The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Sawmills and Milling => Topic started by: Normang on November 24, 2019, 10:19:49 PM

Title: rainbow Poplar
Post by: Normang on November 24, 2019, 10:19:49 PM
whats the going price bbf, for 30 "  rainbow poplar,, virginia?
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: nativewolf on November 25, 2019, 04:59:15 PM
same as poplar, down from summer.  Poplar is Poplar.  If you saw it and sell it on craigslist, facebook, etc you'll do better and get a bit of added value but for logs...it is just a log.  

Whereabouts are you?  I'm in northern VA, close to Front Royal.  
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: Southside on November 25, 2019, 10:18:27 PM
Actually my experience is that mineral stained poplar will bring a lower price at a commodity mill as it will drop in grade due to the color.  If it can't be sold into the molding or furniture market the commodity mills don't really want it as it becomes pallet wood.  
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: Brad_bb on November 25, 2019, 11:59:37 PM
The peanut gallery here sure wouldn't mind seeing a picture  ;D
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: YellowHammer on November 26, 2019, 12:31:28 AM
In slabs, we get $1.50 more per bdft than regular Poplar

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21488/FC15E0A2-A13C-4EC0-AACD-3D010B1854A2.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1574746269)
 
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: xlogger on November 26, 2019, 04:44:19 AM
Waiting on these to dry
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28470/poplar_rainbow_8_ft.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1574761368)
 
Just hope they don't fall off ceiling first :D
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: curved-wood on November 26, 2019, 05:53:43 AM
Are those streaky colors hold or tend to fade out once the piece of furniture is varnished ? Like what is happening with the bloody red streaks in negundo maple ?
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: PA_Walnut on November 26, 2019, 06:14:11 AM
Same as @YellowHammer (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=11488) , we get a premium for rainbow...big premium.
These 50" slabs have generated a LOT of excitement with customers!


(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/46676/IMG_2342_28229.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1574766781)
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: nativewolf on November 26, 2019, 06:43:08 AM
It is neat stuff for sure.  I personally love it and wished it was more UV stable.  Sadly it is not.  

In log form just not enough market, in board/slab form there is a premium and @PA_Walnut (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=36676) and @YellowHammer (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=11488) pics show you why.  

My whole farm was basically rainbow poplar, it is how I learned about it.  Sadly...had just joined the FF.  Today I'd have merchandized it much better.
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: PA_Walnut on November 26, 2019, 07:14:00 AM
People love the colors, for sure. Always one of the first questions, "Will it keep the color?"  Apparently, as @nativewolf (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=24089) mentioned, keeping it out of the sun is a good way to keep color. I tell people, that it's no different that walnut...in that, if you put it in direct sunlight, the colors will fade. Thankfully modern UV/Fade resistant finishes will slow it down. 

I've been known to mention that the best recourse if fading is a concern is to budget for a replacement slab in the coming years! I always have MORE!  :D ;D 8)
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: YellowHammer on November 26, 2019, 07:18:38 AM
They colors don't really fade, they darken, except for the pinks and light reds.  The blues will turn purple, the purple turns walnut brown, etc.  They look great, and it does help to put a UV inhibiting marine finish in them.  The thicker the coat, such as an epoxy, the lionger the color lasts.  If you put them out in the sun, yes, they will darken in a few days.  Leave them inside, out of UV rays, they stay that way for a long time, years has been our experience, even without the finish.  

We had one couple who hand picked through a pallet or two of these until they found the perfect one for a mantel to go over their big stone fireplace.  They literally took hours finding just the one they wanted.  They paid and left and a couple weeks later came back and when I asked them why, they said they put the other piece up like a mantle and could only see the live edge, so they took it down and hung it up flat like a huge picture on the stone, because it was so pretty.  It was the centerpiece of the room.  So now they were back to get an "ugly" mantle.  

Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: Magicman on November 26, 2019, 02:14:23 PM
The way I read the OP, he has 30" "rainbow" Poplar logs.  There is no way to add a premium to the lumber that "might" be in a log. 
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: kantuckid on November 26, 2019, 05:24:55 PM
I've got lots of poplar ranging up to near 36", most tops out around 24-30". I cut a couple of trees 30 yrs back that were larger yet and they had lots of color that I don't see in the smaller trees?
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: Normang on December 01, 2019, 09:47:39 PM
thanks for the replies, have gotten a number of 12 to 14' footers, up to 36", off one site, with vivid , purples, blues, reds and yellows,  just didn't know how long they would retain the colors, and if their was another market, other than crafters
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: YellowHammer on December 01, 2019, 11:16:42 PM
Here's a rainbow polar table a customer made last week.  As I said, the colors darken. 

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21488/3D170C84-4EEE-4802-B941-70E0A9C2E4A0.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1575260119)
 
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: Woodpecker52 on December 02, 2019, 12:08:26 AM
Red cedar is a beautiful purple but I have never seen it last long.
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: WDH on December 02, 2019, 07:57:56 AM
Even when the colors darken, it is exceptional wood.
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: tacks Y on December 05, 2019, 05:29:01 PM
What does the end of these look like? Can you see the color in the end grain? Been thinking of these ever since I saw the pictures. Not likely to find around here.
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: YellowHammer on December 05, 2019, 06:40:56 PM
Yes, the colors are very visible in the fresh cut endgrain.  
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: PA_Walnut on December 28, 2019, 04:56:20 AM
Quote from: Magicman on November 26, 2019, 02:14:23 PMThe way I read the OP, he has 30" "rainbow" Poplar logs.  There is no way to add a premium to the lumber that "might" be in a log. 


Not necessarily so. As @YellowHammer (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=11488) says, you can see the rainbow in a log. My logger is regularly looking for it for me, since I pay twice what his normal buyer does for poplar. win:win! 8)
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: Magicman on December 28, 2019, 09:29:51 AM
Yes, he brought that out after I made my statement.  Remember that I am still learning too.  :P

The difference is that I only saw what the customer has, and then woo and wow after I saw it.  I am not actually seeking or looking for it.  When I start taking pictures the customer may realize that he has something special, maybe not.  ::)
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: PA_Walnut on December 29, 2019, 06:52:35 AM
Quote from: Magicman on December 28, 2019, 09:29:51 AMhe difference is that I only saw what the customer has, and then woo and wow after I saw it.  I am not actually seeking or looking for it.  When I start taking pictures the customer may realize that he has something special, maybe not. 


No harm no foul. Of course EVERY customer's log is super-special, aren't they!? :D:D
Title: Re: rainbow Poplar
Post by: YellowHammer on December 29, 2019, 08:45:25 AM
The interesting thing is that some, if not many logs, aren't equally pigmented around their circumference.  Some may only have 45° of very highly colored wood, some may be 180° or so.  I'm not sure why that is so, I've been told that's the side of the tree where the highest concentration of minerals were, but I don't know about that. 

So its important to eyeball the log before sawing and try to cut boards and slabs that have the maximum of balanced color while eliminating the boards that won't be as vivid.  That's better than just generating a stack of random color boards.

There is some trial and error involved, but it makes for interesting and enjoyable sawing.