Calfee Bamboo
This process has gotten a lot easier this past year. Calfee now offers very high quality bamboo pieces designated by width and length. Sidewall thickness is very good on these tubes. Unless one wants the challenge of harvesting, curing and prepping their own bamboo then I see no reason not to use Calfee's stock. Just be sure to buy the appropriate lengths and widths depending on your own frame measurements - the bamboo pieces marked Large are, indeed, quite large so keep that in mind.
In the past I have used local bamboo as well as other bamboo sources online for bicycle frame building. All but Calfee's have either cracked here in the shop, during shipping or were much thinner in both width and sidewall thickness. In all Calfee's bamboo is extremely robust, plus, it is pre-sanded! I normally do a very light sanding after the frame has been built but the smoothness of the bamboo he supplies is great.
I should also note all the bamboo pieces have had the nodes removed which is also very convenient. I recommend his tutorial videos as well for building the frame and his jig system looks very easy to use and straight-forward - I personally use his "miter toolset" for mitering my bamboo pieces.
PLEASE NOTE, AS OF YEAR 2020 CALFEE IS NOT OFFERING THE RAW BAMBOO. HE HAS MOVED TO ONLY SUPPLYING CARBON OR HEMP REINFORCED BAMBOO TUBES. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN RAW BAMBOO TUBES PLEASE TRY THIS LINK HERE.
http://www.shopcalfee.com/bamboo/
In the past I have used local bamboo as well as other bamboo sources online for bicycle frame building. All but Calfee's have either cracked here in the shop, during shipping or were much thinner in both width and sidewall thickness. In all Calfee's bamboo is extremely robust, plus, it is pre-sanded! I normally do a very light sanding after the frame has been built but the smoothness of the bamboo he supplies is great.
I should also note all the bamboo pieces have had the nodes removed which is also very convenient. I recommend his tutorial videos as well for building the frame and his jig system looks very easy to use and straight-forward - I personally use his "miter toolset" for mitering my bamboo pieces.
PLEASE NOTE, AS OF YEAR 2020 CALFEE IS NOT OFFERING THE RAW BAMBOO. HE HAS MOVED TO ONLY SUPPLYING CARBON OR HEMP REINFORCED BAMBOO TUBES. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN RAW BAMBOO TUBES PLEASE TRY THIS LINK HERE.
http://www.shopcalfee.com/bamboo/
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