flattening bamboo

Other things that involve bamboo

Moderator: needmore

Post Reply
User avatar
terrabamboo
Posts: 246
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 2:20 am
Location info: 0

flattening bamboo

Post by terrabamboo »

Is it possible to split bamboo in half, then "flatten" each half by heating/steaming/etc.? I see that this question has been asked been asked before, but it diverted into a method of veneering and other things. I'm specifically asking about flattening the bamboo without just cutting it down. Specifically, I need to turn a 4" culm into about 4-5" (or longer) planks. I know I can split into small sections and then glue together but I need to have it non-glued. If there is a way to use split pieces and forge together by just heat/steam/pressure let me know!
Terra Bamboo
300 acre Bamboo Plantation Project
Focusing on Henon, Moso, Robert Young, Rubro, Vivax and Fargesia
Lindsaybrew
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon May 20, 2013 4:59 am
Location info: 0
Location: Howard county MD
Contact:

Re: flattening bamboo

Post by Lindsaybrew »

Do you know anyone with an industrial metal flattener?

What about boiling? I've tried it couple times and seems like the best way to loosen up Bamboo~

Sounds kinda crazy/fun, but what about:

Large metal feeding tub + propane torches (to boil h20) + bamboo for 2 hours

Then while still warm, if you can get your hand on an industrial metal flattener (2 rollers)

Or something like an English wheel, to flatten the bamboo curve gently.

Maybe someone you know has a metal shop with lots of toys, and would let you just play around with :D

As for the fusing, I can think of a couple ways, but I think your trying to do something specific. I mean there's always, attaching mated pieces, like hardwood flooring. But I get the idea that is not what are you are trying to do.

Is it your goal in the end to make one long continuous Bamboo sheet, no glue, no nothing, just heat, fusing and steam? Because that would be really neat.
Rufledt
Posts: 191
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 4:35 am
Location info: 0
Location: South WI

Re: flattening bamboo

Post by Rufledt »

I think Lindsay has some good ideas there. I've never tried this stuff with bamboo, but I've bent wood by boiling. It was for a recurve bow and the wood was about half an inch thick, inch and a half wide, and I bent a section about 3" long into a 45 degree arc. What I had to do was boil for like an hour, then take it out and bend it into a form relatively quickly before it cools off (but not so quickly as to splinter the wood) and then clamp it into the shape to hold while it cooled/dried out.

That doesn't apply directly to what you want to do, though, since I was bending in a different direction that you would have to in order to flatten culms. You would also have to cut out the wall in the internode before you could flatten it. You might also find that the inner wall of the bamboo (that's doing the stretching) could split, since the grain isn't strong in that direction. There's also the fact that the outer skin of the bamboo culm is much denser, and therefore stronger. Plus, when you flatten it, the outer skin will be under compressive stress, while the inner wall of the culm will be under tension. Bamboo rocks at handling tension stress in comparison to wood, but not in the direction it would stretch when you flatten it. This effect would be increased the thicker the culm wall was, so maybe try this with vivax? If you only want to look at the outer surface of the culm after it's flattened, the splitting is not a problem.

Then, after it's flattened, the surface still wouldn't be flat, because the nodes would hump slightly. What are you trying to do with the flattened pieces? I'm not sure you could 'forge' them together, at least I know that doesn't work with wood. Maybe try titebond 3 wood glue? It's available at any home improvement store and it is insanely strong if used properly. I assume it would glue bamboo easily. I spilled some on my concrete garage floor and when I went to peel it up (after drying) it took some of the concrete surface with it :shock:
jd.
Posts: 359
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2009 1:11 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Midwest, USDA Z5 / AHS Heat Z5

Re: flattening bamboo

Post by jd. »

fandelem wrote:Is it possible to split bamboo in half, then "flatten" each half by heating/steaming/etc.? I see that this question has been asked been asked before, but it diverted into a method of veneering and other things. I'm specifically asking about flattening the bamboo without just cutting it down.
The discussion may have turned to veneering, cutting flat, or live culm shaping simply because taking otherwise uncut semicircular half pieces and pressing them completely flat will result in splits and cracks.

