There are a couple of experiments being conducted by making this shelf.
For one thing this is my first use of woodfiller with bamboo. I know treating the bamboo with acetone keeps the polyethylene varnish stick from peeling, so I figure it will probably work with the woodfiller too.
Brad point drill bits are perfect for drilling holes in bamboo without splintering. The center tip is easy to position, press lightly and drill until the center tip emerges from the other side. Then finish drilling the hole from the other side and you have an unsplintered hole all the way through the bamboo. I know at least one company is importing brad point bits from Japan(?), but they can be bought cheaply at Sears.
Brad Point Drill Bit
While I have not tried the tapered Drill Bits which have also been imported for bamboo woodworking, I notice there are much cheaper sources of them in this country.
My favorite tools that I do most of the work with are a hammer, a paint scraper and a small block plane. Nothing fancy or expensive.
The two most expensive items have been the bamboo splitter and the belt sander. Both only get used for a few minutes, but the results justify the expense.
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I guess I now begin the Mark IV Birdhouse.
