The best bamboo for pipe making! This is the first of several articles on making bamboo pipes. The best bamboo for pipe making is Bambusa Textilis. In new Zealand this is often sold as [Bambusa] Gracilis. Gracilis is a cultivar of Textilis. Here are some fotos of Textilis.  This foot shows the culms which have a bousih tinge especially where the culm sheaths have been. Here is another angle of the same plant.  The bamboo grows to a good height. This bamboo has done well because it has had a heap of compost at its feet for two years. It is only five years old. Here is a close up of a culm showing the long internode legth of individual culms.  This one is 453mm [or 45cm] This is average for this clump. Some internodes are shorter on other culms.  This one is 210mm. I have one that has been seasoned in my workshop thati is over 500mm  I don't make pipes from fresh bamboo. I let it season in my workshop for some time. At least six months. Here is a foto of a pile of bamboo cut into lengths for pipemaking.  It has aquired a covering of dust, but the sound is amazing when they are really dry. Next post......... cutting and trimming the bamboo. Cheers Chris the Pipemaker. |
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