its been a long time since i posted about the armoire and dresser that i have been commissioned to build.we have been looking all over for good walnut and have not really been able to find any. upon contacting the specialty dealers we found that they were way out of our price range. so after my recent success in dying the poplar we are thinking that we are just going to settle for poplar and some good finishing techniques. won’t take away anything from the piece. i’m gonna have to get creative but i think that it will work out in the end! so in the next couple of weeks i should have the lumber and we’ll take it from there.
8 comments so far
Beginningwoodworker
home | projects | blog
4101 posts in 565 days
posted 405 days ago
That might be the way to go.
-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker
Douglas Bordner
home | projects | blog
3424 posts in 956 days
posted 405 days ago
Denny, if you haven’t ordered the poplar yet, you might try a harder wood that will take stain and stay in your price range. I’m not sure where you are from, but depending on your locale might be able to get birch, butternut, ash or hickory at reasonable prices. Just my 2ยข.
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
thetimberkid
home | projects | blog
1944 posts in 595 days
posted 405 days ago
Thanks for the update!
Callum
-- For wood working podcasts with a twist check out http://thetimberkid.com/
teenagewoodworker
home | projects | blog
2479 posts in 660 days
posted 404 days ago
ya we can get ash and hickory at reasonable prices. but i can get a pretty good finish on poplar with the spray guns and everything and we can get it for about 2 bucks a bf. the wide stuff too up to 16”.
darryl
home | projects | blog
1392 posts in 1218 days
posted 404 days ago
walnut runs about $6 a board foot over here… a little pricey for my wallet these days.
I can understand have to find alternatives.
you seem to have a good woodworker’s head already, so I’m sure your project will come out great.
-- www.darrylmasterson.com ~ www.darrylmasterson.etsy.com
Lee A. Jesberger
home | projects | blog
3710 posts in 871 days
posted 403 days ago
Hi Dennis;
After seeing your last finishing job, I think you’ll do just fine.
For the future you might want to keep i mind as Douglas mentioned, Butternut it is a great substitute for walnut, due to the grain similarities. I’m not sure of the price of it though.
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
teenagewoodworker
home | projects | blog
2479 posts in 660 days
posted 403 days ago
i think i will look at butternut. not sure of the price.
dennis mitchell
home | projects | blog
3791 posts in 1206 days
posted 365 days ago
I’d even go Soft Maple before I go with the Poplar.
-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com