Black Poplar

[Frudd]

Thanks to Ophelia I have aquired a Black Poplar branch. I was wondering if anyone has any experience/tips on using it.

[woodness sake]

Found this-
"Black poplar wood is fine textured, soft and almost white in colour. It resistant to shock, and traditional uses therefore included carts, floorboards and clogs. It was also used to make matches. Today, black poplar timber is used to make artificial limbs, wine cases, pallets, shelving and toys."
Does not seem to be of much use for fine work. Reminds me of red maple which is good for rail road ties and swamp mats for driving heavy equipment into wetland areas. I have found that red maple turns well but does not finish well in that there are always a few stray "hairs" that won't clean up, even with the sharpest tools.

[Frudd]

Thanks. So far the one bit I have tried has worked ok. The first thing I noticed was that it has the thickes bark I have ever seen, a branch with a diameter just over 5" had bark almost 1/2" thick. The second thing I noticed was that is is incredibly wet. I will post an update when I have done a bit more with it.

[Simon Hartley]

Willows and poplars have a very high moisture content when green, the reduction in weight when seasoned is remarkable. Not that strong, but very resistant to splintering, which is why it is used for toys. Also takes nails well without splitting.