Yellow poplar is a great choice for backyard lumber-making, as it is a soft hardwood, and its variegated colors make it a superior choice for woodworking projects. Since poplar grows quick, tall, and straight, it has enough strength to carry stress loads, yet mills easily. Boards milled with a chainsaw lumber-maker are smooth and do not need to be planed. For the highest quality lumber, the boards should be kept under cover and away from excessive moisture. Lumber made from dead trees can be used in two weeks.
Green wood needs to cure at least three months.
The metal-edged starter board makes the first cut flat and straight. The lumber-maker frame itself requires no maintenance. The saw chain needs to be kept sharp, and it will be over seven feet long, so chain sharpening is the most tedious part of lumber-making. The chain will need to be sharpened after every eight hours of milling, and a new chain bought after every 5,000 board feet milled. If the trees to be milled are dragged home in the dirt, the chain will get dull much faster.