I need help making a bamboo tone pole.

[woodcutter]

This not a good pic to use, but its what I had.
This would be the top of your bamboo, see the hole. this is what would collect water.
It shoud be cut closer to the joint and sanded flush,
The bottom should be the same,to prevent insects from making a home in the cavity.
Drill your holes to suspend them from should directly below that joint.

 

[woodcutter]

^ How much salt are you adding to the water? How far are thry dried already?

 

[prerube]

They are cut off trees that fell down, so they are green still. I have not added any salt yet, they have only been soaking for a few minutes. The ones that are drilled sunk in the trashcan and 75& of them are submerged. The ones with out holes are floating and only 1/2 submerged.
I was thinking of adding 3 cups of salt for 8 gallons (I can not find a ratio anywhere else so I am taking a stab in the dark.

 

[prerube]

found it, half cup per gallon, have to go add salt now

 

[woodcutter]

^Bamboo is in the grass family,so the flooters will still absorbe your solution.
If you want experiment [this is one reason you will want to make x-tras] and not worried about insects making nests, the bottoms way be left open [after dring prosess] to get a desired tone from the bamboo.

 

[prerube]

I have both sides open and have holes drilled in the middle so water can make it through the top all the way out of the bottom.
The bamboo is now soaking in the salt water, unfortunately I did not get your message in time, I drilled a small hole into to floaters so they would sink.

Holy crap, I thought I could soak this week let it dry, and repeat 3 times. The new directions say that I have to keep it in the salt water for 90 days.

 

[woodcutter]

^This will be fine. it may even speed up the prosess. When finnished if you can, Id still drill the holes just under the joint to suspend them from. The joint is very dense and will hold up better to wear.
This curing will take a while, at leasts a month so be patient. If you try to dry them too fast it may lead to splitting.

 

[prerube]

half have all of the holes drilled and are even set up with fishing line. The other half will get all of the holes drilled after curing. I guess I will have to repost in 90 days, I am bad at being patient.

Thanks for all of the advice.

 

[prerube]

There is no way I will remember to stir this everyday. Also I have a TINY efficiency, so an extra garbage can filled with water and bamboo takes up valuable space. I can not leave it outside because it will freeze. I cleaned out my storage room, but if I put it in there I know I will forget to stir it for weeks at a time.

 

[woodcutter]

I dont think it will matter so much, stirring daily is just the optimal suggestion. Its probably best that you do forget so yu wont get impatiant.

 

[prerube]

Should I flip the bamboo if it is not totally submerged, or will it suck up enough brine?
Again thanks Woodcutter(and anyone else with advice)

 

[Radarx]

I have worked with bamboo a little bit. there is a much faster way of drying it you might want to experiment with. "Flame torching" with a propane tourch. See this link http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=338

 

[prerube]

Can't I just hang it in a fire place and smoke it like the settlers did with their meats in the 1700's . No wonder more people are not using bamboo tone poles

I am not giving up though, I now have the bamboo in a trash can in the shower. Everytime I shower I can give the can a stir and make sure the water doesn't stink.

I also put 6 sticks in a diaper genie bag to try to soak them and increase the humidity to see how that affects the bamboo.

 

[woodcutter]

About about a week of the initial solution soaking,wipe them down,put them in a brown paper bag. Put the bag near a sunny window[the southern exposure gets more sun] evry now and then open the bag to air out,give them a shake so they all will dry together This will allow them to dry slowly and prevent cracking. To reduce the space that this is taking up,you may want to use a heavy gage black kitchen trash plastic bag this will reduce solution volume and still cover then just fine. They are sterial and shouldnt be a problem.When you think of it pick it up shake it up to mix.

I think you mentioned that you had put fishing line on them already, unless you used Salt Water line
the string will become brittle and snap easly .
Id do this prosess at least 3 times, when finnished put them in an open brown paper bag to dry,shake every day like shak and bake to dry properly. And just remember good things take time,stay the cource.

 

[prerube]

so I should not soak them for 90 days? only 1 week?

 

[woodcutter]

They will suck up more solution if they dry just a little every now and again, Iv taned some hides like this that gave me problems like Fox and Beaver their very oily.

 

[nic777]

I have worked with bamboo a little bit. there is a much faster way of drying it you might want to experiment with. "Flame torching" with a propane tourch. See this link http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=338

im not sure what sucked me into this thread, and then i find a BAMBOOFORUM, this internet thing is getting way out of hand.

 

[prerube]

Currently they are still soaking. I keep meaning to take them out to dry them, but I want to make sure my storage area stays above freezing before I do anything. At the very least I can have them dry in my shower while I am traveling over the holidays.

 

[woodcutter]

Some projects seem to take soooo long to prosess, but there worth it.

 

[prerube]

I left the bamboo soaking for 2 weeks while on vacation, I came back and my house smelled like a rancid fish tank. I spent all night scrubbing scum off the bamboo and hanging it to dry in a very cold storage room.