Scraping Bamboo Backing (NODES)

[Mad Max]

Saw a post some where on sanding ? the peak of the nodes
I'am going to scrape the bamboo between the nodes with a razor blade very lightly.  yes?
Thanks

[jeffhalfrack]

I have been lucky with green scotch brite pads to remove the rind good luck JeffW

[KS51]

I just sand with 100 grit down through the rind (cambrium layer).  When it changes color, I stop.  I only do the nodes lightly until the rough stuff is gone.  I don't think I would use any type of sharp edged scraper.  One careless move and the fibers could be violated/cut. And the stuff on the top takes the most tension.  Given the amount of work it takes to prep and glue-up the boo, I wouldn't risk a careless mistake.  Sanding the boo is my last step before finishing, so I have a lot of time invested when I get to that point.

Ken,

PS I have seen bows where stain/stencils were done on the boo, but they only sanded the hard outer portion of the rind off and left the (creamy colored) middle rind in place.  This part of the bamboo will hold stain, unlike the main part, which won't take stain easily.

[Mad Max]

Thanks

[toomanyknots]

I always use a scraper. The card kind that has a burr rolled onto the edge. It has worked fine for me on many a bow.

EDIT: Oh, and I don't mess with the nodes, just scape the stuff between the nodes. Don't over do it. Just remove it till it changes color, and stop.

[Eric Krewson]

I have made 50 BBOs, scraped the rind off with a cabinet scraper on most of them but had a few more bamboo failures than I would have liked. I started filing the nodes down to where the crease was barely visible, now I only knock off the sharp edge.

I got gun shy about using a scraper and now sand the rind off only to the point that the color changes on most of the area between the nodes, no failures so far. Because my bamboo has some tiny valleys on the back I will leave a little bit of the rind, which stains up really neat with dark streaks.

Here is a sanded and stained(leather dye) bamboo back like I make now. I rubbed the stain out to lighten it between the nodes with a scotch bright pad.

[Marc St Louis]

I take the peak of the nodes down with a coarse file then sand it down but leave the crease visible, always going along the limbs and not across.  I also scrape the rind off but do as Eric, if there are valleys then what is left in there stays there.

[Mad Max]

Good Info Guy's

Thanks everybody