| Bamboo is a remarkable material. Although it is | | | | paper. This has been going on for hundreds of |
| very wood-like in appearance and texture, it is | | | | years. Paper can be made from bamboo cane |
| actually a form of grass that grows very tall, | | | | pulp, which is what a commercial process would |
| very quickly. Bamboo is traditionally used as a | | | | use, or from the sheaths from new bamboo |
| structural or decorative material, such as to | | | | canes. This second technique is a more informal |
| create rugs and flooring. But I wanted to explore | | | | technique that a person making his own paper |
| some of the more unusual uses for this material. | | | | might use. Commercial bamboo paper is not made |
| As I have discovered, bamboo can be used for | | | | in great quantities because of the economic and |
| just about anything. | | | | ecological expense. There are better uses for |
| Bamboo is a popular choice for making musical | | | | bamboo. |
| instruments, especially flutes. Bamboo flutes can | | | | Possibly the most strange use for bamboo is in |
| be traced back to ancient Egypt, from where | | | | the construction of bicycles. If you think about it, |
| they migrated to India, China, and Japan. But | | | | it makes sense. Bamboo is strong, straight, rigid, |
| flutes are not the only kind of musical instrument | | | | and light - exactly what you need for the frame |
| that can be made from bamboo. Bamboo can | | | | of a bicycle. There is a company in California called |
| also be used to make xylophones, drums, and | | | | Calfee Design that makes a line of bamboo bikes. |
| chimes, among other things. Bamboo has a very | | | | They are truly things to behold. The company |
| pleasant resonant quality that makes it a fine | | | | claims that the bamboo provides amazing |
| material for musical instruments. | | | | vibration damping - even better than carbon fiber. |
| Bamboo is a popular material for fishing fly rods. | | | | As would be expected, custom-crafted bikes like |
| Although it might seem intuitively that a single | | | | this are not cheap. Expect to pay $2 to $4 |
| bamboo cane would become the rod of the pole, | | | | thousand for one. |
| for professionally made fly rods this is not the | | | | Don't think for a minute that bicyclists have all the |
| case. In fact, the cane is split into strips, worked | | | | bamboo fun. There are a number of companies |
| into specific angles, and then reassembled | | | | that make skate boards and surf boards out of |
| together, bound with a rod binding machine. The | | | | bamboo. The bamboo in surf boards replaces |
| finished product looks smooth and professional, | | | | fiberglass, resulting in a board that is lighter and |
| far removed from what the original bamboo cane | | | | stronger. |
| looked like. | | | | Finally, bamboo can be used to make fiber. This |
| A company in China called HaPe International has | | | | fiber can then be used to make any kind of |
| released a line of toys made from bamboo, which | | | | clothing. You can literally wear bamboo, play |
| the company claims is the world's first collection | | | | bamboo, ride bamboo, eat bamboo, and live in a |
| of bamboo toys. The line consists mostly of | | | | house made of bamboo. Given that bamboo |
| traditional style toys and games, such as | | | | grows very rapidly, it seems certain that in years |
| Dominos, Castella, and a board game version of | | | | to come this environmentally friendly material is |
| Sudoku. | | | | only going to increase in popularity. |
| Just like wood, bamboo can be used to make | | | | |