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Woodchuck question, poplar

Federico

Federico

Joined
Sep 5, 2000
Messages
1,522
Im making a two part sword handle out of poplar and ebony. Anyways, I picked poplar because it had rave reviews by Japanese Sword enthusiasts as being highly workable and stable. I figured its a nice softwood, unlike the hard a$$ ebony, and itll save me a little grief working with it. Anyways, suffice it to say working with this poplar has been hell on my tools. Im constantly having to resharpen. Ive tried 3 different knives (12" AK, Kershaw folder, Shrade hunting knife), and theyre all having a hard time with the poplar. My question is why? It was supposed to be an easy wood to work with, but its wrecking my tools faster than Ebony. Its well seasoned (4 years), and I thought it should be a dream to carve.
 
In the mid 70's, I used to manufacture nunchaku for the local karate schools. Many practioneers wanted a light/fast 'chuk, so for them I used 'white poplar'. Sawed it, drilled it, chisled it, routered it, sanded it and threaded it. Found it to be a very soft and workable wood. Have NO idea why your getting the results you are??? Your certain it's poplar you'e got a hold of? Also the wood takes an deep dent from hitting a hard surface awfully easily too :(
 
Fed:
Many varieties of poplar, with about a dozen names, and all have the same characteristics as Bill mentioned - except for origin. Poplar is considered a "medium density" hardwood as a general class, but if it came out of the northwoods it can be tough as southern railroad pine - especially as well seasoned as that you are using. A friend in South Carolina was justifiably proud of the 50-60' pines on his property which he had planted 20 years before. The same trees, if grown around St. Cloud, or farther north for 20 years, would have been 20-25', and tough as iron.
 
Hmm...what Im working with is supposedly White Poplar, and it dents pretty easy, just doesnt want to carve. Though its responds well to sanding, and sawing. I bought it in a batch 4 years ago. I carved some of the batch right away, but set most of it aside to cure. Back then, it carved easy enough, but now its like carving ebony. Is it just the age that toughened it?
 
Age must be the difference - the fibers have toughened - more cut resistant. You might try dampening an area you want to carve, or even a very light coat of vegetable oil (not enough to penetrate too far). Could ease the resistance, but not soften the structure if you can control it.
 
Some of the Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir around here is pretty tough, and I'd thought pine soft.


munk
 
Is there a way to naturally toughen the fibers?

Is that why people leave pieces of wood in the rafters of their garages? Slow drying?

:confused:
 
Don't know if there is a disciplne like "micro botany", but seasoning naturally dries and hardens wood. Drying wood in the garage rafters is OK for lumber, or in some cases even wood intended for trim. On the other end of the spectrum, one stock maker I knew built a sealed, temperature and humidity controlled room to season his exotics in. His pieces were stacked 1" apart to allow controlled air circulation, and his prime walnut stayed there for a minimum of five, and usually seven YEARS. According to him, the wood fibers were toughened, stresses between them were relaxed, and the entire piece was harder, tougher and 100% more stable than when it was delivered to him as "seasoned". Of course, he dealt in expensive, highly figured woods which had far more stress built in due to their growth pattern than you will find in normal straight-grained woods. I've just finished fitting some revolver grips, of highly figured Cocobolo, with a great deal of stress in the grain. They shrank but did not warp. I literally soaked them in Ballistol (thanks, Bro) and clamped them to the gun for three weeks. They are now relaxed back to the diminsions to which they were carved, and hopefully sealed to the point they won't need further treatment.
 
Thanks for the great help. Seems like its just a case of old wood then. Though now I got a pile of cured poplar, that I bought to be easy to carve, that is now no longer easy to carve:( Oh well live and learn.
 
Depending on where the tree grows,it can build up cristalyne structures that are very tough on tools. I believe its silicium based
cristals.You can find these in hard African wood too.It looks like chalklines in the wood,hard to see in lightcoloured wood.
Greetings, Karels.
 
If you can't carve the poplar can you grind it? I used a dreamel tool on stuff as hard as sugar maple with some petty good luck. Takes a while to get use to. But they have hand pieces now that are about the size of a pencil that make the job easier.Good luck.
 
mattjerom the stuff grinds fairly easy. While I am willing to do some power carving, the old fashion way, when things are good, can work faster (ie. remove more material) with less mess.
 
Originally posted by Walosi
Fed:
Many varieties of poplar, with about a dozen names, and all have the same characteristics as Bill mentioned - except for origin. Poplar is considered a "medium density" hardwood as a general class, but if it came out of the northwoods it can be tough as southern railroad pine - especially as well seasoned as that you are using.

....and the entire piece was harder, tougher and 100% more stable than when it was delivered to him as "seasoned". Of course, he dealt in expensive, highly figured woods which had far more stress built in due to their growth pattern than you will find in normal straight-grained woods. I've just finished fitting some revolver grips, of highly figured Cocobolo, with a great deal of stress in the grain. They shrank but did not warp. I literally soaked them in Ballistol (thanks, Bro).....
Click to expand...

You're welcome Bro.:)

I can't add much to what Walosi has already said, but I've found poplar to sometimes be a bitch to finish with the little experience I had with it in Jr.High.
It's a good idea to wet the wood and let it dry before the finish sanding a few times.
Poplar is real bad about feathering and if you put the finish on it before wetting, drying and sanding the wet finish can/will cause it to feather.
The poplar we had was s'possed to have been cut at the higher elevations in Washington State or so we were told. It was some tough stuff!!!!
I was in Jr.High in Everret way back when.:)
 
I've never been Poplar...some think me a Khuk. But I'm strong like an Oak and will not Pine for lost friendship. ;)

[edited fer spellin]
 
Originally posted by SharpBits
But I'm stong like an Oak....;)
Click to expand...

"Stong like an Oak?" :rolleyes: :p ;) hehehehe

One of these days someone is gonna catch me in one of these typos.:D :eek:
That was a typo wasn't it SharpBits?:rolleyes: ;)

Edit:
Now I'm wondering if that wasn't a Freudian Slip with sexual connotations.:p ;)
 
Originally posted by SharpBits
D'oh! Typo...me stoopid. Fixed!
Click to expand...

I wuz jist tzn SharpBits.;)

But although you fixed it in your post it can never be fixed where I quoted you in my post.:p :rolleyes: ;) :D
 
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