  Cottonwood poplar is pretty worthless except for packing crates, but Tulip (Yellow) poplar has broad utility and is used in high volumes to paint grade molding, cabinets, etc.  It also sees a lot of use for internal cabinet parts.  It's a joy to work with, a little harder than pine with no sap. 

I got the beech log used in this project as partial payment for some hard maple I milled for a guy.  That's the only beech log I've ever milled as it doesn't grow where I live, at least not in any quantity, unfortunately.  It's very nice to work with, at least with power tools.  Hand planing it proved difficult, not because it's hard but because of tear out.     

John

Tulip poplar is what I have. I agree that it's very easy to work and has some value. I most recently used it as drawer material for my daughter's bed conversion, completely unfinished (just sanded). I actually really like how that turned out. So that fits with the internal cabinet parts thing. It sands better than almost anything I've ever seen, I will give it that. But we have pretty dense hardwood forests here and these trees do absolutely nothing to discourage nearby growth so it's not practical to mill in most cases. The last one that came down was in my neighbor's yard, and either it was long dead or diseased or something because it wasn't even useful as firewood. Even after drying, it was basically like cork.

Does beech tend to have interlocked grain? I have found since I love sapele so much that it's only certain profiles that tear. I can round over even a large profile (1/2" or 5/8" radius) with no problem. Rounded raised panels and rail and stile profiles with ogees, no real problems. But a rabbeting bit will tear out like mad. It's very frustrating. You can climb cut easily, but you have to stop and retighten the collet frequently. If you miss that even once, your work is toast when the bit loosens and drops.

[jteneyck]

Tulip poplar is what I have. I agree that it's very easy to work and has some value. I most recently used it as drawer material for my daughter's bed conversion, completely unfinished (just sanded). I actually really like how that turned out. So that fits with the internal cabinet parts thing. It sands better than almost anything I've ever seen, I will give it that. But we have pretty dense hardwood forests here and these trees do absolutely nothing to discourage nearby growth so it's not practical to mill in most cases. The last one that came down was in my neighbor's yard, and either it was long dead or diseased or something because it wasn't even useful as firewood. Even after drying, it was basically like cork.

Does beech tend to have interlocked grain? I have found since I love sapele so much that it's only certain profiles that tear. I can round over even a large profile (1/2" or 5/8" radius) with no problem. Rounded raised panels and rail and stile profiles with ogees, no real problems. But a rabbeting bit will tear out like mad. It's very frustrating. You can climb cut easily, but you have to stop and retighten the collet frequently. If you miss that even once, your work is toast when the bit loosens and drops.

I don't think beech has interlocking grain.  The edges I tried to handplane likely were plain sawn since I was making an edge grained board, so you would think it would have been easy but no matter which direction I went it wanted to tear out.  

Here's more on beech:  Properties

John