Twice heated bamboo

[tikamars]

I have been experimenting with bamboo for wind chimes. I have found that if I bake the pieces at 275 for about 2 hours, then slow burn them using a heat torch, they pieces are much lighter and have a totally different sound than just slow burned. I don't care for the finish as well, but the sound and weight seem to out weight that.

Anyone else have any other ideas?

[Mark Meckes]

Hi tikamars,
Interesting experiment. Are you beginning this heating process with green bamboo?
I wonder what species you are working with?
From your photos it looks like a Phyllostachys species but not sure which.

One possible danger is that excessive drying could lead to more brittleness and possible splitting, but this is hypothetical and the best way is to put different variations of heat treated bamboo under the "windchime durability test" to see how they behave under duress of time and the elements.

Interesting that bamboo with a split can often be more "vocal".

Mark

[aldolandwehr]

would this also work on say drums of sorts? I was walking back from a great day at Uluwatu and heard what sounded like a full piece drum set... friend and I curiously went toward the sound and saw the ingenuity of a Javanese man that had been working on a project near by and to pass the time he made this drum set. It was brilliant. He had taken "Band Dalam" and PVC pipe and with different diameters and lengths was able to achieve the deep bass, toms as well as bongo type pitches...

We're creating and Environmentally conscious school called the GreenSchool and had a need for instruments for Pre Kindergarten and Kidergarten. I've taken the idea into the Eco realm and are trying them out with Bamboo petung. I'm wondering if the bamboo was baked would they sound better or more hollow?

thanks,

ALDO LANDWEHR
Creative Director

Sibang Kaja, Banjar Saren
Abiansemal, Badung 80352
Bali, Indonesia
Skype: aldolandwehr
websites: ptbambu.com
greenschool.org