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#11
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Bamboo Propellers
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/ava...d/Chapter4.pdf
It seems to me after a VERY quick session of internet research that bamboo, due to its high density and variability, may not be very usable for aircraft structures. Good selection, grading, and using the fibers similar to Microlam's use of conventional wood fibers - might - produce an aircraft grade material. This probably would not be cheap nor something an impoverished home builder could fabricate. Makes nice cutting boards and floors! ========================= Leon McAtee Still testing materials for an improved version of TPG.................. |
#12
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Bamboo Propellers
On May 23, 8:45*pm, wrote:
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/ava...-10440027/unre... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Leon, After reading the report you've cited (Thank you) I am more wiling than ever to carve a prop from bamboo. Since I can't seem to open a Group dedicated to Bamboo, I can at least open a file dedicated to that subject. It will be in the Chuggers-alt Group. -R.S.Hoover |
#13
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Bamboo Propellers
On Sat, 23 May 2009 13:25:23 -0700 (PDT), Veeduber
wrote: To All: I believe we've made our point, albeit indirectly. Bamboo in the form of planks is available. We still need more information with regard to length and thickness. I will create a Bamboo Group to serve as an archive for information as it is developed. -R.S.Hoover wot I'd like to know is not how strong the bamboo is but how strong the bamboo nodes are. you know, the cell ends that occur about every so many inches along the length. Stealth Pilot |
#14
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Bamboo Propellers
wrote in message
... http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/ava...d/Chapter4.pdf It seems to me after a VERY quick session of internet research that bamboo, due to its high density and variability, may not be very usable for aircraft structures. Good selection, grading, and using the fibers similar to Microlam's use of conventional wood fibers - might - produce an aircraft grade material. This probably would not be cheap nor something an impoverished home builder could fabricate. Makes nice cutting boards and floors! ========================= Leon McAtee Still testing materials for an improved version of TPG.................. First, thanks for the link to a very interesting research result. The report looked interesting enough to print out Chapter4 and the conclusion for review later today--when I have committed to a real estate open house even though it *really* looks like rain! However, even without having read more than a few lines, a couple of things did catch my eye: 1) Carefull hand selection of materials is an unbearable burden for a volume manufacturer; but not necessarily for a hobbyist--and people who live where doing so is common practice tend to become very good at it. And I might add that doing so might simply be convenient for someone who lives some distance from suppliers, or someone who is simply in proximity to a large selection of cheap material from which to conveniently select. I might add that Bob has been advocating something of the sort for those willing to select small quantities of straight grained soft woods from the local Borg. That can often be quicker, more convenient and more entertaining than ordering from one of the "aircraft grade" suppliers--so poverty is far from the only motivation, but bamboo could easily be a very low cost solution for someone who lives where it is locally grown. 2) The small sizes of clear grained material available may not be that severe of a problem for a rimary glider or a very small and basic single seat airplane. Actually, that "problem" could even be a blessing in disguise by forcing, or at least strongly encouraging, the builder to put redundancy into the structure--which might provide a greater real world margin of safety than simply "overbuilding" with more typical materials. 3) It is just as possible to make too much of the weight issue as it is to make too little of it. Here in the US, we tend to think of strict weight limits in terms of FAR Part 103--and recently in terms of Light Sport--but those specific weight and performance limitations are far from universal. If you think of utility in terms of simply flying and safely landing your aircraft, then it also gets a lot easier! I am amoung those who tend to think of airplanes in terms of fast and convenient travel over long distances, so I must admit that I bamboo is not for me. But for any who might be interested in the entire treatise, here is the link: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/ava...2000-10440027/ Thanks to Leon for providing the reference, which I would never hae found on my own. Peter |
#15
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Bamboo Propellers
"Veeduber" wrote in message
... On May 23, 8:45 pm, wrote: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/ava...-10440027/unre... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Leon, After reading the report you've cited (Thank you) I am more wiling than ever to carve a prop from bamboo. Since I can't seem to open a Group dedicated to Bamboo, I can at least open a file dedicated to that subject. It will be in the Chuggers-alt Group. -R.S.Hoover That might actually be a better choice, as you should get fewer unrelated uses of bamboo. Peter |
