What Tool Do You Use To Carve A Design In A 4" Pole?

[mike jansen]

my dremmel doesn't seem to have to cutting power.

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Mike, are you carving right through the bamboo, or only on the surface?

A rotary type dremmel tool is okay for engraving or smoothing or etching a pattern or lines on the bamboo that can be then followed with a chisel...

Mark

[mike jansen]

mark
i want to carve a palm tree in an 18" psc. of bamboo 6" diameter
my dremmel can only scratch the surface, my jigg saw works ok but it so poweful it breaks as much as it cuts.. mike

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Mike, what kind of bamboo are you working with?
Is it imported or domestically grown? ...bone dry, green or in-between?
How thick are the walls?

I've been using a jigsaw to cut out shapes for a couple of years and I've been amazed at what can be done with this tool.
Doing this without causing major splintering of the edges, breaking off pieces of the bamboo carving, or breaking the cutting blade frequently required finding a good blade to do the job, and the rest comes down to the type and size of the bamboo, it's condition, that it doesn't have cracks, and the techniques and step by step cutting procedures that help to ensure that the above doesn't happen.
(Edit. ...and I made plenty of mistakes in the process!)
Here's an example of some (mostly unfinished) carvings that were initially cut out with a jigsaw:
Bamboo Sculptural Gathering
http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/data/522/thumbs/1BsclpGthrng-040808-01.JPG (http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=945&cat=522&ppuser=1)

I have a bunch of pics and various notes from what I've learned, and I'll be happy to write about it all as soon as I can get myself organized enough to do this...
There's a lifetime of learning of the many ways to carve bamboo! ... and so ...
I've been thinking of making a subforum called `Carving Bamboo' as this is such an interesting and extensive topic.

Whadya think?

Mark

[mike jansen]

mark
great idea
Ive been carving on dry store bought 5-6" bamboo imported from china i guess. I buy it from Frank's Cane And Bamboo in Huntington beach California.
Anyway i cant believe you did all those with a jig saw, there beautiful.I thought it would take special tool..

[mike jansen]

Mark
I've made a lot of simple stuff around the house out of bamboo, however I've noticed a lot of black stains on the inside of the wood (mildew)
How do you handle that ? or kill it off before brining it in the house?
I poured bleach thru it , and I cleaned the outside of it with pure bleach but it stained the wood, so next time I won't use bleach on the outside, or?????

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Mike,
Regarding mold/mildew stains on the inside of bamboo, this becomes a big issue when I'm selecting the piece of bamboo I'm going to use, and for determining what kind of finish, stain, paint, pyrography etc I'm going to put on the bamboo carving.
I love it when I can leave the bamboo in it's natural color, with just a wax or sealant of sorts...
Mold stains develop during the drying of the bamboo. This can be prevented, though it can be difficult without adequate control of the drying/curing procedure, (heat, humidity ventilation), and storage.
Here's a couple threads about this topic in the `Harvesting and Processing Bamboo' Forum...

Drying Bamboo: Moisture Stains (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=483)

Treatment against mold/mildew stains (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=206)

Regarding the bamboo you're using...
I've never had a chance to try out imported bamboo... I've only used US grown bamboo.
The imported bamboo is probably very dry, and you would need to check the outer surface very carefully for any hairline cracks.
I also use dried domestic bamboo... after very closely checking for cracks, but my favorite is getting the material fresh harvested, and working with it in different stages while it's drying.
The jigsaw cuts differently during different stages of drying.
Even the consistency and smell of the sawdust is different!

Jigsaws, sabre saws, reciprocating saws, tico tico's...
Though I would love to try out a more fancy (expensive) jigsaw, I actually had to get the cheapest ($20) jigsaws (Black and Decker / Skill) because they are the only types I've found so far (USA), that still use the old style screw type blade tightening method.
Most jigsaws I've seen have a spring type blade lock.

Why are screw type blade-lock jigsaws important to me?
Because,(with a minor tool modification) I'm able to screw in and re-use a broken blade and get 2 to 4 times more life out of the blade, which is also important because the blades that I use cost twice as much as regular blades!

I would like to get a deluxe model jigsaw someday. Then I'd use it till the blade broke, then use the cheapo for broken blades.

I would want it to be powerful, probably cordless, compact and lightweight, quiet operation, variable speed, with a guide light at the blade cut...

Now, there are also other tools for carving big bamboo...

Mark

[mike jansen]

i have been carving designs in my 24" tall bamboo pieces and i found out use my jig saw was brutal, but i went back and bought much narrower blades and now it cuts like a scolls machine..

[saxofoner]

"scolls machine"

is that a good thing?

About the mildew-- Burn curing pieces with a torch solves those problems pretty well, I think. It's also quite beautiful.

[Mark Meckes]

Saxofoner you have a sharp sense of humor ;)
Mike probably meant a scroll saw.
Last time I used mine was about 5 years ago, when something broke on my scroll saw.
One of these days I'll try and fix it/get a new one.
You can do fine cuts with this machine, though it takes some practice working with curved pieces.
Here's a few little pieces that I made the fine cuts using a scroll saw ...

http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/data/528/thumbs/1MVC-044F.JPG (http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=528) http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/data/528/thumbs/1MVC-043F.JPG (http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=527)

[Mark Meckes]

Hi jwalter227, as this thread began about carving large diameter bamboo ...
I will move your post about Carving designs on bamboo flutes (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2097) to the Bamboo Music Making forum.
... and will reply to it shortly.
Cheers

-----
Mike hows your carving coming along? Got pics?

BTW see this thread about one of my favorite ... Jigsaw blades for fine `splinter free' cuts (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1021)

Mark

[Ujudgnme2]

I would love some step-by-step instructions to make jewelry out of bamboo. I purchased some bamboo recently from a craftstore - downtown L.A. I am sure I can find it cheaper - but in the meantime.... I also like to find out the best way or tool to etch wording onto bamboo. I am thinking about the woodburning tool, xacto knife or a razor blade. Any responses are appreciated.

Saxofoner you have a sharp sense of humor ;)
Mike probably meant a scroll saw.
Last time I used mine was about 5 years ago, when something broke on my scroll saw.
One of these days I'll try and fix it/get a new one.
You can do fine cuts with this machine, though it takes some practice working with curved pieces.
Here's a few little pieces that I made the fine cuts using a scroll saw ...

http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/data/528/thumbs/1MVC-044F.JPG (http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=528) http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/data/528/thumbs/1MVC-043F.JPG (http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=527)