Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: dragonman on November 05, 2010, 05:03:54 pm

Title: Bamboo fungus question
Post by: dragonman on November 05, 2010, 05:03:54 pm

Hi everyone on the PA, best wishes to you all and good luck with your bows.  I bought a couple of 5" dia. bamboo poles about a month ago. split them and left them standing to dry in the house, they had 30% moisture at the time, I noticed some white mold in some of the cavities so I wiped  it with  white spirit to kill it, anyway a month later there is patches of bue/greyish black stain that has penetrated right through the bamboo, not just on the surface. Has anyone out there had this happen or know if this is harmfull to the strength of the bamboo, it wasn't cheap and I dont want to waste it, but I also dont want to waste time with boo thats no-good. Would appreciate some help I'm confused whether or not to use it??

David

Title: Re: Bamboo fungus question
Post by: mullet on November 05, 2010, 05:13:01 pm

 I have , when my Boo got wet in the shop and we were having a lot of rain. It's mildew. Wipe it real good with vinergar and it will kill it. I couldn't get rid of all the stain, though. And it didn't hurt the boo's integrity.

Title: Re: Bamboo fungus question
Post by: dragonman on November 05, 2010, 05:33:08 pm

Thanks Eddie, thats good to know, gives me more confidence to go ahead and  use it.

Title: Re: Bamboo fungus question
Post by: oat on November 20, 2010, 10:44:56 am

The mechanical properties may or may not changed, depend on how serious the invasion was.
 Fungi ate only the starch-rich part and rarely touch lignified brown bamboo fibers. But too much invasion will cause problem because you may loss most of the matrix.
I usually cook new bamboo on dry heat til oil/steam come out, wipe it, bend it(if you want) and left it dry. These will improve fungi and insect resistant.
 

Title: Re: Bamboo fungus question
Post by: markinengland on November 20, 2010, 02:07:31 pm

Most of the problems I have had with bamboo backed bows have originated from parts of the backing that have been blackened across the grain. Where there have been lines down the power fibre this hasn't been an issue.

Title: Re: Bamboo fungus question
Post by: Eric Krewson on November 20, 2010, 07:51:57 pm

I had some bamboo in the basement. I decided to move it to my shop and noticed some mold on the belly side. The bamboo had also a turned a grayish color on the belly side, made a bow with it anyway. Here is the result.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/frankenbowboom.jpg)