hey kurt (or anyone)
what insight can you give on bammbo shanks. you said mc has the tubing
do you have any item#. the way i ubderstand how to do a bamboo shank
is drill the bamboo @ 5/32 - then drill for the ss tubing in the stummel and the bamboo- ok how far in to the stummel 1/4" how far into the bamboo
then use a ss tubing tenon in the stem.
help use poor mortal souls kurt (i looked up ss tubing at mc they just give
od- w/ no id sizes). and the resason i'm asking kurt is because of all the help on delrin he gave us and how is he squaring the bamboo on the wook lathe and how do you finish bamboo- any sanding buffing etc
many thanks kurt
jim
bamboo shanks
-
Tyler
- Site Supporter
- Posts: 2376
- Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 8:00 pm
- Location: Farmersville, TX
- Contact:
Tyler Lane Pipes
http://www.tylerlanepipes.com
http://www.tylerlanepipes.com
-
KurtHuhn
- Site Admin
- Posts: 5326
- Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 8:00 pm
- Location: United States/Rhode Island
Part numbers from http://www.mcmaster.com:
304 Stainless tube, 3/16 OD, 5/32 ID: 6100K129
304 Stainless tube, 5/32 OD, 9/64 ID: 6100K113
I use both, depending on the bamboo and the stem. For thin, dainty bamboo and stem, I use the thinner tube.
My basic procedure (not THE procedure, just the one I use):
Drill the mortises for both sides. For the stem side, I use 1/2" minimum, and usually closer to 3/4". The stummel side only needs about 1/4" since it's just to help line up the holes and provide some joint support. I do this on my lathe, with the speed cranked up to about 4000RPM to provide a clean cut. I do all this by hand, in a fashion similar to drilling after shaping a stummel, using a sharp center in the tailstock as a means of advancing the bamboo and supporting the end not currently being drilled.
It's important to be sure you've got things lined up right, otherwise you'll end up with your stem travelling out at a distinctly different angle than the shank. There's no secret here, just line things up using the drill bit and tail stock as guides.
After both mortises are drilled, I chuck a long, tapered drill bit for the airway into the headstock. Keeping the RPM as high as it will go, I work slowly, advancing the bit by hand, and clearing the dust/chips often. This is largely a handiwork stage, and relies on a steady hand and keen eye. You also have to "feel" the bit as it travels through the bamboo, so that you can keep it on teh intended path. Once it reaches just over halfway, I flip the bamboo around and do the same thing from the other end. You might be able to get away with doing the whole piece from one end if it's short or perfectly straight, but I prefer to switch sides halfway through.
To square the ends of the shank, I slide the bamboo onto a piece of drill rod stock that matches the mortis diameter. Then I set the RPM to about 1200-1800 depending on the degree of bend in the bamboo, and use a cutoff tool to carefully square the face. Repeat for the other side. Then I use a countersink to clean up the edge of the mortis and ensure a tight alignment of both faces.
At this point I cut my stainless tube using a cutoff saw, and grind it to length and de-burr the outer edge on the bench grinder. I also de-burr the inside of the edge with a small grinding stone mounted in the dremel.
Prior to assembling the bamboo onto the stummel, I add any accent or trim rings using epoxy. It's at this stage that I'll use the stainless tube as a guide for setting the rings. Take note, a little epoxy goes a long way when you're talking about mating surfaces that are as small as these. Don't over do it. And don't put epoxy inside the mortises - either bamboo or stummel. The procedure for adding trim rings to a bamboo shank is virtually identical to the one for stem rings. Just make sure their faces are square.
One thing that I do, is I actually use the trim ring on the stem side as a structural piece. That's where the stem is going to get most of its frictional holding power, and not necessarily on the bamboo. For that reason, I make that ring at least 1/8" thick and ensure that the fit is nice and night to the tube.
