For those that understand the firesaw with Bamboo...

[Diomedes Industries]

I have quite a bit of bamboo near my house (in Houston TX) - but none if it gets much larger than two or three inches in diameter.

Is there a type of bamboo or width that is necessary for making the fire saw work? I want to practice - but am a total newbie (other than watching MANY video's). Any help would be great in terms of materials.


TF

 

[Mistwalker]

I have quite a bit of bamboo near my house (in Houston TX) - but none if it gets much larger than two or three inches in diameter.

Is there a type of bamboo or width that is necessary for making the fire saw work? I want to practice - but am a total newbie (other than watching MANY video's). Any help would be great in terms of materials.


TF

the only times I have gotten the shavngs to coal, only tried a few times, I have used plain dried green bamboo.

My experiences are that it needs to be somewhat dry but not so dry it breaks easily.

It takes playing with it to get the timing of when to speed up and how much to speed up. Drying the shavings in the sun helped me the last time and keeping them tight against the "saw".

 

[Joezilla]

Its got to be hard, and dry. I would love to see pics of the green bamboo fire saw cause that is HARD if not impossible (at least from what i've seen). The key to it is pressure, and if you mount it on the ground you get a hell of a lot mroe pressure on it. It can't be brittle, thats why the upright dead stuff, near the tops of the tree canopy, seem to make the best stuff. snap not crumble!

 

[Mistwalker]

Its got to be hard, and dry. I would love to see pics of the green bamboo fire saw cause that is HARD if not impossible (at least from what i've seen). The key to it is pressure, and if you mount it on the ground you get a hell of a lot mroe pressure on it. It can't be brittle, thats why the upright dead stuff, near the tops of the tree canopy, seem to make the best stuff. snap not crumble!

It was well dried out,( maybe too well) and it was INCREDIBLY HARD to accomplish. The first few times I sawed nearly half way through the board without getting a coal, and those first few times things went flying when venting my frustration. Getting the coal was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life and I am glad I didn't try to video it, I could feel how red my face was in the end. Figuring out the timing took practice, and nearly more patience than I possess. Later I tried with another type of bamboo with heavier walls, and it was a lot easier but it's still work. I like knowing that it can be done, but mainly it was an exercise in learning the real value of a lighter or a ferro rod.

 

[scruffuk]

I'm off to China in the next few weeks and at the very least I'd like to try the fie saw/plough and to cook in em.

Good luck in your efforts. All I can say is give it a whirl and see what you can produce.

Regards

scruff