Heat treating Bamboo

Flem · February 18, 2019, 09:53:54 AM

Anybody ever heat treat, toast, caramelize, etc, bamboo and if so how do you do it?
Any noticeable performance difference between toasted and un-toasted?

Roy from Pa · February 18, 2019, 10:08:18 AM

With heat!

BMorv · February 18, 2019, 10:16:07 AM

I haven't done it, but I've seen people heat treat bamboo when using the outside (rind) as the belly. They say it helps the compression strength a good bit.
I haven't seen anyone heat treat bamboo when using it in tension (for a back). I'm assuming it wouldn't help the tensile strength but could harden it and make it more brittle and susceptible to splinter. I doubt it would make much of a difference when used as a core.

Check out some of James Parker's bamboo bows if you are interested in this toasted belly design.

Flem · February 18, 2019, 10:25:55 AM

Quote from: Roy from Pa on February 18, 2019, 10:08:18 AM
With heat!

Walked right into that one, or maybe stepped in it

Roy from Pa · February 18, 2019, 10:28:25 AM

I've heated a lot of boo in the wood burner, after a lightning strike, if that helps?

Flem · February 18, 2019, 10:31:24 AM

Quote from: Roy from Pa on February 18, 2019, 10:28:25 AM
I've heated a lot of boo in the wood burner, after a lightning strike, if that helps?

Your on a roll

KenH · February 18, 2019, 11:27:02 AM

But seriously.... a $20 heat gun from Harbor Freight; or you might be able to sneak-use the Missus' hair dryer.

Pat B · February 18, 2019, 12:08:55 PM

I watched James Parker(huntworthyproductions) heat treat boo for belly on his boo back and belly bow. He used a propane rosebud torch and it looked like he was totally burning it up. When done it was BLACK, not chocolate brown like I do for selfbow bellies. Tempering(heat treating) really increases the compression strength of the boo for a belly. You do not want to temper the boo backing because it makes it brittle and will splinter when under tension.

wood carver 2 · February 18, 2019, 12:46:33 PM

Quote from: Pat B on February 18, 2019, 12:08:55 PM
I watched James Parker(huntworthyproductions) heat treat boo for belly on his boo back and belly bow. He used a propane rosebud torch and it looked like he was totally burning it up. When done it was BLACK, not chocolate brown like I do for selfbow bellies. Tempering(heat treating) really increases the compression strength of the boo for a belly. You do not want to temper the boo backing because it makes it brittle and will splinter when under tension.

This is how I learned to do it. Heat treat the belly lam only and get it black. A light sanding will remove the loose char. When it's varnished it will look awesome.
Dave.

Flem · February 18, 2019, 01:14:30 PM

Don't know if I'm brave enough to take a flame to it! I was thinking of baking it, but I don't have access to a pizza oven.

Forwardhandle · February 18, 2019, 03:19:04 PM

I have never tempered boo if it's similar to wood I would use a heat gun & a infrared thermometer hold the heat gun about 4" above the surface and heat slowly to 350 Deg F doing it in sections I hold the heat at 350 Deg F for a while wood plasticizes at those temps not sure about boo !

wood carver 2 · February 18, 2019, 03:31:47 PM

I tried using a heat gun. It takes forever. Grab a torch and go for it! Just keep the flame moving and don't let it catch fire.😁
I found that there is a side benefit to burning the boo. The heat causes it to cup backwards towards the rind. This allows me to get it even thinner when I go back and flatten it again.
Dave.

Flem · February 19, 2019, 09:54:49 AM

Found this last night. Seems Bamboo flyrod makers turned it into a science. Now I just need to figure out where to bake the stuff.
http://www.powerfibers.com/BAMBOO_IN_THE_LABORATORY.pdf

Forgot to add, you flamers should read pages 19,20.

M60gunner · February 19, 2019, 06:39:30 PM

I heat treat bamboo to make flyrods. I use what is called a heat gun oven. Basically two sizes of stovepipe with insulation between. I get the temp up to 320* and leave the strips in for 15 minutes. I have also used the propane torch method but on the whole clumnot strips or lams. Yes it turns black, steam comes out, even catch fire. But we remove the rind anyway. I file the nodes down before "flaming". Can't see why it wouldn't work on lams, just have to be careful not to let them catch fire. The black stuff will come off with steel wool.
Ovens like mine are homemade and except for the heatgun (1200 watts) cheap to make. Try searching "heatgun ovens".

garyschuler · February 19, 2019, 07:03:55 PM

Some guys have used a single burner propane buddy heater that mounts on top of a propane tank that you can turn horizontally. They slowly drag the lam across the wire mesh of the heater head and go slow enough for the bamboo to smoke but not catch fire, It will work with a little practice on scrap boo to get the speed and timing down. Wear gloves and I use a spring clamp on one end to pull the lam through the heat.

Flem · February 20, 2019, 10:20:35 AM

I was checking out the heatgun ovens. Thats a great, simple idea, thanks. One thing was not clear to me though, are they left open on one end, or is there some kind of damper incorporated?

M60gunner · February 21, 2019, 11:48:56 PM

Left open.

Tim Finley · February 22, 2019, 10:36:00 AM

I remember one fellow used a Iron like you use to iron clothes. He laid a piece of cloth on the lam and slowly went over it back and forth .