#16
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Bamboo Propellers
On May 24, 8:00*am, "Peter Dohm" wrote:
That might actually be a better choice, as you should get fewer unrelated uses of bamboo. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Peter, It might also be more realistic. In the portion of the report showing preparation of test samples, they appear to have been taken from bamboo that was about 2" in diameter. Then Stealth mentions the nodes occurring every few inches. What I am thinking of is bamboo having a diameter of 6" and up, with a couple of FEET between nodes. I believe their are government entities in India and the Philippines similar to our own Forest Products Laboratory, in that they are dedicated to providing quantified data about their nation's forest products. These are the people who should be able to provide the information we need... once we track them down. In India there is the 'Indian Academy of Wood Science,' which may be of some use. I should also point out that I am not locked in to the idea of bamboo propellers. But I have seen some bamboo of remarkable size growing like weeds. The stuff is probably too heavy to be used for longerons and the like but it may be useful as propeller-carving material. -R.S.Hoover |
#17
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Bamboo Propellers
Veeduber wrote:
In India there is the 'Indian Academy of Wood Science,' which may be of some use. I should also point out that I am not locked in to the idea of bamboo propellers. But I have seen some bamboo of remarkable size growing like weeds. The stuff is probably too heavy to be used for longerons and the like but it may be useful as propeller-carving material. -R.S.Hoover Bamboo is put to some pretty incredible uses. A trip to Hong Kong or even Beijing will leave you astounded. The buildings being built are incredibly tall and surrounded with hand tied bamboo scaffolding. I have walked under and on a lot of it at this point and I have taken many pictures of it. I have also seen a lot of lifting engines put together with it hoisting heavy electrical equipment. Charles |
#18
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Bamboo Propellers
On May 24, 7:48*pm, Charles Vincent wrote:
* ...The buildings being built are incredibly tall and surrounded with hand tied bamboo scaffolding. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Charles (and the Group), In shipyards and aboard ships, too. But the 'hand-tied' may be misleading. The ties are pre-bent hair- pins of iron wire, about 3/16" thick. When being pre-bent they leave a loop about an inch in diameter, while the throat of the hair-pin may be as wide as 10" The hair-pins are slipped onto the joint and a standard rigger's bar is inserted into the eyelet and the rigger's-bar is turned, tightening the connection to whatever spec was required. You're correct with regard to strength and their swiftness of erection but of even more interest is their method of transporting the poles used to build the structure, which is done by HAND, catching each pole and passing it overhead to the next team. -R.S.Hoover |
#19
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Bamboo Propellers
On Sun, 24 May 2009 21:48:27 -0500, Charles Vincent
wrote: Veeduber wrote: In India there is the 'Indian Academy of Wood Science,' which may be of some use. I should also point out that I am not locked in to the idea of bamboo propellers. But I have seen some bamboo of remarkable size growing like weeds. The stuff is probably too heavy to be used for longerons and the like but it may be useful as propeller-carving material. -R.S.Hoover Bamboo is put to some pretty incredible uses. A trip to Hong Kong or even Beijing will leave you astounded. The buildings being built are incredibly tall and surrounded with hand tied bamboo scaffolding. I have walked under and on a lot of it at this point and I have taken many pictures of it. I have also seen a lot of lifting engines put together with it hoisting heavy electrical equipment. Charles dont be bamboozled by this. asian scafolding uses the strength of the building for stability and support. western scafolding is usually self supporting and free standing. the underlying approach to the scaffolding is quite different structurally. btw why would anyone bother with bamboo when the same locales have mahogany propeller woods as native forestry? |
#20
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Bamboo Propellers
On May 25, 4:04*am, Stealth Pilot
wrote: btw why would anyone bother with bamboo when the same locales have mahogany propeller woods as native forestry? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Stealth, If valid, that's a good point. Does mahogany grow in proximity to bamboo? I've sent a number of queries to offices and individuals supposedly involved in promoting forest products of India and other SE Asian countries without receiving a single reply. When I worked along-shore I was surprised to see that ships carrying cargos from that part of the world used MAHOGANY for dunnage. Indeed, some years later when stationed at Naval Air Station Alameda I build a 14 foot cat-boat. All of the solid lumber parts were made from mahogany dunnage I salvaged from piles of the stuff down near the carrier piers. (The mast was a section of Fir banister-rail; the boom scarfed from pieces of pine. -R.S.Hoover |
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