Replies

1. 
   UncleDunc | Feb 27, 2005 06:59am | #1

   >> i would imagine that the seasonal movement would be less than that of most solid woods.

   If you're not facing a strict deadline, why not do a little experimenting and find out. It would be a public service. :)

   Dry a piece in the oven until the weight stabilizes, and then measure it. Then keep it in an airtight container with a container of water but not in the water, until the weight stabilizes again and measure it again.

1. 
   skyecore | Feb 28, 2005 04:23am | #5

   wow, cool info uncle dunc!but im un-clear about about 2 things..first.. i dont know what you mean by the weight stabilizingsecond.. with the airtight container.. Why does it matter if its air-tight? Thanks alot for the info..______________________________________________

   --> measure once / scribble several lines / spend some time figuring out wich scribble / cut the wrong line / get mad

1. 
   UncleDunc | Feb 28, 2005 05:48am | #6

   >> first.. i dont know what you mean by the weight stabilizingCut a chunk of bamboo. The bigger the piece is, the easier it will be to detect small weight changes, but the shorter it is, the less time it will take to accimate to different conditions. Put the sample in the oven on very low heat. The lowest mine will go is about 170F, which is probably not too high, but I would put the sample on two stacked cookie sheets so it wouldn't see the direct heat from the coils. (BTW, a gas oven is not good because burning gas generates water.) Weigh the piece every few hours until is stops losing weight. Then measure the width. That is the smallest it will ever get.>> second.. with the airtight container.. Why does it matter if its air-tight?Because if it's not airtight, the water you put in it will be trying to humidify the whole house. If the container is airtight, the relative humidity inside will rise to 100%. Again, weigh your sample periodically until it stops gaining weight, and measure it again. This is the largest it will ever get. Then you will know the worst case shrinkage of the material.In practice, no piece you build is ever likely to be oven dry or completely saturated. The slow way to find out how the bamboo reacts to the actual conditions in your house is to leave a sample hanging around in the room where your finished piece will live and measure it every couple of weeks for nine months or a year. (Six months might not be long enough to catch the actual maximum and minimum.) The fast way is to buy Bruce Hoadley's book Understanding Wood (good book, really bad index) and set up your airtight container again. Instead of using just water, you use supersaturated solutions of various salts that hold the air in the chamber to a given relative humidity. He tells what chemicals to use to set the RH at various levels between 20% and 95%.

2. 
   jazzdogg | Feb 27, 2005 07:21am | #2

   If it's pre-finished with an aluiminum-oxide formulation, it'll dull your saw blades faster than teak. If you can get it unfinished, please let us know how it works for you.

   -Jazzdogg-

   Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.

3. 
   DennisS | Feb 27, 2005 06:59pm | #3

   skycore -

   I've installed a little bamboo flooring and found that it's very 'stringy'. Requires very sharp tool. Otherwise it's neat stuff to work with.

   I did find that it seems to be extremely hygroscopic. Had a couple pieces of unfinished bamboo plywood in my unheated shop behind a bunch of other stuff. Got moldy from the humidity in the air.

   ...........
   From Beautiful Skagit Co. Wa.
   Dennis
1. 
   skyecore | Feb 28, 2005 12:57am | #4

   yeah, ive been websurfing different online sellers and reading their installation instructions trying to "data-mine" and that seems to be what everyone is saying..______________________________________________

   --> measure once / scribble several lines / spend some time figuring out wich scribble / cut the wrong line / get mad