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Progcraft · Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2004 11:02 pm Post subject: Bamboo bending by beginners

Say that five times fast!! Smile

G'day all.
I have numerous questions, So, for those who've done this if you'd like to supply some answers, please do Smile

I need you

My first question is this. For a mylar eddy kite, 20cm X 20cm (btw, I totally messed up those numbers in another thread, so for those who may be confused, bear with me, I'm leaning) about how thick around should bamboo spars be?

Second, just how much discolaration and cracking of the wood can I get away with??
http://kites.icelands.ca/Bamboo_Bending/Bamboo_Bending_001_lg.jpg

You may note a certain, oddness, in that picture. I'm thinking that most people who do this sort of thing use an expensive caliper and a cheap candle. I'm useing a $1.00 caliper, and a $600 heating element Rolling Eyes

My last question is this. What do you use for snipping the ends clean? Or do you saw through these tiny sticks?

Ok, so, where did I get this bamboo your asking? Chopstick!! For that authentic chinese look Smile

I think this is too much http://kites.icelands.ca/Bamboo_Bending/Bamboo_Bending_004.jpg

Thanks for your help Smile

Cheers,
P.
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Children of the Wind Kite Festival
http://www.windykids.ca/

KiteSquid · Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 8:36 am Post subject:

I have not built many bamboo kites but I was lucky enough to attend a workshop taught by a Mr Sun of China. His son lives in the DC area..

Several points

Try to heat the bamboo SLOWLY and evenly were you want the bend.

Too little heat and it will not bend. To much heat and you get ashes...

Practice a lot to get the feel of the right temp to heat to..

The chopsticks you are using look like they are from the center of the bamboo stem.

Photo borowed from HERE a bamboo fishing rod builder's web site.

If you look at the photo above you will notice a higher density of "Power fibers" near the enamal of the stalk. The Enamal is the outer skin of the plant.

Look at the cneter part of the stem, and you will notice that it is mostly pith without much power fibers....

Now look at the end of your chopstics... The enamel is most likely removed... I could be wrong but I did not see it in the photos you posted, Please advise.. You dont have to have the enamal in place on a kite but most kites I have seen it is left in place as it it easyer to leave it... Bamboo fishing poles it is removed.

You want to bend the stem away from the enamal if possiable. It is easyer to bend in that direction and less likely to break it...

Bending bamboo is a skill I did not want to hone as I prefer to work in Carbon and to a lesser degree, Fiberglass....
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VR/
KiteSquid
AKA TakoIka
AKA Harold
King George VA

P.S. Yet another post by the Squid..... Shocked

Doesent he ever shut up???

P.P.S. The wind is like the air, only pushier.

Spence602 · Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Posts: 352 Location: USA TX Houston

Progcraft · Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 9:15 am Post subject:

Thanks Spence. Good help there. I think my pieces are way to thick. I've figured out a decent way to split each chopstick into quarters, but I think I should split them again. I also think I've been trying to heat them to fast. I'll use a lower temp and try to go a bit slower on my next tests.
Yup, the chopsticks are cheap. $1.00 for a package of 24 sticks. Smile

Thanks guys.
P.
_________________
There is no box.
Children of the Wind Kite Festival
http://www.windykids.ca/