Poplar wood - curling direction - FRETS.NET2024-03-28T18:37:35Zhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/forum/topics/poplar-wood-curling-direction?commentId=2177249%3AComment%3A32618&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noBill,
Nice - glad you like t…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-18:2177249:Comment:326182010-07-18T22:17:47.320ZRob Mercurehttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RobMercure
Bill,<br />
<br />
Nice - glad you like the woods! While I've worked with a lot of poplar - local mills cut thousands of board feet for rough construction and I can pick up "1/2 body" sized pieces from packaging lumber for free if you don't mind a few nail holes . Sassafras isn't milled as much nor does the tree often get that big. It more fits the description of a "weed tree" if you consider primary succession (those trees that first reclaim disturbed land, old farm land, etc., such as black locust,…
Bill,<br />
<br />
Nice - glad you like the woods! While I've worked with a lot of poplar - local mills cut thousands of board feet for rough construction and I can pick up "1/2 body" sized pieces from packaging lumber for free if you don't mind a few nail holes . Sassafras isn't milled as much nor does the tree often get that big. It more fits the description of a "weed tree" if you consider primary succession (those trees that first reclaim disturbed land, old farm land, etc., such as black locust, sumac...) so the trees get shaded out by the secondary forest before they get very big. Hence most of the pieces I've worked with are fairly small but occasionally I've encountered a 30-40 foot tree that's around 20" DBH. And one of these is what I'm going to try to find when my health improves cuz while playing around with pieces of sassafras that were destined to be kindling (a truly great kindling wood if you heat with a wood stove) I noticed a nice "ring" tap tone - especially for a wood with such a wide grain. So what I'd like to do is try the sassy for an acoustic guitar top. Might turn out to sound like mud but it's intriquing and I've heard a nice sounding lap dulcimer made of sassafras.<br />
If you ever hit any of the tourist shops in Arkansas, or at least the northern part I was visiting, there's a cottage industry in carving fake oak items out of sassafras and damned if sassy didn't realy look like white oak with the right stain! The only thing missing were the medulary rays and few buyers of oak "antiques" know to look for them.<br />
<br />
Rob Russ,
Well, I'll admit I was…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-18:2177249:Comment:326172010-07-18T22:05:36.410ZRob Mercurehttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RobMercure
Russ,<br />
<br />
Well, I'll admit I was being a tad "defensive" about some of my favorite woods 'round here as this area is truly dominated by yellow poplars - have a nice one in my yard - as well as sassafras (I've enjoyed sassafras tea in the spring since I was around 5 years old when my mother introduced me to it and told me how to harvest the outer root bark.) Actually, I got the term "slab of wood" from an article on Les Paul in book on guitars - he used the term and I stole it - so it's hard to…
Russ,<br />
<br />
Well, I'll admit I was being a tad "defensive" about some of my favorite woods 'round here as this area is truly dominated by yellow poplars - have a nice one in my yard - as well as sassafras (I've enjoyed sassafras tea in the spring since I was around 5 years old when my mother introduced me to it and told me how to harvest the outer root bark.) Actually, I got the term "slab of wood" from an article on Les Paul in book on guitars - he used the term and I stole it - so it's hard to argue with the man who practically invented 'em. But while the electronics are important there is much skill and craft in achieving a good standing balance, a good neck that's easily playable, and a combination of body/neck wood characteristics that give you the sound you desire. With that said the Danelectro MOT covered particle board guitars are considered collectable and some like their sound while electric guitars have been made totally of plastic and metal and almost infinite combinations of various materials. It all still breaks down to the time and effort and education you're willing to put into the instrument but I've seen many very playable solid body instruments made by crafters who could never put together a decent acoustic guitar so IMHO there's "more" to acoustic construction than electric.<br />
<br />
Rob Hi mac,
The poplar are 2 pce…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-18:2177249:Comment:326132010-07-18T18:06:10.144ZBill Scheltemahttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/BillScheltema
Hi mac,<br />
The poplar are 2 pce and the sassafras is 3 pce.<br />
