Uses for bamboo?

[spandit]

I've got loads of bamboo in the garden. Unfortunately, it only grows to about 14mm diameter at the very most so not great for making vessels/roofing out of. As mentioned in other threads it burns too quickly to be of much use as a fuel but short of propping up beans, are there any good uses for it?

I quite fancy making a thatched roof for my log store but not sure how to attach everything...

 

[Emdiesse]

I've got loads of bamboo in the garden. Unfortunately, it only grows to about 14mm diameter at the very most so not great for making vessels/roofing out of. As mentioned in other threads it burns too quickly to be of much use as a fuel but short of propping up beans, are there any good uses for it?

I quite fancy making a thatched roof for my log store but not sure how to attach everything...

Bamboo Bow

Hang on, i'll see if I can find a tutorial from on here years ago!

[edit]
Here it is: but all the pictures have gone

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6057&highlight=bamboo+bow

I believe it was a bow like the Kombai had on Bruce Parry's tribe:

[/edit]

 

[santaman2000]

Sounds more like reed cane than bamboo. Doesn'r matter though, either one makes a great fishing pole.

 

[Humpback]

Have a look on hammock forum for Turtlelady's bamboo hammock stand. Your dimensions would require doubling up though I think. Alan

 

[Ogri the trog]

You could build a camp loom and weave some cool mats!

Great for outside the tent door to stop sand & muds getting traipsed in.

Ogri the trog

 

[Harvestman]

Fishing spear!

 

[mountainm]

I've got loads of bamboo in the garden. Unfortunately, it only grows to about 14mm diameter at the very most so not great for making vessels/roofing out of. As mentioned in other threads it burns too quickly to be of much use as a fuel but short of propping up beans, are there any good uses for it?

I quite fancy making a thatched roof for my log store but not sure how to attach everything...

You could try a fire saw with it....

 

[the interceptor boy]

small needles pot, a small tea spoon, some spatulas, Cray fish and eels traps, traps figure of four, small eating matts, blowpipes, twisting bamboo fibres for tying odds bits, harden bamboo knife, cut at 45 degree angles. toothpicks, small bamboo knife sheath, loads more, I have forgotten quite a few more, when I was a lad this was my favorite piece of wood in my backyard in the tropics. cheers hope this help the interceptor boy.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Only 14 mm ?...Sure it's bamboo ? Plant stakes including tomatoes, trellis fencing, paint stirers, home made agility jumps for dogs, ..................my patch , which I am currently trying to eliminate as it takes over half the garden in the summer, has canes over 5cm thick so has more uses like broom handles, wind chimes, fruit tree tutors...even furniture...

The use of bamboo is limited only by one's imagination.

 

[NikolaTesla]

It's not Japanese Knotweed is it ^^, also Knotweed is edible.

 

[spandit]

It's not knotweed. It's definitely bamboo just not a particularly thick one - canes are like the ones you can buy in garden centres for holding up plants.

I'd love to know what variant it is to see if the shoots are edible

 

[Hugo]

I believe your dog likes eating bamboo, so chew sticks could be on the menu.
Bamboo mats are great things to make, are you taking orders for them yet.

 

[iandstanley]

It is worthwhile finding out exactly which species of bamboo it is. Most of the species are edible ... I'm not talking about the little shoots at chinese restaurants but the big 12" high 2" wide shoots.

There is a nice little video of a kid demonstrating cooking the bamboo [video=youtube;g23k1uTRPUw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g23k1uTRPUw[/video]

 

[tartanferret]

How much time have you got on your hands ?



http://www.bamboosero.com/

TF

 

[tartanferret]

It's not knotweed. It's definitely bamboo just not a particularly thick one - canes are like the ones you can buy in garden centres for holding up plants.

I'd love to know what variant it is to see if the shoots are edible

I too was wondering if it was Japanese knotweed, Its a pain to get rid of !

 

[spandit]

It's definitely not knotweed!

Not all bamboo is that wide, this stuff grows quite tall, up to 20' & is quite invasive, for which I have a sly respect

 

[santaman2000]

Those photos look exactly like ordinary river cane (aka reed cane) here. So does the description you gave of it being quite invasive. And usually an attraction for balackbirds.

 

[spandit]

Those photos look exactly like ordinary river cane (aka reed cane) here. So does the description you gave of it being quite invasive. And usually an attraction for balackbirds.

Did a quick search and found this thread - does look remarkably similar, doesn't it?

According to Wikipedia, it is a type of bamboo so we are both right!

Good to have it identified anyway. I'd better start making flutes, then... pity it's not larger diameter

 

[spandit]

Wow! Just set fire to the brash left over once I'd removed the canes - started with the thickest smoke I've ever seen but then roared away with a noise that sounded like I was burning ammunition - pop! bang!

Went very quickly mind, 15 minutes later & it's a small pile of smouldering ash

 

[Hugo]

There is a zoo up in Scotland that could do with some of the green stuff you just burnt, couple of panders are eating it up and asking for more.