Bamboo Digging Tools

[Henry Lee]

I use an electric reciprocating saw which cuts into the ground and around the root ball armed with a pruning blade. Trouble is I can't use it when there is no electricity available.

Mark, what do you use to dig up the whole root ball without electric? I was in the New Jersey Rutgers Garden and found a couple acres of p. nuda and there is no electricity within 200 feet. I could run an extension cord but if I can dig without it I would.

Phyllostachys nuda - Rutgers, New Jersey USA
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/511/thumbs/R-Garden-NJ.jpg See photo (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=2361) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/511/thumbs/R-Garden-NJ-2.jpg See photo (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=2360) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/511/thumbs/NJ-p-nuda.jpg See photo ( http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=2359)

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Henry,
Great pics of the P. nuda at Rutgers!
I heard about this grove about 10 years ago when I lived in Pennsylvania, from a friend who harvested some poles from there to make digeridoos.
Never got to see the grove, but now feel introduced. Thanks!

Re: bamboo digging tools, for digging up plants? or digging up flute shanks?

~ Mark

[Henry Lee]

Thanks Mark.
Yes, for digging up the whole root ball.

I heard some people use some kind of axe with a plunger/driver but I've never seen one.

Henry

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Henry,
Here's a Rhizbammer (http://www.bamboodirect.com/bamboo/photobooks/Rhizbammer.jpg) from www.bamboodirect.com
Mid Atlantic Bamboo (http://www.midatlanticbamboo.com/) also has a new bamboo spade.

I've seen a home-made model which has handle bars on the slammer part ... have some pics of it in action, dividing a clumper. Will post when I find them.

Also a reciprocating saw was used to divide the clumper divisions (Bambusa sp.) into smaller propagules.

I've never owned either tool, and have always used a sharp spade or wide chisel bladed pry bar to dig bamboo, and use the spade, a hatchet or large butchers' cleaver, lopers and pruners to make smaller divisions.
Basically the tools I've used always did the job for me, so I never tried other tools.
Also specialty digging tools can be pricey.
For example, the manufacturer for the ... King of Spades long handled spade (http://www.wwmfg.com/) provides a very sturdy and popular bamboo digging tool for around 90 bucks.

Here's my Home Depot econo bamboo digging kit.
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/655/thumbs/DiggingTools-702.jpg See photo ( http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=1216) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/655/thumbs/DiggingTools-703.jpg See photo ( http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=1215)

Since taking these pics, I've had foot bars welded on to the spade for easier jumping on to.
I have more pics of my bamboo digging experiences ... somewhere in a pile of disks, and when I find em I'll show em.

~ Mark

[TribalWind]

Hi henry! long time no talk,when we going Boo hunting?

yes i remember seeing those plunger/slammer pipe over the smaller solid steel pipe with spade/wedge..they were selling them at the miami conference where i met mark.$100 or more i think they were... you could certainly fabricate one with a few tools.

i dont harvest a lot of rootball pieces, mainly since its a pain.but i definitely need to do so more now, really would like to make shaks,

i will probably try one of these cheapo " 18 volt cordless reciprocating saws" (http://w3t.org/?u=67n)
with a 12" aggressive wood blade on it.
http://www.secureyourstuff.net/images/ele-ss-18v.jpg
i'll report back when i get it and try it out..maybe on me n henry's harvest ;)
a good SHARP spade is probably easier/quicker most times.

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Tribal / Henry,
From pics that Monty showed at his site, digging P .bambusoides shakuhachi shanks in Japan, the grove was on a steep slope.
There could be some benefits of digging them out on a slope as the lower side of the culm base is more exposed then when it is growing on a flat surface.
Keeping a balance while digging is another thing ...

Our grove of Phyllostachys aurea is on a steep slope and may have some pieces suitable for shakuhachi.
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/503/thumbs/1P_aurea3erosion.jpg See photo (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=810)
Though me and my digging tools have reached retirement age, I'd be willing to to dig up several shanks, perhaps in November, primarily to take pics of the procedure. I don't make shaks but would be happy to ship them to you at the cost of freight, for you to experiment with.
If you both reply to this post, I will split this portion of the thread to a New Thread so we can discuss this in more detail.
I would need to get specs, and would take pics of the prospective culms before digging.

~ Mark