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Bamboo in New England?

Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 3:31 pm
by hegan
I've been searching for a long time to find bamboo in New England and the only place I can find it is on the west Coast and shipping is outrageous. Does anyone know of any places in the north east to get bamboo?

Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:14 pm
by MontuckyMadman
Well its grown and processed in asia so....

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 12:07 am
by Dr. Delam
Your best bet is to see if there are any local builders that do a decent production and go in on an order with them. I'd love to trade you for some New England hardwoods if I weren't in Cali.

I got a couple sheets last year and other than the fact that it makes cores super easy I'm not too stoked on it. Too soft flexing and also hard on my planer blades. To say that it's ecofriendly is also hogwash as it is shipped from half way around the world and there's a ton of glue in it.

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 12:07 pm
by skimann20
I have not seen anything out here. I had to get mine from the west. If you find it out here let me know.

Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 8:30 am
by sammer
I'm with the Dr on this.

Bamboo is probably the most hyped "green" product for the last few years.
Not only is it shipped half way around the world, but the process of making grass into lumber requires huge amounts of chemicals and energy.
I would bet if the bamboo was grown in North America you would not be allowed to make it into boards for environmental reasons. Or to make it clean would be cost prohibitive.
It is hard and fairly water resistant, so would probably make good side walls.
But for cores I found it's flex was too soft and it is really hard on tools.

If you want to promote green building find a saw mill close to you and buy your wood from them.
I've got a buddy with a small mill 5 km's from my house.
He cuts poplar, pine, and fir off of his property. This is "green" and supports my local economy!

sam

Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2017 4:57 am
by chrismp
sammer wrote:If you want to promote green building find a saw mill close to you and buy your wood from them.
I've got a buddy with a small mill 5 km's from my house.
He cuts poplar, pine, and fir off of his property. This is "green" and supports my local economy!
My thinking exactly! I have a sawmill 1.5h from where I live and they produce perfect boards of spruce that are used by pretty much all the big name piano manufacturers (they are really picky when it comes to wood). Plus, spruce has one of the best ratios of youngs modulus to weight and the best thing is that it's cheap. 8)