Todays progress... tidying up or dressing the nodes.. (first four photos) each leaf node is filed off on the enamel side of the bamboo strip and then sanded with a light sandpaper to remove any marks left by the file. Each node is then heated over a trusty old black and decker heat gun and clamped in the vice. Once the node is hot enough it becomes pliable and the fibres that run through the node can be manipulated to conform more evenly with the fibres running the entire length of the bamboo strip. By clamping the strip in the vice, the fibres that run through the node can be forcibly straightened and compressed. I heat and clamp the nodes between the jaws of the vice enamel to pith (hence the piece of smooth metal angle in the vice jaws - preventing damage to the enamel side of the strip) and then repeat the process, clamping the strip at the node from side to side. What we are trying to achieve here is a smooth nodal area that has its fibres running as straight as possible instead of the lumpy, knotty, wibbly wobbly thing that we started with! I always run my fingers across the enamel side after pressing the nodes to feel if there are any hollows or raised areas. If there are, a little more filing or sanding as necessary soon smooths the area.. If anyone could start growing tonkin that has leaf nodes at least 5 feet apart, please let me know! As lovely as the nodes look on a finished rod, they really are a pain to deal with when building a blank!
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:14:00 +0000
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