Bamboo Plywood(?)

**chrisb691** · 19th May 2007, 08:42 PM

My son turned up last week, with some offcuts from a couple of his contacts. I scored various bits of plywood of different thicknesses, which will be useful for jigs. An assortment of thicknesses/colours, of Corian. These will end up as pens, centrebands, and bushes.

Amongst the assorted nits and pieces, was some narrow offcuts of weird looking plywood(?). Turned out to be made of bamboo, which is surfaced with 4mm hoopine(?) veneer on both faces. Total thickness is 20mm.

Looked as if it might be interesting as a pen, so I gave it a go. Mongrol stuff to turn. It fact it doesn't actuaal turn at all, it just tears off the surface. ie one continous tearout. Now I don't own good quality chisels, but even so.....I don't normall have to resharpen 3 times for 1 pen. Bloody stuff was harder than the chisels.

In the end, I got it to rough shape, and then used 80 grit to get a reasonable surface. Lost a lot of shape definition in the process.

Sanded to 800, followed by 3 coats of ca. Then sanded to 1000, and finished with EEE, and a coat of Shellawax.

pic1. The starting material.

pic2. The finished pen.

pic3. Closeup of the grain (for a want of a better word).

It ended up quite 'interesting' visually, but I'll be buggered if I'll do another one.

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 19th May 2007, 08:47 PM

Nice! Bamboo ply, eh?

It may've been hard stuff to work, but IMHO the end result was worth it.

**DJ’s Timber** · 19th May 2007, 08:51 PM

Certainly looks different, not too sure that I like it or not

**chrisb691** · 19th May 2007, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Nice! Bamboo ply, eh?

It may've been hard stuff to work, but IMHO the end result was worth it.

If you want a couple of blanks to try, pm me your address and I'll send them out. Maybe the stuff will turn with a skew (

), but I can't use the evil thing yet.

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 19th May 2007, 09:15 PM

Done!

**chrisb691** · 19th May 2007, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by djstimber

Certainly looks different, not too sure that I like it or not

Since I made the thing, I feel duty bound to like it. I'm trying really hard, but not quite succeeding.

**old dog** · 20th May 2007, 12:14 AM

Yes l must say it is different. Different is good

**bdar** · 20th May 2007, 09:14 AM

Chris, maybe because of the cross grain of the bamboo and the glues that they use for gluing the ply may have been the cause of your resharpening. It is different, but that is what will catch the eye of a potential buyer. I have just received some from a mate in Texas, cutting it along the grain seem ok and it takes a dye really well. I don't know if your ply would be able to be dyed but may be worth a go.
Darren

**Rance** · 20th May 2007, 10:48 AM

Chris,
I think I agree with DJ, I'm not real impressed with the grain, but for fit and finish, I think you did it well.
I have recently been fiddling with some bamboo someone gave me off and on. I cut up some 8ft sticks for some scouts for practicing lashing etc. I ended up putting a small chunk on the lathe the other day 'just because'. First of all, I had to find one with a thick wall, the thinner ones were useless. Lo and behold, when finished sanding, cleaning with alcohol, and polishing with Mylnads, it actually came out with a pretty nice looking grain. And that was without the final step of Carnuba wax.
The piece I turned was about 3.5 in. long and 7/8in. OD. Problem is, the ID is about 1/2in. I can't see using it for a pen as it is, but I'm trying to come up with a way of reducing the overall diameter so it can be used for pens. Maybe splitting it on the table saw (read: big kerf) and gluing it back together. Repeating this at 90 degrees, then at 45's to those cuts. Just some thoughts.
As for turning it. Just breaking up the small stuff by hand can be impossible. It's like celery. Strong, but stringy. I think that's what you were running up against (cutting the end grain). However, with the grain running parallel with the spindle, what I had turned nicely. Also when I made humps and such, it showed a bit of end grain that did a nice accent. What I'm saying is don't give up, I think there's some potential with bamboo, I've just not mastered it either.
Again, nice craftsmanship on an ugly pen.
Rance

Edit: Looking back at your pic 1. I think you could do well with the plywood but just using it long grain like we normally do. Go ahead, give it a go.

**PenTurner** · 20th May 2007, 05:24 PM

Chris, I like the pen, it makes you look again, with the options that others have given it looks like there are a few variations that could be tried. AmosBy the way, I am trying to put a "smilie " in but for some reason I cannot do it, Does anyone know what button I need to click to reactivate smilies?????Amos

**celeste** · 20th May 2007, 08:09 PM

Hi Guys

I am putting some bamboo 15mm T & G in the renos and its horizontal, so you see the knots. it is compressed bamboo not ply. If any one is interested in any off cuts for Pens I will be happy to mail some to you.

Celeste

**ScrollZilla** · 20th May 2007, 11:53 PM

G'day Chris, I actually like the pen. With the great job you did on the finish, you can really see the details of the wood. I know that in the past, I have done some pens that were such a pain to do, I swore I would never do them again, and didn't like them, probably just because of how hard they were to do. Cheers,Rick

**Rance** · 21st May 2007, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Rance

Again, nice craftsmanship on an ugly pen.

Chris, I'm not one of the better known folks here on the forum. Hope you realize I meant this in the nicest way.

**chrisb691** · 21st May 2007, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by Rance

Chris, I'm not one of the better known folks here on the forum. Hope you realize I meant this in the nicest way.

No offence taken, I reckon you're dead right.

**Simomatra** · 21st May 2007, 06:53 PM

Well worth all the hassle but take care of the dust

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