The poplar had ever so slight cupping but nothing that I couldn't sand out, I could have used a thickness sander but I did it by hand. Now the bodies did sit for awhile I might ad, my goal is to have a few sitting in rough shape so it can do all the moving it wants to then do a final thickness sanding. The poplar body weights are 4.2 lbs. the sass is 5ish.<br />
The poplar & sass came from a reputable specialty wood store in Cambridge…
Hi mac,<br />
The poplar are 2 pce and the sassafras is 3 pce.<br />
The poplar had ever so slight cupping but nothing that I couldn't sand out, I could have used a thickness sander but I did it by hand. Now the bodies did sit for awhile I might ad, my goal is to have a few sitting in rough shape so it can do all the moving it wants to then do a final thickness sanding. The poplar body weights are 4.2 lbs. the sass is 5ish.<br />
The poplar & sass came from a reputable specialty wood store in Cambridge Ontario, AMWood inc. so it was already sitting awhile which is a key to stable lumber too.<br />
<br />
I should also mention that they sound real good, I wind my own pups too.<br />
<br />
Here are the three bodies, the one poplar is the blackguard and I still have one more to finish, probably amber burst.<br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2167732074?profile=original" alt=""/></p> Hmmm, Rob, "solid body electr…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-18:2177249:Comment:326052010-07-18T09:26:51.349ZRussell Vancehttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RussellVance
Hmmm, Rob, "solid body electric guitars are.. a slab of wood......the electronics and skill are the critical part" - spoken by a true acoustic guitar maker. I wish.<br />
<br />
But, yes, Alder is a street tree and swamp ash was a weed - fortunately they were in the right place at the right time for the Fender config. However, Gibson was obviously thinking out side the box when they settled on Honduras Mahogany/maple cap - I'd hate to hear Slash playing with a Poplar Les Paul.
Hmmm, Rob, "solid body electric guitars are.. a slab of wood......the electronics and skill are the critical part" - spoken by a true acoustic guitar maker. I wish.<br />
<br />
But, yes, Alder is a street tree and swamp ash was a weed - fortunately they were in the right place at the right time for the Fender config. However, Gibson was obviously thinking out side the box when they settled on Honduras Mahogany/maple cap - I'd hate to hear Slash playing with a Poplar Les Paul. One piece poplar, or multiple…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-18:2177249:Comment:325842010-07-18T02:43:11.871ZMac Walkerhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/MacWalker
One piece poplar, or multiple pieces? Assuming you've worked with ash and maple a bit, what's your opinion on its (poplar) propensity to curl? I think I got burned with non kiln dried wood.....
One piece poplar, or multiple pieces? Assuming you've worked with ash and maple a bit, what's your opinion on its (poplar) propensity to curl? I think I got burned with non kiln dried wood..... Hi,
Thought I'd pipe in.
Wel…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-17:2177249:Comment:325642010-07-17T23:43:43.228ZBill Scheltemahttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/BillScheltema
Hi,<br />
<br />
Thought I'd pipe in.<br />
Well my first 2 teles were poplar and my 3rd is sassafras.<br />
I found the poplar excellent to work with and very stable easier on tooling too.<br />
The sassafras is very nice too.<br />
<br />
…<p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2167739019?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721"></img></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2167740682?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721"></img></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2167745337?profile=original"></img></p>
Hi,<br />
<br />
Thought I'd pipe in.<br />
Well my first 2 teles were poplar and my 3rd is sassafras.<br />
I found the poplar excellent to work with and very stable easier on tooling too.<br />
The sassafras is very nice too.<br />
<br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2167739019?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt=""/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2167740682?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt=""/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2167745337?profile=original" alt=""/></p> Mac,
I dunno, having seen tr…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-07:2177249:Comment:320612010-07-07T20:50:49.166ZRob Mercurehttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RobMercure
Mac,<br />
<br />
