Problems Milling Poplar

[hbeane]

I am very new to milling and I know it is just my inexperience but I am having a hard time with polar.  It seems to come off the mill bowed. I have only had my mill a few months and only have sawn poplar, pitch pine, and a little maple.  Everything else looks pretty good but the poplar looks worse than store bought lumber.  Any Advise? 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

What diameter of Poplar log you sawing?

Smaller Poplar logs will surely bow in a second.

[hbeane]

What diameter of Poplar log you sawing?

Smaller Poplar logs will surely bow in a second.

I would say they were around 12"in diameter.  I do have some bigger ones probably 20" maybe a little bigger left to cut. I also have some more poplar to cut down that is different sizes.  So it is better to mill the larger logs? I have to cut down some smaller ones like the 12" one, are they worth milling or do they just bow to bad? Thanks for your help.

[red]

There are many kinds of poplar . Also stress in the log can be the cause .

[opticsguy]

Have been cutting a lot of poplar this year (cottonwood in our area) and have been in need of 6x6 beams and 6x8 beams.  When cutting cottonwood, I can have both incredibly straight boards and boards that can curl up like a potato chip.  Cutting a log in half often results in a small "explosion" as one half curves several inches up and then pops at the end of the cut.  A 12 foot long cut can easily have a warp of many inches up to about 5".  So have discovered than when I need a certain sized beam I slowly cut slabs off the log until close to the final dimensions, cutting and re-cutting the same surface to cut out the warp.  Usually I need a minimum of 9" x 9" to get a very straight 6x6.

My cut off pile has a lot of varying thickness wood and veneers.  A lot of extra work to get a good straight beam.

[WV Sawmiller]

hbeane,

   I'm a little south of you and I probably saw more tulip poplar than anything else. If the tree was pretty straight my lumber generally saws straight. If the log has sweep it will be bowed. Poplar often tries to raise up off the cant or the rails as you cut so you have to rotate it and take trim cuts pretty frequently with some of the logs. Knowing what the log looked like before sawing would help us know if it is unusual or normal for the wood.

[btulloh]

It could just be the tree.  I have had a few poplar trees that looked great standing then turned out to have a lot stress and wouldn't make anything but crooked lumber.

[GAB]

I'm in my 11th year of sawing and so far I have sawed only one poplar log that was not loaded with stress.
Also, to date I have not had any difficulties with cottonwood.
Gerald

[taylorsmissbeehaven]

I also cut more poplar than anything else. I rarely have much trouble with it. I usually cut 20"-26" logs and they have minimal stress as long as the pith is not way off center. I like to slide my hand under the cant and be sure it is not rising up off the deck as I walk along with the head. If I notice any movement I will roll the cant and cut from the other side. That seems to work for me... Happy sawing, Brian

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

As long as my Poplar lumber is bowing, stacking and stickering will help a lot and the lumber can still be used.
Its when the lumber is "crooked" that is a real concern.

[bkaimwood]

Poplar is notorious for internal stresses. Best you can do is counteract it properly. I watch the face of every cant as I saw it...if the board moves to the left or right of center of the cant, off the edge, it needs to be turned 90 degrees, and take a board from the opposing side. If the board lifts in the center or the ends, same thing, but now we are talking about a 180 degree flip if it lifts in the center... typically. Sometimes, no matter what you do, mother nature made it, and she's in charge. I also find similar stress in beech and ash, but with more pitch...

[samandothers]

I have recently milled some tulip poplar and had a heck of a time.  I contribute it now to not paying enough attention as I cut it based on what I have been reading.   My trees were from side of a hill and at the edge of woods.  My issues were I'd intend to cut a 2x and it may start that way but the middle may end up thicker.  It was very frustrating.  I still have some more to mill and will attempt to pay closer attention to movement and rotate as I see signs of movement.

[Adirondack]

Great tips for us newer sawyers.. As always thanks!  :P

[WDH]

Yellow poplar can be the best and the worst of sawing.

[Magicman]

Try to keep the pith centered within the cant and saw through from either the hump or horn side.  Do not split the pith.  You would have better luck with a banana.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

You would have better luck with a banana.

;D

[SCSawyer]

I find that if I let my poplar dry as long as possible it tends to stay straighter

[hbeane]

Well I certainly have a lot to take in and practice. I am going to be doing some milling the next few evenings and I hope by the weekend I am into my bigger poplar. I put a rule on it tonight and it measures 23" I know the other one was smaller so hope that helps. And I am going to pay more attention to my boards this time and watch the pith more.  Magicman you make it sound like it should be easy.  Gonna try it though, keep it in the center And pay attention how I cut.  Also I need to pay more attention to how the board comes off the can't, I did not know I needed to watch that. Thanks everyone I really do appreciate all the help.  I have a lot of poplar I can mill but I gotta do better than before..

[WDH]

It helps if you can keep the cant balanced if there are signs of stress.  Once the pith is centered and the log is squared into a cant, try to keep the cant balanced, that is, when you take a couple of boards off one face, flip 180 degrees and take a couple off the opposite face.  When you flip 90 degrees to take some boards off the other two faces, do the same thing. 

[Solomon]

I have sawn a fair amount of tulip poplar and I don't bother with any logs under 2 ft in diameter and I also keep them at 8ft 6" long.   I generally saw it at least 12/4 then resaw it after it's done moving.
The only problem I've expierenced while sawing a poplar log is if it has enough stress in the wrong direction and causes the cant to arch upward in the middle like a cat and it pinches the band blade about half way through the cut stopping the blade and it will spin the clutch  (ON MY MACHINE ANYWAY).
This has happened a couple of times , once with a thirteen ft cant and once with a seventeen ft cant.   So I now keep poplar to 9 ft or less and not had that happen since.   I could dicuss turning the cant but the other replys on this thread have already dicussed that and  most all of theese good folks here know what they are talking about.   You're in the right place Brother. :P

[Magicman]

Magicman you make it sound like it should be easy.

And it is.  This is "bread & butter" sawing so don't overthink it too much.  Establish your target cant within the log.  Take side lumber off of each side until you reach your target.  On the sawthrough, watch as WDH mentioned.  If either end starts to raise up from the sawmill bedrails, flip the cant 180° and continue sawing. 

I almost always saw 1X12 boards and 1X4 battens.  This gives you some wiggle room and adjusting ability if there are any sawing/log/cant irregularities.

[Cazzhrdwd]

The most important part of sawing logs that stress is flipping 180 deg to straighten the cant. I usually try to saw two 4/4 boards then flip. The tricky part is when you only have one or two clear sides and you want to keep sawing that nice clear lumber.