Sawing dimension lumber

[DR Buck]

Yes I have but you can expect to see a few "noodles".  Be absolutely sure that you are "sawing through" from either the hump or horn side and try your best to center the pith on each end within the center cant.

x2 on this.    I saw lots of poplar for framing.   Probably more than anything else.   I find it hard to get much straight stuff over 12 ft lengths, especially in 2x4 and 2x6 sizes.  On my current project I'm using 12 ft 2x4 for interior walls in my new shop and  I'm using a lot more blocking to help straighten out some of them.    :D   

[YellowHammer]

Polar (Tulip Poplar) is also inherently bug proof.  My barn siding is poplar, as are most around here, and no termites, ants, or even carpenter bees will touch it.  Many of the old homestead log cabins around here were made with poplar logs and are still standing.  It's decent framing lumber, but excellent siding.

[PA_Walnut]

Thanks for the poplar tips. I got a lot of it in on a timber purchase and quarter the large ones, but the others I may saw into framing/siding for a couple of projects.

I'm working on building a new kiln ASAP (over the holidays), so can perhaps use it for that. The siding idea works good too, as I'm trying to keep my buildings looking nice, maintaining an inviting aesthetic.

[Peter Drouin]

I find poplar in NH will move a lot while cutting.

[PA_Walnut]

Same here...I have some that is HIGHLY stressed. (boards crack and split the entire length coming off the saw) and others seem to be fine. Can't crack the code as to which I'll get.  >:(

[Don P]

Watch diameter range and see if you see any pattern. It can have a lot of growth stress, one reason I tend to saw/dry/rip if possible. On the bug comment, the white sapwood is very high in starch apparently, ppb's love it here, the green heartwood is pretty immune to them. I've seen carpenter bees tunnel in poplar fascias. It is one I try to borate right off the saw which help a great deal. Those little buggers have about eaten up my poplar barn frame. That is why my shop is pine, which the carpenter bees seem to enjoy better  :D If there's food here there is somebody to eat it.

[Magicman]

Generally Poplar will not behave as well as SYP regarding stress.  The framing lumber that I have sawn from Poplar has been from 20"+ logs.  Flat sawn behaves better than QS or rift sawn.  You can control bow but crook is crooked and twist is worse.

[WV Sawmiller]

Polar (Tulip Poplar) is also inherently bug proof.  My barn siding is poplar, as are most around here, and no termites, ants, or even carpenter bees will touch it.  Many of the old homestead log cabins around here were made with poplar logs and are still standing.  It's decent framing lumber, but excellent siding.

   I wish these WV powder post beetles would read this post and quit eating my hay barn which is almost entirely made from yellow (Tulip) poplar. They are seriously munching away on it. It will rot quickly where it touches the ground but walls 2-3 inches off the ground are 15 y/o and still as solid as the day I put them in.