Aspen

[JoeinWestMich]

Our local big lot store has a great stock of 3/4 inch Aspen in width from 3 to 24 inches. I have read online that this wood is very warp resistant. I have never used it before, and given the great price here which is less than select pine, I am considering giving it a try certainly for non-CNC projects. I was wondering if any users have done any carving, especially 3D, using this wood. If you use this and have any advice for 2D or 3D cutting/carving, I would appreciate hearing your thoughts. Thanks.

[CNYDWW]

Aspen and poplar are the generally the same species. Poplar is just known for it's green and purple heartwood. Other then visual differences, the two are pretty much the same and share the same characteristics. I've never had good results milling or carving poplar myself.

Regards
Randy

[myxpykalix]

That's funny that you say that Randy because Poplar is one of my favorites for 3d carving because it is so clear and it carves great for me..

I think my favorite is cherry but of the whiter shaded woods i like poplar alot and don't have problems carving it. Randy have you ever used and vbits or ballnose bits from centuriontools? Maybe your bits are not sharp enough?:confused:

[Bob Eustace]

Gosh Jack I'm always in agreement with your posts except this one. Have found Centurian fantastic for compression and end mills BUT vee bits just hopeless. Have to agree with Randy - poplar is iffy on any detail work. Ours comes from New Zealand and almost has the leaves still on it. Are you milling yours, yourself? Had to dump a batch of coasters as the vee carving came out atrocious. Redid them in cypress pine and amoora (no wonder its called the wood of love - a dream to carve - shame about the cost!). Zero problem with the v-carve inlay using the same sharp cutter. Love that process! The more you do the easier it gets and its just so forgiving even when you glue it up at a slight angle. We make ladder golf scoreboards with poplar with good results but this is just large text and a heap of 5mm holes like a cribbage board. The stuff we get here generally has the green tinge.

[Simops]

Bob, you kill me.......why in heaven do your pics always turn up upside down:D;):D;)

Cheers

[myxpykalix]

Bob,
The poplar i've used is mostly stuff we've cut, dried, surfaced ourselves and most of it is air dried but i have bought some kiln dried poplar from Lowes that carved ok for me.

As far as centurion bits go, there may be way better bits out there but i have not bought several different mfgrs to compare the differences. Their Vbits come to an absolute sharp point and most of the other vbits made from carbide that i've seen when looked at under magnification do not come to as sharp a point.

I still use my original 60, 90, 120 vbits i bought 4 years ago (I don't carve everyday).
I have a feeling that it may have more to do with the quality of wood that is exported to you. After all wasn't Australia started as a penal colony? :eek::D

[Bob Eustace]

Yes I thought there was a good chance you were milling your own. The main reseller of poplar in Australia is Masters which is a branch of Lowes. Their red oak has massive problems that after 6 weeks in the rack it bends upwards by about 2 to 3 inches. Before they came on the scene two years ago though both species were almost non existent so somes better than none! Yes the points are brilliant on Centurion. I'll give them a bash on poplar as I have probably learnt a lot since I last used them. I also had no luck with the Amana insert bits. Tried to give Hersaf a go but they interested in shipping here. Wanted to try them as Ken Zey has a high regard for them.

Mike its definitely a bandwidth problem. The last pic was uploaded at Chirnside Park and the speed test was a pathetic 1.2 mbps under the tower and 4G! Too many users.

[CNYDWW]

Jack,

It may just be the kind of Poplar you're using. As aspen is different then the northern poplar that is harvested here, you may have another type that carves well.

Regards

[myxpykalix]

Randy,
I'm in virginia and i can't say that i've seen aspen growing here (just don't know) I thought that was something more native to further west.

I have a friend who has a 600 acre estate and she has cut down pine, walnut, cherry, poplar, oak, cedar and air dried and kiln dried for me and I seem to have pretty good luck. Maybe i'm just lucky:)

[CNYDWW]

Randy,
I'm in virginia and i can't say that i've seen aspen growing here (just don't know) I thought that was something more native to further west.

I have a friend who has a 600 acre estate and she has cut down pine, walnut, cherry, poplar, oak, cedar and air dried and kiln dried for me and I seem to have pretty good luck. Maybe i'm just lucky:)

Well Jack, it wouldn't be the first time you were just lucky.

Heh

[Bob Eustace]

Must be your new you beaut timber rack Jack!

[genek]

I am with A Jack on this. I use what we call yellow poplar and a blue Poplar.

Both carve nice by hand or with the cnc. moisture plays a big role in your softer wood. The Wetter the wood is the more fuze you get. Speed of the bit is also a major issue. The faster that bit spins the better, end grain you sometimes get some tare out I like to crave or use the cnc on poplar with a moisture content of 8 %. All of the poplar I get is kiln dried in the rough.

Red oak will always be fuzzy, to much open grain.

white oak depending on how it is sawed. quarter sawed is the best, then rift sawed and less desirable straight sawed. with oak it needs to be less than 105 moisture..

2nd final pass cleans up some of the fuzzy on oak.

will post some pictures of products done in Poplar.

Guys it could be the grade you are getting how it is sawed and the moisture content.

[kurt_rose]

Hey Eugene. I'm getting ready to do a bunch of rosettes for a customer of mine and he requested poplar. My 2.2 spindle is capable of 24000 rpm. How fast would you run it? Here's the design done in SF MDF. 1/8" ballnose is gonna be the weapon of choice

[genek]

I think I am running around 22000. not 100% sure.. I have a spindle also. I am not in the shop and may not be back there next week. Still dealing with Tina's eye problem.

[Bob Eustace]

Below is probably as good as we can get with poplar. After doing 20 we gave up and went to cypress pine. No clean up needed! However it can work OK on large v carve letters. I love the spiral gadget in Aspire! Sorry the pic is on its side!

[genek]

Here are some pictures of products that i have made for our log home i used poplar and vector art 3/d patterns.

[genek]

Not sure why it posted when i went to manage add on,

here they are. I did these with a 1/4 ball nose bit. Very little sanding. I also did one for my in-laws like my coat hanger.

I did all of the sanding with a flutter wheel sander. All of my projects with poplar cleaned up easily.

All of these projects was made for my home. I used vector art 3/d patterns.