I dunno, having seen truly magnificent poplars and worked with a lot of it it's hard to think of the tree as either a "weed' (try alanthus) or fibrous and stringy. The grain is quite similar to soft maple and any of the other magnolias that are common around here. Not the hardest, shiniest, more durable wood I'll admit but my house - made in 1948 - is largely constructed of it (with American chestnut sub flooring) and it was widely solde as "whitewood" before the large softwoods were…
Mac,<br />
<br />
I dunno, having seen truly magnificent poplars and worked with a lot of it it's hard to think of the tree as either a "weed' (try alanthus) or fibrous and stringy. The grain is quite similar to soft maple and any of the other magnolias that are common around here. Not the hardest, shiniest, more durable wood I'll admit but my house - made in 1948 - is largely constructed of it (with American chestnut sub flooring) and it was widely solde as "whitewood" before the large softwoods were stripmined after WWII. Guess it's what you want a tree to be and I've found it to be predictable with my only complaint of it's having absolutely no rot resistance - but many other good woods are the same.<br />
<br />
Around here you just can't help but like Yellow Poplar - it's like not liking the sky !<br />
<br />
Rob Yep , Mac, it can be vexing b…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-07:2177249:Comment:320272010-07-07T10:16:32.267ZRussell Vancehttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RussellVance
Yep , Mac, it can be vexing but I just fired off the basics from my reference books to get things started - I'm not saying the yard dudded you but it is on the list of things that cause problems - I've just sent back a half a cube of 'select grade' mahogany because of poor kilning and 'conditioning' from my normally reputable and competent supplier. But, timber is also a difficult thing to work with and we all get surprised from time to time - internal stresses can make it do anything.<br />
<br />
I don't…
Yep , Mac, it can be vexing but I just fired off the basics from my reference books to get things started - I'm not saying the yard dudded you but it is on the list of things that cause problems - I've just sent back a half a cube of 'select grade' mahogany because of poor kilning and 'conditioning' from my normally reputable and competent supplier. But, timber is also a difficult thing to work with and we all get surprised from time to time - internal stresses can make it do anything.<br />
<br />
I don't see much movement in maple and we do enough bookmatch resawing to form an opinion there - my one piece swamp ash Teles alternatively cup and flatten with the seasons (about and eight of an inch at the edges) even though their kilning and finishing is know to be good.<br />
<br />
I do cut initially with a bit of fat when using unstable stuff (myrtle, plantation mahogany etc) so I can let it settle and then face and thickness to finish dimensions. Hope someone else can do a better job of explaining this! Rusty. Rob, it's yellow poplar for s…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-07:2177249:Comment:320012010-07-07T00:32:02.068ZMac Walkerhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/MacWalker
Rob, it's yellow poplar for sure, with the green/brown/purple mineral streaks. Like a giant prehistoric weed tree in my opinion, very unusual grain, fibrous and stringy. My plan now is to minimally hog plane it, gradually over time to minimize the cupping on the finished pieces, well see how it goes.<br />
<br />
Thanks, guys...
Rob, it's yellow poplar for sure, with the green/brown/purple mineral streaks. Like a giant prehistoric weed tree in my opinion, very unusual grain, fibrous and stringy. My plan now is to minimally hog plane it, gradually over time to minimize the cupping on the finished pieces, well see how it goes.<br />
<br />
Thanks, guys... Paul, one of my hobbies is pe…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2010-07-07:2177249:Comment:320002010-07-07T00:22:07.272ZMac Walkerhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/MacWalker
Paul, one of my hobbies is perusing the lumber yards for very wide 8/4" boards, and seeing how many board feet of lumber I can talk the fork lift operators into moving in order to liberate the wide stuff. Sometimes it goes well, other times I'm asked not to come back.... Anyway I think I read you have had similar experiences with ranchers and orchard owners out there, ha ha. Supposedly poplar was used for the original Music Man basses, plus its real cheap around here, and I'm curious as I've…
Paul, one of my hobbies is perusing the lumber yards for very wide 8/4" boards, and seeing how many board feet of lumber I can talk the fork lift operators into moving in order to liberate the wide stuff. Sometimes it goes well, other times I'm asked not to come back.... Anyway I think I read you have had similar experiences with ranchers and orchard owners out there, ha ha. Supposedly poplar was used for the original Music Man basses, plus its real cheap around here, and I'm curious as I've never tried it.....