Wood question - poplar???

[allamericanjoe]

Is poplar a good wood to use for carving?

[Robert Cahill]

I prefer basswood, aspen and then popular because it is available. A bit harder than the others but not terrible difficult in my opinion.

[Claude]

Poplar has a nice clear grain with little variation (unlike pine) but as Robert says, a bit harder than basswood. Nice to carve with gouges and mallet, able to hold small detail, but you'll have to take thin sliced chips with a knife - just take a bit more time. I'd suggest ordering some basswood from Heinecke Wood Products The wood is high quality, and carves well with only a knife. I've bought wood from them for years. I have a pile of stair baluster cut-offs my son gave me - have carved a couple of items from them, but prefer basswood...


Claude

[allamericanjoe]

So good, but not preferable. About the basswood, I'll order some. I'm very much a novice and from what I gather poplar would be better for someone with more experience. I have almost two days experience with carving. I'm loving it though. Thank you for your responses.

[Robson Valley]

Windsor Plywood sells poplar as 1/2" x 6" for the sides of cupboard drawers. It's got green & brown/black streaks, a couple of small knots (tight). However, I'm carving it down for wood-cut printing. Four blocks finished and 8 to go. Very satisfied. Just hard enough to take details but I don't have to bust a gut doing it. My Pfeil tools are holding up really well.

Mind you, I am not doing wood engraving (end block carving.) The relief depth isn't much more than 1/16"

My "happy-wood" is western red cedar, it is so brittle I could not begin to see what I want with that wood. I have a personal hang-up to use local woods for as much as I possibly can. Having said that, if all I had was poplar, I would not be at all frustrated.

[cut up]

I haven't had the opportunity to carve basswood, but the price is right on poplar where I get it.
Unless I need big pieces.

[Dicky]

I use poplar all the time for snake entwined walking sticks etc. I find that small details will chip off if you are not careful. Keeping the wood slightly moist seems to help.

[sashadoc]

I,too,prefer Poplar for walking sticks and canes. I carve it before it dries completely leaving extra on both ends. Before it dries completely, I find it easier than Basswood to carve, but Basswood is preferred for projects where strength isn't a consideration.
Tim

[Mitchell]

Is Poplar Wood Popular

Depends on what you're carving....

I can't get the detail I like on poplar compared to basswood.

[pallin]

From the discussion thread Mitch gave ("Is Poplar Wood Popular?) it is clear that the name is used for a variety of different woods. Every type of wood can be good or bad for carving depending on dryness, texture, grain figure, etc. One of the skills each of us needs to learn in this hobby is how to judge the suitability of whatever wood we choose for a given project.