What happened to my Poplar?

Question

So I was scanning the Forsale news groups the other day and someone was offering some cut up poplar logs for free.

Im pretty new to turning (doing a few months) so Im always up for some free logs to pratice on. So I go down an get about 10 or so logs - all about

18-20" in diameter.

So last night - I started to rough out a few bowls. The first log I cut in 1/2 and turned them - the looked like normal poplar. The next one I grabbed - I noticed some purple coloring on the end grain. When I cut it in 1/2 - It had some of the most bizarre colors I have seen. Inside were purples, blues,greens, greys and a few other shades.

I turned it into a nice bowl - and it looks really cool. (Pics in a.b.p.w) Im just curious on what caused all the colors in it.

The bad part is that while I was buffing it - the buffing wheel caught the inside lip - ripped it out my hands and it landed right on the concrete floor - cracking it - I am a moron some times.

I grab one - cut it in 1/2 and t

Ted · Accepted Answer

I turned a hollow vessel from a piece of Poplar with the same kind of purple and colors that you describe. Went right up the center of the tree. I looks great but the colors are already starting to fade. It has only been about a month. I have been told that they may all fade before long. They seem to be turning brown.

Ted

Brad · Answer

Could this be Tulip Poplar, in which these sort of colors are common ? Would like to see these pic's -- what is a.b.p.w. ?Safe Spinning,Brad VietjeThetford, VT

Rob V · Answer

Its a newsgroup -

Herman de Vries · Answer

Rob, you should be posting those photos in your own album in WOW (World of Woodturners). Email me ( snipped-for-privacy@hdv.net) if you want a username and password

I've had the same thing with poplar. It's a junk wood around here, but sometimes the colors are wonderful. It is also very stable for turning and turns great wet.

Herm

"Rob V" wrote in news:Npp0b.2650$ snipped-for-privacy@twister.southeast.rr.com:

What happened to my Poplar?

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