Refer to Rufledt's comments about the bamboo grain and strength under tension versus compression.
Rufledt wrote:If you only want to look at the outer surface of the culm after it's flattened, the splitting is not a problem.
And again the discussion turns toward the use of flattened bamboo as a veneer. ;)
Lindsaybrew
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon May 20, 2013 4:59 am
Location info: 0
Location: Howard county MD
Contact:

Re: flattening bamboo

Post by Lindsaybrew »

Fandalem - Could You elaborate on the goal for your project? From your question it was a bit unlear to as your end result. Seems to me you are building something with the flattened pieces, What what and how vertically/horizontally I am unclear. Could you elaborate a bit on what you are building with the flattened pieces?
Lindsaybrew
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon May 20, 2013 4:59 am
Location info: 0
Location: Howard county MD
Contact:

Re: flattening bamboo

Post by Lindsaybrew »

JD - What do you like to create out of Moso Bamboo?
Lindsaybrew
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon May 20, 2013 4:59 am
Location info: 0
Location: Howard county MD
Contact:

Re: flattening bamboo

Post by Lindsaybrew »

J.D ~ I am sorry for being snippy. I thought you were talking about me changing the conversation into a veneer conversation. My bad, I am sorry! :flower:
User avatar
terrabamboo
Posts: 246
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 2:20 am
Location info: 0

Re: flattening bamboo

Post by terrabamboo »

I am trying to create a 4" x 8" flattened piece of bamboo as a sort-of food serving dish -- but I don't want the traditional glued/waxed pieces that you typically see. it needs to be all natural (no glue) but it can be jointed if that is possible.

it seems like the first barrier, the flattening, is the bottleneck.

vivax is a good suggestion. now I just need to find some 5" vivax ;-)


what if I shaved the green silica coating off the outside first, would that help the process?
Terra Bamboo
300 acre Bamboo Plantation Project
Focusing on Henon, Moso, Robert Young, Rubro, Vivax and Fargesia
User avatar
foxd
Posts: 3221
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 7:30 pm
Location info: 21
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Zone 5b/6a Bloomington, INElevation: 770-790 feet

Re: flattening bamboo

Post by foxd »

I have seen pictures of bamboo flattened using a series of short cuts with the grain. There is also the process used to produce these flattened bamboo panels.

http://www.guaduabamboo.com/crushed-bamboo.html
Southern Indiana.
My Bamboo List.

The legal issues that will arise when the undead walk the earth are legion, and addressing them all is well beyond what could reasonably be accomplished in this brief Essay. Indeed, a complete treatment of the tax issues alone would require several volumes.
User avatar
terrabamboo
Posts: 246
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 2:20 am
Location info: 0

Re: flattening bamboo

Post by terrabamboo »

What a great link. Thanks foxd.

New question: Which temperate, timber bamboo has the shortest nodes?
Terra Bamboo
300 acre Bamboo Plantation Project
Focusing on Henon, Moso, Robert Young, Rubro, Vivax and Fargesia
jd.
Posts: 359
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2009 1:11 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Midwest, USDA Z5 / AHS Heat Z5

Re: flattening bamboo

Post by jd. »

flattening-bamboo_2-500b.png
flattening-bamboo_2-500b.png (74.32 KiB) Viewed 7912 times
That's convenient. Instead of trying to keep an unbroken surface, they just crush fresh bamboo flat with a mallet.

I imagine their process could be automated with a series of rollers and a planer. :)
fandelem wrote:Which temperate, timber bamboo has the shortest nodes?
For some reason I'm reminded of the Tortoise Shell Bamboo.
Do you mean bamboo having the thinnest nodes, or the shortest length from node to node?
User avatar
terrabamboo
Posts: 246
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 2:20 am
Location info: 0

Re: flattening bamboo

Post by terrabamboo »

jd. wrote:
flattening-bamboo_2-500b.png
That's convenient. Instead of trying to keep an unbroken surface, they just crush fresh bamboo flat with a mallet.

I imagine their process could be automated with a series of rollers and a planer. :)
fandelem wrote:Which temperate, timber bamboo has the shortest nodes?
For some reason I'm reminded of the Tortoise Shell Bamboo.
Do you mean bamboo having the thinnest nodes, or the shortest length from node to node?

argh, you got me. I meant shortest internodes. shortest length from node to node.
Terra Bamboo
300 acre Bamboo Plantation Project
Focusing on Henon, Moso, Robert Young, Rubro, Vivax and Fargesia
Post Reply