Story Plot: Bamboo Trigger Mechanism in Zero Gravity?

[Jurgen]

Hi - I'm new to this so please pardon any ignorance on my part.

I'm writing a murder mystery set in zero gravity and was thinking about the possibility of creating a simple timed trigger mechanism using natural products, presumably bamboo.

It may be a good idea to describe the scenario I had in mind -will try to keep it short. In the story, the baddie wants to shoot the victim who is drugged/unconcious. He puts the victims fingerprints all over the gun, and attaches a bamboo mechanism that squeezes the trigger of a gun. The mechanism, once set, runs down for a few minutes/hours, and finally pushes against the gun trigger. The gun discharges and the bamboo mechanism flies apart due to the violent recoil.

This would hopefully result in:
An apparent suicide. The victim's fingerprints are all over the weapon. The only mysterious clues would be a few bits and slivers of bamboo floating about randomly in the zero gravity environment.
An Alibi. By the time the bamboo mechanism activates the gun trigger the baddie is nowhere near the scene...

Some possible issues/limitations may include:
- Zero/low gravity - the mechanism should not depend on gravity (ie.weights) to trigger itself.
- Size - the mechanism should be small.
- Tension - can a small piece of bent bamboo be set as a hair trigger that gradually bends into its original shape after several minutes or hours?
- Disassembly - the mechanism should be constructed in such a manner that it flies apart violently due to the jolt of the recoil.
- Attachment - the mechanism nor any parts of it should remain on or near the weapon after it has been triggered.
- Simplicity - the mechanism should consist of as few parts as possible (less evidence!!!). If it consists of a single piece of doctored bamboo, all the better.

I've been doing some research on Japanese mechanism-art, called Karakuri. This involves clockwork dolls, toys etc, many of which are partly made of bamboo. They tend to be quite complex though, and use traditional mechanics to keep them running. I haven't seen any indication on tension, springs, triggers and like (apart from those dependent on gravity).

That's it. All I know about bamboo is that it's extremely versatile, and hoped somebody in this forum might have an opinion on how this might work and processes may be used to contruct such a device. A veneer of credibility would be useful when I explain how the baddie (almost) got away with it...

Thank you!

Cheers

Jurgen - London, UK

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Jurgen,
I think, from reading your post, your writing talents will convince your readers of the validity of your story ! ;)
Keep in mind that discussing 'bamboo' would be the same as discussing wood in the general term. There are many differing characteristics and properties of wood species, and selection processes, treatments and techniques of working with wood to get any number of desired results.
Many of the basic principles involved in with working wood apply also to woody bamboos.

You asked .... "can a small piece of bent bamboo be set as a hair trigger that gradually bends into its original shape after several minutes or hours?"

Heat, and moisture can aid in returning bamboo to it's original shape.

There is a bamboo musical instrument that involves carving a thin needle shaped prong within the piece of bamboo, which resonates when played.
The objective to a music maker is to carve out a well-balanced, finely tuned and resilient 'needle', or is it a noodle?, within the bamboo.

There is no guarantee of course that the musical instrument maker would make a harmonious instrument, or that the sounds produced would please the listening audience.
During a creative process, a purpose, approach, intent or attitude prevails which in some way affects the inward character of the participant, possibly more so then the finished product, though one may get more glory, or admonishment from it's application.

Working WITH bamboo requires a certain amount of intimacy in order to gain an understanding of the material and it's potential.
I guess it might be because of a respect, appreciation and friendship that develops through working with the material, that bambuseros will rarely discuss insidious uses of the material.

Revealing the bamboo ultimately as the 'good guy' in your story plot could prove a greater surprise to your readers.
They would already have had a preconceived notion, at the mention of bamboo, which you could dispel through solving the crime.

But it's your plot.

Here's another Thread about ...
Writing a suspense novel with bamboo in the plot (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=250)

~ Mark

[Jurgen]

Hi Mark

Many thanks for the reply! The next step is probably a more careful review of the properties of various subspecies of bamboo - specifically, how they react to heat, moisture, bending and other environmental factors.

I presume there are already a number of groups who are dabbling in GM versions of bamboo, so it may be worth a look around to see what they came up with. Modifying the properties of bamboo would be particularly important to the construction industry for cheap and environmentally friendly scaffolding - a great use for bamboo if there ever was one.

I will of course also see what academic literature is available on the subject.

From what little I've learned, I am surprised that bamboo isn't more widely used throughout the world. The applications are endless and it's a fascinating subject of study!

Cheers

Jurgen