With current pricing and availability of lumber these days, I decided to clear out a few subdominant poplar trees and have them milled into framing lumber. Ideally, I would like to build a solar kiln for drying lumber +/- fire. However,t out here on the farm we always seem to be using 2x4's etc. for small barn, etc. projects. I should be good-to-go for several years now. We also milled a little cherry crotch, a small red maple and made a bunch of sticker for drying said lumber.
BTW, made a nice pile of slabs for firewood. Poplar ain't the best, but it's already 3/4 way to C/S/S. It would be great for someone with an OWB.
Might be some more milling in the near future. This red oak was about 1/2 dead and got blown over yesterday by high winds. It's 28." dbh and 45 ft to the first branch. I hope the wood in the trunk is still in good shape. Took out that crappy black gum on the way down. In addition, I have another 24" dbh white oak in the same pature that died over last winter. We shall see.
How's poplar for lumber? Part of my long term plan could involve a sawmill. Would probably split it with someone. I have lots of red pine that I can use and poplar in decent amounts.
. Poplar is an excellent substitute for softwood framing lumber. It is a little heavier than softwood, but nowhere near oak or other hardwoods. Nails and screws well. Very stable once dry. It has very low rot resistance, so also similar to typical softwood framing lumber, not pressure treated. For furniture it is an excellent "secondary wood" for inside drawer, backs of cabinets, etc.
Thanks Mike. Will need to re-evalute my inventory. For now the mill is a bit of a pipe dream. But I have a bunch of red pine that I pretty much want to clear out to let the hardwoods fill up the space (lots of black cherry popping up). I can't really convince a lumber outfit to pay me for it, and don't want it to go to waste either. If I can tap into the poplar supply too...makes it all more interesting.
Takes paint well, too. My sister's ex bff saw the big poplar down behind my house a few years ago and wanted it. Never came for it. He makes custom cabinets. He saw $$$, I saw crappy firewood.
Poplar is available here in big box stores. I would agree that similar to pine , grain a little tighter and slightly heavier.
Some nice looking lumber there Mike. When you mill do you cut to the full size 2x4 or the finished size of conventional softwood framing lumber? It gets used as is and doesnt get planed?