Anyone know where to get bamboo?

[Carl Fisher]

I'm looking for 1/4" or 3/8" bamboo for some relatively small box projects. I can't seem to find anywhere affordable for what is supposed to be a "fast growing, cheap and renewable" source of material.

I considered using bamboo flooring, but even that has moved to engineered with MDF or HDF core which isn't what I'm after.

Anyone have any thoughts on a source?

 

[Berta]

I have no answers. If/When you find a source, could you please let us know. I would also be interested.

 

[CrealBilly]

Get on RT 15 headed north from Oxford. There are two stands of bambo I know of - the first is south of the bypass (route 158) on the west side of route 15. The second is up route 15 north, just past the elementry school and just south of the stovall park on the east side of route 15 across from the old fire department.

Just make sure you ask before you cut - good luck

First stand is on westbury drive oxford nc


The second stand is inbetween gillis and lewis stovall nc


Granted i moved from NC 3 years ago - but the stands were there when i was there last year. oxford and stovall had not changed since i left only change was everything seemed pretty run down... i made a number of long fishing poles out of some when i lived in stovall.

Just please keep the kudzu in NC -:lol we dont.want or need it here in southern IL

 

[Jim M.]

Carl,
Try the Woodwokers Source, you might want to call them, some lumber is not listed on their site. They are located in Phoenix AZ, but they ship for reasonable rates. I've been to their stores and the wood is top notch. Jim

http://www.woodworkerssource.com/shop/SFNT.html

 

[Carl Fisher]

Carl,
Try the Woodwokers Source, you might want to call them, some lumber is not listed on their site. They are located in Phoenix AZ, but they ship for reasonable rates. I've been to their stores and the wood is top notch. Jim

http://www.woodworkerssource.com/shop/SFNT.html

I actually had looked at their site at one point, but the only bamboo listed is 4x8 sheets for $97 and it's just veneer over ply which doesn't do the trick in this case. Maybe I'll give them a call.


I'm trying to make some asian inspired boxes and I can't think of any other relevant wood to use.

 

[Jeff]

A surprise to me...Bamboo is a grass, not a wood species!

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/bamboo.htm

Maybe with a little resawing to get your 1/4"-3/8"? Basically $24/bf at S4S.

http://www.rockler.com/bamboo-lumber-by-the-piece

There are lots of reasons why bamboo isn't readily available in our so-called "lumber" forms and just about everything is some sort of a laminate. Here are a few reasons...

http://www.wood-database.com/bamboo/

 

[Fishbucket]

"asian woods"

east indian rosewood
Koa
Eucalyptus
Teak
Black palm
ebony Macasser

 

[Henry W]

For small boxes like you are interested in, I would likely go to lumber liquidators and either buy solid flooring bamboo (comes in case though, so minimum quantity is high) or the baseboard. It is only 1/2" thick, and prefinished, but if you want to use bamboo, this is available in 6' lengths (1/2" x 3 1/4" x 6' - priced just under $4/LF, so likely $24 for a single stick (don't bother calculating BF price, or you won't buy this).

http://1/2" x 3-1/4" 6LFT Carbonized Bamboo Baseboard


Other color versions (caramelized) are also available at similar 'every day low prices'

Henry

 

[Carl Fisher]

Lots of good info.

I might be able to get by with a box from Lumber Liquidators. I'll have to edge glue for the top and bottom to get the full width I need, but they do have a 3/8" option that will probably yield about 3.5" of usable width once I cut off the tongue and groove. I think that may be the winner.

 

[Dan Bowman]

Bamboo stems are hollow so we're dealing with a cylinder of tough fibers; you can't just cut it up the way you would a log. Dimensional material is made by slicing the cylinder into strips and gluing them into beams to be cut to size. Veneer for plywood can be made from strips or by peeling. Either way, the material you buy will be processed, unlike intact lumber we're more familiar with. You might look at https://www.calibamboo.com/. This from ebay may also be of interest: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bamboo-Vert...224671?hash=item3ad48eb21f:g:bsMAAOSw8w1X~SCy

 

[Carl Fisher]

Do you know if it will glue with wood glue or will I need to use an epoxy?

The stranded and compressed stuff like you linked is what I'm after rather than the veneer over a core of MDF/HDF.

I'm going to stop by lumber liquidators sometime soon and grab a sample of what I think will work. The have a 3/8" x 3 15/16" for pretty cheap that claims to be all horizontal strand bamboo like those linked above but I need to see what the board lengths are and figure out how much will end up as waste based on the box design.

 

[Dan Bowman]

Titebond should work fine. Note that bamboo is pretty hard on blades.

 

[CrealBilly]

Oh you meant plywood - guess i wasted a bunch of everyone time and mine there.