The framework of classic Chinese kites
consists mainly of bamboo, partly supplemented by reeds,
Sorghum rods, etc. At the moment, wood, fiberglass,
synthetic carbon fiber and light metals are also used. Bamboo has many advantages. It is light, the fibers are straight and dense, so the bamboo can have considerable strength and elasticity. Bamboo rods come in many different qualities, types and specifications. The processing is very easy: You can easily bend them over an open flame without exposure to heat. When the final shape is reached, the cooled and bent bamboo retains its shape and largely its elastic properties. The dimensional stability is excellent, but you should note that bamboo is more flexible and elastic than wood. This can be a disadvantage with kite elements that require high rigidity. The bamboo belongs to the same grass family as sugarcane. There are many types of bamboo in China. In China there are 20 genera in over 200 species. The bamboo grows mainly south of the catchment area of the ChangJiang River. |
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1.
Selecting the right kind of Bamboo
Other types of bamboo of minor importance
are Mong bamboo, Qian bamboo, Shi bamboo, Huangruo
bamboo, Jian bamboo. Details
of their use cannot be discussed here. |
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2: Choosing the right Bamboo material (1) The tip of a bamboo pole is quite thin and has many branches or twig attachment points (knots), so the tip cannot be used. You can only use the middle part of a bamboo pole, and only the part where the diameter changes little from knot to knot. With the ready-made bamboo rods in Europe, this of course no longer plays any role, since only the middle parts are offered here. Only in flower shops you may sometimes find uncut natural bamboo rods. (2) After cutting through a bamboo pole, we look at the cross-section: the outside is the bamboo bark, further inwards, immediately adjacent to the bamboo bark, there is a zone with dense fiber organization. It's called bamboo green. Further inside, next to the green bamboo, there is a zone with loose fiber organization. It's called bamboo yellow. Bamboo bark and green bamboo are normally used to make kites. The bamboo yellow is generally cut off, but how much bamboo yellow is cut off should be decided according to the detailed construction situation (see Figure 6-1, bamboo in cross section). (3) The freshly cut bamboo contains too much water. Therefore, it is easy to bend and shape. Prior to use, it should be stored in a shady and cool place. Bamboo, which has been deposited over several years, contains very little water and is brittle, firm and rigid. It is difficult to bend, can split easily and is normally not used for building kites. Of course, the freshly cut, young bamboo and the already split old bamboo cannot be used either. The storage of the bamboo is already a small art in itself. |
Copyright 2002 ff: Hans P. Boehme