Help Recreating a Bamboo Finishing Techinque

[nevis1]

Two years ago I purchased a number of bundles of decorative bamboo from Pier 1 Imports. The bamboo was about 16" in length and about 1/2" in diameter. They were black at the joints (burned?), were a honey color with hints of burnt umber and green. They also had scrolls cut into them at various locations that appear to have been done with a searated knife or possibly a dremel tool. It appears they were then coated with varnish. I am trying to recreate them. I have made bed headboards from them and I have one that requires about 30" of the 16" stock. I have purchased bamboo and I have been trying to recreate the look by burning the joints, and mixing Tints-All Burnt umber, moss green and lamp black.
Thanks!...JIm

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Jim,
By the appearance in the photos, they look like they might be Arundo donax, which though technically is not a bamboo, has cane like culms.
The reason why I think so is because the nodes are not very prominent and the internodes appear almost wider than the node diameter in places.

Here is an example of some Arundo donax growing;
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/572/thumbs/Adonax050810ATX-902.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=1298)
I need to revisit a stand some time and get some better pics and sample to play around with one of these days.
It has the similar properties as bamboo, though the woodyness is not as 'woody' as many bamboos.
The other characteristic is that it has a somewhat shiny smooth surface which can be difficult as with most bamboo to absorb stains etc.

It's hard to tell if the bamboo has been surface tempered with a propane gas torch or other flame which can darken the surface of the bamboo and also draw out the resin in the surface, which dries like a varnish, ... or if an additional coat of varnish was added.
Yes, by the repetitive pattern in the notches it looks like the design was engraved perhaps with a dremmel type grinder.
It is really difficult to replicate something like this without considerable experimenting till you get the desired effect.

If you are trying to replace or add some pieces to the head board, one option would be to take some pieces out of the existing headboard and then place whatever you come up with here and there in the headboard so that it blends in as a part of a random design.

Mark

[nevis1]

Thank you Mark. I have sanded down all of the stalks and will now begin to experiment with color and technique.

Regards,
Jim

[Mark Meckes]

Cool! Let us know how it goes, and take pics.
You may need to build up the stain through successive layers, maybe with some light sanding in between coats.
Will depend how pernickity you are about getting the exact color.

Here's another thread, which though it involved sandblasting the bamboo, has some interesting points on applying color:
Painting bamboo/ sandblasting bamboo (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=647)

I'm wondering too, if the (new) bamboo you have was imported, if it is Tonkin Cane, the most common imported bamboo, which also doesn't have very prominent nodes.

Mark

[nevis1]

Hi Mark,
Thank you. The bamboo I purchased from Frank's Rush and Cane in CA. He calls it "yellow/green. It has been sanded down and I have burned the nodes. Because it has a much longer distance between nodes than the original bamboo has, I have burned around the cane between nodes to replicate the original. I have two formulas- marine varnish mixed with burnt umber, lamp black and yellow umber Tints-all. After that dries I will blend in another mixture of varnish mixed with burnt umber and avacado Tints-all. Once complete I'll submit photo.....if it works!

[nevis1]

Well this was not at all as easy is I had anticipated. The bamboo I used was tan and very straight. Mark you were correct in your guess as to the variety of bamboo. This was thicker and the nodes were farther apart. I sanded down the pieces and burned the nodes (joints until black). To recreate the same node distance I burned around the middle of the bamboo 1/2 the way between nodes. I probably did 20-30 samples trying to get the color correct. I was never able to get the exact color correct. I ended up using a marine varnish that had a decidedly yellow or gold hue when dry. I mixed Tints-all avocado on the initial pass to create some of the green. I then mixed the varnish with lamp black and brown umber to get close to the correct color. Pieces were buffed with steel wool between coats. I then used a Dremel tool with a small grinding stone to get the scrolls correct. I then added a small amount of yellow umber to the varnish to get the final golden hue. They were then cut to 15.75". In the photos the top three pieces are the originals purchased from Pier 1 several years ago. The bottom four pieces are the recreations. I still need to remove some of the sheen. Steel wool seems to make it too dull and I have experimented with putting the pieces in a pillow case with course sand and small cracked stone to accomplish this.
Mark..thank you for your help and suggestions!!

[charndannio]

I have added talcum powder to the clear to get a flater look out of my clear before. Maybe it's worth a try. You can dull it right on down if you wanted to. They even sell a chemical at body shop paint supplies you can buy to do this also. charndannio

[charndannio]

One other thing I forgot to mention is if you put the talc in the clear you don't have the small scratches from the steel wool in the finished product. Charndannio

[nevis1]

Charndannio- Thank you so much for your suggestions. Wish I had known earlier as using steel wool was somewhat tedius. Next batch I will use your suggestion.

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jim