A Moment of Tiki Episode 46: Bamboo Redux
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ต.ค. 2024
- Way back in episode 1 of A Moment of Tiki I discussed how I torch bamboo that I've harvested myself. Since then, I've learned that bamboo mites are a serious problem in some parts of the U.S. where bamboo grows naturally, and flame treating at home normally doesn't get the bamboo hot enough to kill all the mites or their eggs. Fortunately, folks in Asia have been using bamboo for centuries and have devised methods to kill these insects and ward off infestation by soaking the bamboo in a solution of borax and boric acid. A bonus of this is that the treatment makes bamboo toxic to other wood-boring insects such as the dreaded powder post beetle and termites. It also offers some protection from mold and fungus. Sounds great to me! Here's the recipe I've found online at bamboou.com/tr...
BORAX TREATMENT
3.5 Gallons warm water (13.5 liters)
2 lbs. Borax (.9 kg)
1.3 lbs. Boric acid (.6 kg)
Combine the borax, boric acid and warm water in a bucket. Stir until dissolved. The solution is mildly toxic to people and animals, so don't let any pets drink it and wash it off if any splatters on you. It is quite toxic to wood-boring insects, so soaking bamboo or other wood in the solution will offer significant protection from those creepy-crawlies.
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Great information for treating bamboo. I’ve seen what happens when bamboo isn’t treated…sad to see people work so hard on building only to find out bugs are living in the bamboo. Stuff of my nightmares! Thank you for the information.
How common are bamboo mites? Are there any signs on already cut pieces I can look for?
I'm no expert on this, but they are present in California and Florida. So they're more common in those states than elsewhere (and I wouldn't move untreated bamboo from either of those states to places where they've not become established. That's common sense). Aside from holes and frass visible in cut bamboo, I'm not sure what other signs there may be--other than visible signs of the insects crawling around the bamboo. Google is probably your best bet at this point.
If you have bamboo that's been up for more than a year with no sign of mites, you're probably good. Otherwise, a good Borax soaking will eliminate any potential problem.
If you torch the bamboo, doesn’t that just kill the mites?
Not necessarily. It can kill some, but the eggs are more durable. Think of it this way--for hardwood lumber, the interior must be raised to an internal temperature of 133F for a minimum of 30 minutes to earn a sterilization certificate. I'm certainly hitting that when I torch bamboo, but the pieces are comparatively small and cool quickly. I could probably build a solar kiln to accomplish this, but that's a lot of work and takes up significant space while the borax method works just as well and also inhibits mold.
To be clear, burning is for longevity/preservation and borax is for infestation protection?
Broadly speaking, yes. Burning is mostly for aesthetics, but also increases water resistance if you spread out the resins (any bamboo exposed to the elements will weather fairly quickly but torched bamboo protected inside will survived indefinitely). Torching is not a dependable method of ridding bamboo of insects. Using borax is absolutely for infestation protection but also contributes to longevity as it increases bamboo's resistance to mold and fungus.
I just harvested a whole bunch of 1-1/2" culms ~25ft long from my bamboo patch in the backyard and started the burning process on one last night. Now if I only knew what to do with them once finished. How do you split the culms in half? Is it as easy as batoning a knife all the way down?
I've done it with a sharp machete. Bamboo loves to split. That said, it doesn't necessarily love to split straight. You've got to pay attention otherwise the split will drift one way or the other and you'll end up with a taper. To ensure 50/50 splits I built a jig for my table saw. Pretty much overkill but it works well for larger culms. Not recommended if you're not already familiar with table saws.
@@LagoonofMysteryI recently found your channel and I'm eternally grateful for the wealth of information you are sharing.
I'm a misplaced Texan living in Tennessee presently.
Any chance we could get a video of splitting/cutting bamboo from you? I'd like to build a jig but cant find much online.
Thank you!
@@CaptRich-bi3gp I haven't had much luck splitting it--my cuts invariably veer one way or the other. I built a jig for my table saw. Drop me an email and I'll share.
@LagoonofMystery I've looked in the description and the "about" section of your channel. I'm not finding an email addie?
@@CaptRich-bi3gp jblaschke@hotmail.com
Is there a reason you can’t torch the bamboo prior to doing the solution and soaking for a week? Just means you get the colour you’re after. All the best from the U.K.
Not really, Steve! Since I'd already shown how to torch bamboo in episode 1, explaining the borax treatment was my priority this time around. I could've torched the bamboo before soaking it, but it just didn't occur to me. 😄
@@LagoonofMystery ah ok, thank you for the reply 👍🏼
From other vids ive seen on this they are only doing it for a few hours instread of days/weeks at most since the cap action of the bamboo still works after they cut it they are not breaking the nodes out ...Or they are using the Boucheire Method and its done even faster. Are you doing it for longer since your is allready dry for a long time ? th-cam.com/video/Aghf4j9ly8A/w-d-xo.html
If it is fresh and green, then the capillary action may work. But if it is dried to any extent, I don't know that would be effective. Popping those nodes ensures the solution will reach almost every surface that could be attacked by insects.
Again, I'm not an expert. I'm going with the best available information I have. Hopefully that gives you a good starting point to explore and learn about the issue on your own. I certainly wouldn't want anyone to take what I suggest here as an absolute truth that cannot be questioned! 🙂
I saw that same video too; however, they are pressurizing the bamboo to force the capillary action and then dry it for 2 months. May not be a bad technique but does require additional planning and equipment. The guy in your video also has a video with the same technique as Lagoon of Mystery. Just a thought. I am sure either is better then no treatment.
@@tonysarman6790 No pressurizing here--strictly low-tech soaking!