Bamboozle
29th March 2005, 01:31 PM
Here's a review of a site that I had read, not quite in it's entirety before getting interested in all things Bamboo. It's a Shakuhachi making site. I copied a few paragraphs concerning curing Bamboo.
I admit it does say for the "adventurous." I'm not sure I qualify as being as adventurous as the fellow recommends. <g> I'll include the recommendation he made in the few next paragraphs as "TONGUE IN CHEEK!" for the time being, anyway.
French Fried BAMBOO
For the adventurous, there's an intriguing wood treatment which bypasses most of the traditional bamboo drying/treatment processes and that's to french-fry the green culm in hot non-catalyzed tung oil. Cut the culm and drill out the nodes. Heat a tube of oil to about 350 F. Introduce the green culm. When all boiling and other activity ceases cut the heat and allow the oil to cool with the culm submerged.
Here's what happens: All moisture is expelled as it's turned into steam and escapes as bubbles. All lignin in the wood is hardened as the oil temperature is above its hardening point. All the surface waxes will be melted and removed. During the cool-down period any air which was greatly expanded at 350 F. contracts and atmospheric pressure drives the oil into the wood. Wipe all excess oil from your culm and submit to the standard 3 month drying period.
The result will be bamboo which has had it's starches and sugars stabilized, all moisture removed and be thoroughly impregnated with hardened linoxyn. The wood will be markedly hardened and strengthened--being waterproof, dent proof, etc. The modulus of elasticity will drop considerably and the material will become even more rigid and 'musical'. The major component of a Stradivarius violin is the treated wood of the top plate. It's acoustical properties are what we recognize as exceptional sound. Once the culm has cured, craft a flute in your usual manner.
So, that's the (HIS) recommendation. It sounds cruel to a Bamboo lover I'm sure. I wouldn't try it on a prime quality root end section. I might try it on a piece of the upper section of the stalk. I don't know where I'd find a tube to use, but I guess I'll start looking for one. Maybe a piece of 4 inch steel pipe with a cap on each end and a wide slot cut down the length of the pipe and feet welded on to keep it from spilling the oil out. I'd also have to look for the oil that's recommended. The guy has definite ideas about which oil is good for Bamboo instruments.
It doesn't do much for decreasing the 3 month wait either, but at least he didn't say 3 years. I hope this doesn't get me labeled as an extremist, or as a complete Bamboozler. As I said, I present the recommendation as "TONGUE IN CHEEK."
The link to the site if anyone wants to read it in it's entirety is:
http://www.navaching.com/shaku/shakuindex.html
I admit it does say for the "adventurous." I'm not sure I qualify as being as adventurous as the fellow recommends. <g> I'll include the recommendation he made in the few next paragraphs as "TONGUE IN CHEEK!" for the time being, anyway.
French Fried BAMBOO
For the adventurous, there's an intriguing wood treatment which bypasses most of the traditional bamboo drying/treatment processes and that's to french-fry the green culm in hot non-catalyzed tung oil. Cut the culm and drill out the nodes. Heat a tube of oil to about 350 F. Introduce the green culm. When all boiling and other activity ceases cut the heat and allow the oil to cool with the culm submerged.
Here's what happens: All moisture is expelled as it's turned into steam and escapes as bubbles. All lignin in the wood is hardened as the oil temperature is above its hardening point. All the surface waxes will be melted and removed. During the cool-down period any air which was greatly expanded at 350 F. contracts and atmospheric pressure drives the oil into the wood. Wipe all excess oil from your culm and submit to the standard 3 month drying period.
The result will be bamboo which has had it's starches and sugars stabilized, all moisture removed and be thoroughly impregnated with hardened linoxyn. The wood will be markedly hardened and strengthened--being waterproof, dent proof, etc. The modulus of elasticity will drop considerably and the material will become even more rigid and 'musical'. The major component of a Stradivarius violin is the treated wood of the top plate. It's acoustical properties are what we recognize as exceptional sound. Once the culm has cured, craft a flute in your usual manner.
So, that's the (HIS) recommendation. It sounds cruel to a Bamboo lover I'm sure. I wouldn't try it on a prime quality root end section. I might try it on a piece of the upper section of the stalk. I don't know where I'd find a tube to use, but I guess I'll start looking for one. Maybe a piece of 4 inch steel pipe with a cap on each end and a wide slot cut down the length of the pipe and feet welded on to keep it from spilling the oil out. I'd also have to look for the oil that's recommended. The guy has definite ideas about which oil is good for Bamboo instruments.
It doesn't do much for decreasing the 3 month wait either, but at least he didn't say 3 years. I hope this doesn't get me labeled as an extremist, or as a complete Bamboozler. As I said, I present the recommendation as "TONGUE IN CHEEK."
The link to the site if anyone wants to read it in it's entirety is:
http://www.navaching.com/shaku/shakuindex.html