Trick for thinning bamboo

[TheWildCat]

   I use a joiner fer mine. I get the boo flat from one end to the other, then work from the center to each end to create a Barrel taper. Then I cook it fer a couple of hours in the heat box. It will have a slight cup to the planed area after it comes out of the heat box. Run over the joiner once more to get rid of the cup and have a heat treated, barrel tapered piece a boo.

[nickf]

I used a drawknife and spokeshave for the real rough work, then switched to surform, then to beltsander. But I imagine a electric planer works faster...

Nick

[bigcountry]

Guys, I know it has no soul, but using the electric planer is the cats meow.  Works like a champ.  I still don't have it real thin yet.  Only 1/8", but working out real nice. Well worth the 40 dollars.  Hope it last.

[Far East Archer]

Ah, my explain not good~
Yes, you can plane to knife edge no problem, but it seems getting thinner than that you have chance of splitting. More round bamboo is more likely to split, but it is not 100% will happen.....

Ive had times I able to plane it almost see through 
Keeping the knives very sharp always helps....
I put down hard rubber strip under the bamboo, this helps mold to shape of bamboo and acts as if its flat surface.