> Is poplar good for strip building?

This question was posted on another BB this summer. The following is my response with additions.

Folks often confuse "Poplar" and "Aspen", which is also called "Popple". My understanding(?) is that Poplar is a large tree similar to Cottonwood, with yellowish color, and I know little to nothing about it.

If you are using "Poplar" to refer to Aspen (Popple), my experience is as follows.

The hardness can vary from soft to very hard, and the color from almost white to reds and dark browns. It is possible to get light colored, modest weight peices. (The white stuff seen in stores is the prime wood and the bulk of the wood is not "clear" white.) It sands OK when using fine paper (150g) but leaves torn strands of fiber with course (60 to 100g). It also needs a very sharp blade to cut (rip) smoothly.

It can look very beautiful however.

I just finished spending 3 years putting almost 2k bf on a cabin ceiling, and used some leftover pieces to make the stems for a striper, and am considering using it for some of the trim also. I think that a boat of Aspen will certainly be heavier than one of cedar.

It is MUCH harder to work than either pine or red or white cedar,(it is much stiffer and doesn't bend well).

I would re-iterate a comment from another post, if you have some, consider it for trim, I would NOT go out a buy some for a boat no matter what the cost (the extra work is not worth it).

Good Luck Dan