Planing Strips
Planing strips to a taper
This is the heart of bamboo rod building. Planing bamboo down to the fine taper required is an art. Each one of the six strips that make up a tip section is 0.03125" thick on the small end (see toothpick on left for comparison). You will have become one with the material once you achieve that goal.
The most critical tool I use planing the bamboo strips is a Stanley Block Plane. I inherited a couple from my Dad. Unlike me they will never age. The blade should be upgraded to a Hock Tempered High Carbon Steel blade. Sharpening the blade and keeping it sharp is yet another art. I suggest getting a King 1000/6000 grit whetstone.
Chasing nodes at this step is your last chance to make the strips straight and smooth. I've sanded down nodes flat on the enamel or top side of the strip but nodes' power-fibers swell on the side and bottom of the strip and have to be trimmed down to match the dimension of the strip between nodes. I use a utility knife with a new sharp blade to carefull address this issue.
Practice. Practice. Practice. With a bamboo strip locked down into the planing form I start at one end of the form holding the plane with two hands and work the entire strip evenly. Repeat. Again. Planing is so about feel that you just have to dive in and give it a go. Good luck.
How will you know when you've mastered planing? When you fill up a few bags with these.
You'll also need good gloves to keep from shredding your hands while achieving that master planing status. LOL
