I like the feel, quality, and paintability of poplar. However, whenever I cut it, I get fuzzy remnants hagging off it. It’s not so bad that I would call it splintering but it’s not a nice clean cut. I don’t have issues with any other materials that I cut (pine, oak, mdf, even pvc trim.)
I get the same results on my table saw and miter saw.
Any ideas what the cause is? Does poplar require an extremely sharp blade. I’m a diy’er so my equipment doesn’t get used every day although I do use it often.
If it’s the blade, any suggestions for a quality blade?
Replies
I use a Forest Woodworker II blade in my tablesaw and a Freud 60 tooth crosscut blade in the miter saw. I always use a backer board on the MS when it is critical that I have no chipout. I do not remember poplar causing any particualr problem, but it doesn't suprise me that it would. I have had the same thing with a router bit.
Fuzz on one side of a poplar cut is normal. Boom boom with some180 paper knocks it off pronto.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
I agree w/ Calvin ... I get a little bit of fuzz ... quick swipe with 150-180-220 takes it right off, and doesn't bother the edge detail.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
one pass of a low angle plane removes the fuzz in one pass
The "Lion Mitre Trimmer" was invented with just this in mind; but, a low-angle block or a fine sanding sponge will do the trick for occassional use.
A better blade will indeed produce better, but not perfect results. Blades made for two-sided laminates do an excellent job, only a quick rub with the sponge is required.
Now, you have to temper all of this with what you want to spend and how willing you are to keep trimer/plane blades sharp.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
my Q would be whether you get 'fuzzy ' cuts with pine, oak, or other wood on the same blades too? I don't have any problem with poplar and sharp blades.
However, the term poplar is applied equally to two or three different species of north american wood. The nrthern veriety we grow here as a weed tree does indeed make furr no matter what, and we don't use it for trim.
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
Ya, but when you were a kid they were fun to climb up in the top of the skinny ones and sway to the breeze like a rollercoaster.I would become self-employed except I'm too cheap to pay myself anything.
sobriety is the root cause of dementia
Ive seen poplar on some jobs and it looks good stained, but Ive been trying to figure out just what it was for some time. We have a thinskinned tree that most in this area call a poplar or in actuality some type of aspen.
Another larger more rough bark tree that we have also is a tulip poplar or some may call it a cottonwood. I had some of the thinskinned ones sawed up by the local amish guy. It's fine for form boards or utility type purposes. It seems to really twist when it dries out.
But Ive wondered exactly what it is when I buy 1x poplar at HD. Is it aspen or cottonwood?
But Ive wondered exactly what it is when I buy 1x poplar at HD. Is it aspen or cottonwood?
I've never been been to a HD. But Lowe's sells "poplar" that's locally known as tulip poplar (sometimes yellow poplar), liriodendron tulipifera, a member of the magnolia family. That's also what grows very fast and straight in the woods here. Mine tend to be about 80' tall.
State tree of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
Cottonwood is a real poplar, as are aspens, unlike our tulip poplar. Confused yet? PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
State tree of KY huh? what a waste..the KY coffee tree is listed as the "unofficial state tree"
As far as aspens..I always got a kick outta this one "populous tremuloides" (sp?)...the "quaking aspen"..
edit..your right, I just googled it...formerly the coffee tree..go figgure
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Edited 8/9/2004 10:31 am ET by SPHERE
Don't feel too bad, we got the dogwood (state tree and flower). Ain't even a forest tree. Got one out front that's slowly dying, shaded by a tulip poplar and a hickory. You can tell my priorities...
Populus tremuloides do indeed "quake", whenever there's a light breeze. Quite lovely.
Had to look up your coffee tree. Coffee trees here are paulonia, grow like weeds but a good one brings big bucks (yen?) in Japan. Kentucky coffee trees, coffea arabica or gymnocladus dioica, actually yield (substitute) coffee beans? Ever brew any?PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
no, I never brewed any. I heard it's awful. Coffee tree=Paulowina ...never heard that one. I know Paulowina and catalpa are related closely...and yup, the Japanese make (made) dowry chests for brides, seems to be more fireproof...keep the goodies in there.
There has been a terrible loss of dogwoods..a blight, bug, or sumptin.
Tell your luthier buddy to ebonize it and it makes an awesome fingerboard wood..or leave it natural..eitherway, it's hard and smooth...holds frets well too. Makes good fricton pegs..if he is into that sorta stuff.
I'll be cutting some coffee tree this fall, Jon Arno tells me it resembles mahogony..called american mohogony by some..I'll see.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Tell your luthier buddy to ebonize it and it makes an awesome fingerboard wood..or leave it natural..eitherway, it's hard and smooth...holds frets well too. Makes good fricton pegs..if he is into that sorta stuff.
John loves it. One of the few trees you can leave the pith in and turn a mallet without near certainty it'll check.
Lots of dogwoods here sprinkled around my woods, until they get shaded out. Want a few hundred? All white, of course. Didn't know there was a problem.
Now, I do have medium-sized white and red oaks dying that do concern me. I'm told that the huge ones of the past won't likely happen again here, due to air pollution or acid rain or something. Recently sliced a 150+ yr old red oak that'd died. Most I cut are less than half that age. We bought this property for the variety of species, figuring that if something got into some, the rest might survive.
Looked it up, we're both close: Paulownia tomentosa, of the bignonia family, whatever that is. Blossoms are very nice. Coffee, probably as the tiny seeds look a little like ground coffee. Used as packing and got here, at least that's the story I've often heard. PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
I was inclined to think that it was the tulip poplar that a person gets at Lowes or HD. I have some beauties on my property that I may cut and have sawn.
I'm doing a dark cherry or mahogany stain on oak for the trim in the new casa. I wonder if tulipwood could be stained to match?
You can get poplar to take dark cherry or mahog. The bit of green to start with might change the end result a bit. Play with the pigment, you should be able to get close to what you want.
As far as matching oak stained the same color.............
With the diff grain, gonna be tough. You will have to adjust the stain according to what you're putting it on. You might be able to "complement" the color with that on the oak.
Best of luck.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time