Once the accent rings are added, I epoxy the bamboo to the stummel. Insert the stainless tube into the stummel WITHOUT EPOXY. Apply a little epoxy to the face of the stummel shank, and slide on the bamboo and line it up right. Remember, a little epoxy goes a long way. You can sand it off later, but the less there is, the better. You can also wait until it's nearly cured and still somewhat rubbery and then peel it off. I prefer not to do this, as it can sometimes remove epoxy from inside the joint.
The stems I make for bamboo shanks are made similarly to the way I do delrin tenons. Just substitutiing stainless tube for delrin. For the bamboo mortis, you need to be sure that your drill bit will allow for a tight fit of the stainless tenon. It's best to experiment with some cheap bamboo to find the right bit.
Does that help?
304 Stainless tube, 3/16 OD, 5/32 ID: 6100K129
304 Stainless tube, 5/32 OD, 9/64 ID: 6100K113
I use both, depending on the bamboo and the stem. For thin, dainty bamboo and stem, I use the thinner tube.
My basic procedure (not THE procedure, just the one I use):
Drill the mortises for both sides. For the stem side, I use 1/2" minimum, and usually closer to 3/4". The stummel side only needs about 1/4" since it's just to help line up the holes and provide some joint support. I do this on my lathe, with the speed cranked up to about 4000RPM to provide a clean cut. I do all this by hand, in a fashion similar to drilling after shaping a stummel, using a sharp center in the tailstock as a means of advancing the bamboo and supporting the end not currently being drilled.
It's important to be sure you've got things lined up right, otherwise you'll end up with your stem travelling out at a distinctly different angle than the shank. There's no secret here, just line things up using the drill bit and tail stock as guides.
After both mortises are drilled, I chuck a long, tapered drill bit for the airway into the headstock. Keeping the RPM as high as it will go, I work slowly, advancing the bit by hand, and clearing the dust/chips often. This is largely a handiwork stage, and relies on a steady hand and keen eye. You also have to "feel" the bit as it travels through the bamboo, so that you can keep it on teh intended path. Once it reaches just over halfway, I flip the bamboo around and do the same thing from the other end. You might be able to get away with doing the whole piece from one end if it's short or perfectly straight, but I prefer to switch sides halfway through.
To square the ends of the shank, I slide the bamboo onto a piece of drill rod stock that matches the mortis diameter. Then I set the RPM to about 1200-1800 depending on the degree of bend in the bamboo, and use a cutoff tool to carefully square the face. Repeat for the other side. Then I use a countersink to clean up the edge of the mortis and ensure a tight alignment of both faces.
At this point I cut my stainless tube using a cutoff saw, and grind it to length and de-burr the outer edge on the bench grinder. I also de-burr the inside of the edge with a small grinding stone mounted in the dremel.
Prior to assembling the bamboo onto the stummel, I add any accent or trim rings using epoxy. It's at this stage that I'll use the stainless tube as a guide for setting the rings. Take note, a little epoxy goes a long way when you're talking about mating surfaces that are as small as these. Don't over do it. And don't put epoxy inside the mortises - either bamboo or stummel. The procedure for adding trim rings to a bamboo shank is virtually identical to the one for stem rings. Just make sure their faces are square.
One thing that I do, is I actually use the trim ring on the stem side as a structural piece. That's where the stem is going to get most of its frictional holding power, and not necessarily on the bamboo. For that reason, I make that ring at least 1/8" thick and ensure that the fit is nice and night to the tube.
Once the accent rings are added, I epoxy the bamboo to the stummel. Insert the stainless tube into the stummel WITHOUT EPOXY. Apply a little epoxy to the face of the stummel shank, and slide on the bamboo and line it up right. Remember, a little epoxy goes a long way. You can sand it off later, but the less there is, the better. You can also wait until it's nearly cured and still somewhat rubbery and then peel it off. I prefer not to do this, as it can sometimes remove epoxy from inside the joint.
The stems I make for bamboo shanks are made similarly to the way I do delrin tenons. Just substitutiing stainless tube for delrin. For the bamboo mortis, you need to be sure that your drill bit will allow for a tight fit of the stainless tenon. It's best to experiment with some cheap bamboo to find the right bit.
Does that help?