[TowerTalk] Bamboo Quad Spreaders

[NPAlex at aol.com]

Dave,
The best bamboo that is used for fishing poles and spreaders has been  
"flame" cured (dried) which hardens the wood (drives the moisture out) and adds  a 
hard finish which is somewhat blackened by the flame.  DO NOT char the  
surface, but raise the surface temperature until some blackening occurs.   You might 
Google for some specific details, Southern Louisiana is a popular  place for 
the cane pole industry.
 
Norm W4QN
=================================================================
Message:  8
Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 18:58:11 -0500
From: "WA3GIN"  <wa3gin at comcast.net>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Bamboo Quad Spreaders
To:  _TOWERTALK at contesting.com_ (mailto:TOWERTALK at contesting.com) 

Hi  Folks,

Santa brought me a dozen 40ft bamboo stalks freshly cut and ready  for drying 
and UV sealing treatment.  

I'm looking for suggestions  regarding the sealing paint/varnish material 
used.  

In the past 920  years ago) I used marine spar varnish which was mixed for 
100% outdoors  use...much has changed in the paint/varnish industry since then.  
I have no  idea what works today.  

I tried polyurethane on one element and it  flaked away in a few years of 
exposure to the sun.

I'm also open to  speader color ideas. I know from experience that people who 
paint their front  doors black experience severe wood spliting, apparently 
from the excessive heat  build-up when the doors are exposed to sunshine, so I 
think black is not a good  color but what about silver, white, sky blue?

Thoughts are  welcome,
dave
wa3gin





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