Aspen wood?

[chris_goris]

Has anyone ever used Aspen for anything?

 

[Graywolf]

Chris I bought a board of aspen a few years back, I built a box case for one of my small plow planes. It's a pretty wood, works well, is as soft as white pine, has short interlocking grain.

 

[chris_goris]

Good to know, thanks Richard! I recently bought (accidentally ) about 650 BF of it... Long story!

 

[Jeff]

Indulge us please. Aspen is very rare in NC and most other areas of the East coast and finding a 650 bf stash of lumber locally is rare too.

Bigtooth Aspen (Populus grandidentata)

www.carolinanature.com

Good to know, thanks Richard! I recently bought (accidentally ) about 650 BF of it... Long story!

 

[chris_goris]

IRS auctions, an auction out of High Point

 

[ScottM]

I have used some for compound cutting (3D) cutting on a scroll saw. I bought a piece at The Hardwood Store. Kinda a lite honey color. It works well for the scroll saw compound cutting application as it is soft like pine but does not have the pronounce grains like pine.

 

[Jeff]

Aspen is not listed currently at the Hardwood Store, but Alder is.

 

[ScottM]

Aspen is not listed currently at the Hardwood Store, but Alder is.

OOPS.... yes it is/was 8/4 Alder.

 

[cskipper]

I have found Aspen at the Lowe's store in Greer and have used it for puzzles and things needing light wood. It seems like it is a little bit soft and is somewhat frustrating to hand sand,

 

[TENdriver]

Good to know, thanks Richard! I recently bought (accidentally ) about 650 BF of it... Long story!

Chris, We’ve probably all had similar accidents. Mine usually worked out okay in the end. At least that’s my version of it.

It could be worse. Back when I was in HS, my friend’s dad “accidentally” purchased a brand new, bright yellow piece of earth moving equipment. I’m pretty sure it literally was by accident. It sat unused in their driveway for months.

As I recall, it cost more than twice as much as my Grandparent’s nice but modest three-bedroom home.

 

[Phil S]

I have used aspen often. Growing up in Minnesota, Aspen was as common as pine is here.
It machines well but is a tad soft

 

[Graywolf]

Here ya go one aspen box.

 

[Jeff]

Where did you get Aspen? I've found lots of Alder (Hardwood Store and others) but not Aspen. Looked at "Woodworkers Source" in Arizona too. Alder but no Aspen.

It's unexciting but maybe not bad for a utility wood like your box.

View attachment 184129View attachment 184129 Here ya go one aspen box.View attachment 184130
View attachment 184130

 

[mgreene93]

It can apparently be used to kill vampires...haha... https://www.vampires.com/nature-against-vampires/

 

[Graywolf]

I was walking through the Lowes in High Point, low and behold, there it was one by twelve and one by eight Aspine. I don't exactly remember what I paid for it but I had to try it. With that said, I wouldn't go out of my way to buy it. But it was a fun experiment.

 

[cskipper]

I found it in Greer, SC because I was working in Greer and wandering at lunch. I have used up whatever I bought, and will not be looking for it again.

 

[Touchwood]

Has anyone ever used Aspen for anything?

Well they use it a lot in Colorado for firewood .
In the Fall the mountains are covered with gold colored Aspens. The Aspen leaf is the symbol for the Aspen/Snowmass ski area.
It's nowhere near as hard as Alder, but works easily for small projects...takes stain better than pine.