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Some of the bamboo began to crack while getting its 2 weeks sunbath, its a pity since i dont have much bamboo anyway, so the question is how to close those cracks and how to prevent further cracking.?
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Itamar Foguel wrote:
Some of the bamboo began to crack while getting its 2 weeks sunbath, its a pity since i dont have much bamboo anyway, so the question is how to close those cracks and how to prevent further cracking.?
It would be a good idea to close the cracks up before binding them by humidifying the bamboo. Binding along is unlikely to close the cracks, but it will hold closed cracks if enough binding is applied.
You can put the culms in a humid enclosure, or they can be wrapped with dampened strips of cloth and placed in long plastic bags. When the cracks are closed, hop to it.
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Jon wrote:
Will that work on "raw" green bamboo?
Only one way to find out, isn't there? The cracks result from moisture loss, green or not--and who knows how 'green' his culms are, anyway? Cracks aren't gonna close by themselves, y'know.
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Itamar Foguel wrote:
Some of the bamboo began to crack while getting its 2 weeks sunbath, its a pity since i dont have much bamboo anyway, so the question is how to close those cracks and how to prevent further cracking.?
Hi Itamar, have you seen these threads on cracked bamboo?
http://www.shakuhachiforum.com/viewtopi … 735#p20735
http://www.shakuhachiforum.com/viewtopi … 715#p18715
The second link has some pics:
Every winter I get a lot of cracked flutes coming in for repairs. This photo shows some repairs along with some cracked stock I was attempting to save.
Humidify and bind.
Be well, Perry
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Jon wrote:
Since bindings alone stop the cracks from moving while it finishes curing I say don't mess with it...!
"Stop the cracks" as opposed to "close the cracks" ain't the same thing. The culms will have to be humidified eventually in order to close the cracks (just ask Perry, with his big poly storage containers), so you may as well humidify them now, close the cracks and bind them to keep them closed, and then let the curing process work itself out with the cracks closed. All of your culms are will not be usable, but some will survive.
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Itmar, if your bamboo has cracked and they are still green, I would bring them to Ken's BBQ. It's a weed, there's more out there.
Be well, Perry
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i binded some, most of them are not cracked so bad but only one piece is not cracked at all. and Perry...as of now its preety much hard to get root end bamboo here in israel either green or dry (i got those from a guy who got all his house serrounded with beutifull tall bamboo, but he takes some out only once every few months and i cant take more....), myn are after sun bath and abarnuki lying and air drying in my room. i should try the wet rug in a few months after they completely dry?
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Itamar Foguel wrote:
i binded some, most of them are not cracked so bad but only one piece is not cracked at all. and Perry...as of now its preety much hard to get root end bamboo here in israel either green or dry (i got those from a guy who got all his house serrounded with beautifull tall bamboo, but he takes some out only once every few months and i cant take more....), myn are after sun bath and abarnuki lying and air drying in my room. i should try the wet rug in a few months after they completely dry?
Hi Itmar,
I just reread my earlier posting and see that it may have come across a little flippant. I did not mean to make fun your bamboo situation. It was my attempt at humor while exhausted from daddy duties. My apologies if it came across that way.
Since your bamboo is not fully cured, it would be best to prevent further cracking rather than repairing now. You can save your hands by using round metal hose clamps to secure them. Put a clamp every 4cm up to the end of the crack. I have a few pieces like this in my shop that I harvested in Kyushu in 2003. The cracks are stabilized and have not moved in years.
When you are ready to make the flute, measure out the length, mark the finger holes, then bind every 2cm (at least 1cm away from any finger holes) before you do the work. This will save you from having to remove and rebind in case you put one near a hole. You should also protect them by putting painter's tape over them as you work.
Here's a shot from my fire escape this morning:
This piece of Chinese Madake was sent from China a year ago from someone who wanted to barter for a flute. This piece cracked in transit and arrived with a 10cm hairline at the top. The following day was rainy day so I put it on the fire escape. The crack closed in a matter of hours. The next day it was sunny and the crack opened up. I decided to leave it on the fire escape for research. Over the past year, I've kept and eye on it. The piece has experienced summer, direct sunlight, winter, snow...and cab exhaust. It has now reached the root. I hadn't decided when I was going to take it in but a student yesterday noticed it and said, "Hey, I didn't know you can keep keep a flutes out side like that!"
Every piece of bamboo is different. If your bamboo is thin-walled, like Phyllostachys Nigra (Black Bamboo) you will not need to humidify it. You could pinch the crack closed on Black bamboo. Young Madake can be thin walled also but if it's dense , aged and thick-walled like traditional Japanese Madake bamboo used for shakuhachi making, you will most likely need to humidify to close the cracks. This doesn't mean you have to wrap a wet rag around the bamboo, just place it in box with a cup of water. In a while, the crack will close. If not, you will need use a rag. I have encountered several very stubborn pieces on thick shakuhachi that needed to be wrapped with wet rags around it for over two days before the cracks closed (in these cases,you have to be carefull as the crack can grab the rag). What kind of bamboo do you have?
Take care of your babies
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Yungflutes wrote:
Here's a shot from my fire escape this morning:
Take care of your babies
Now, that's just rampant bamboo abuse! For your sake, I hope the Ji-Nazi isn't watching....
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edosan wrote:
Yungflutes wrote:
Here's a shot from my fire escape this morning:
Take care of your babiesNow, that's just rampant bamboo abuse! For your sake, I hope the Ji-Nazi isn't watching....
This research was done for the advancement and understanding if Jinashi! Ok, I'll bring her in today
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