Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ
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#1 2006-06-16 16:55:49
- EDF
- Member
- Registered: 2006-06-10
- Posts: 9
Surface and bore finish
I made a shakuhachi via howtomakeshakuhach.pdf by Ken LaCosse,
and it was 'perfect'.
Even though it was a grotty piece of bamboo from a carpet
i.e. the pole the carpet came on, it was very near the measurement
in the pdf. My policy being nothing ventured/nothing gained,
I sucessfully made a flute out of it.
56cm long, but the formula in the above was easy to apply to get the
holes in the correct position, and it sounded great.
To finish the bore and stop it getting wet,
I used a very thin mixture of white spirit
and varnish. I usually wipe on - wipe off this mixture
and it seals wooden items that I make e.g NAF Flutes,
carvings, boxes etc. I poured a small amount into the
mouthpiece and turned the flute whilst it ran down
(after covering the holes with tape) until I was sure
the whole of the inside was coated. This mix takes about
20 minutes to dry (usually).
But (sob!)....
On this piece of bamboo it lookes like I'd painted it in milk!!!!!!
Arggggg! 
I could use beeswax on the outside, but this wouldn't
work on the bore.
So, whilst pondering what to do now - the shakuhachi still
sounds great even though it now looks like a big white straw - what
does this esteemed forum recommend for sealing the bore please?
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#2 2006-06-17 13:32:53
Re: Surface and bore finish
EDF wrote:
So, whilst pondering what to do now - the shakuhachi still
sounds great even though it now looks like a big white straw - what
does this esteemed forum recommend for sealing the bore please?
My method and results of using tung oil in the bore are somewhere in this thread. (Tung oil, by the way, is from the nut of the tung tree. Sometimes it's called China wood oil.)
Tung oil dries hard but takes a long time to get there. I think your varnish mixture will seal the bore at least as well as tung oil. Does the milky-white appearance in your bore really matter?
Or you could venture into the land of urushi. Someone else here can probably give you good urushi advice.
Congratulations on your "carpet roll" flute! Beautiful sounds can come from the most mundane places.
-Darren.
When it is rainy, I am in the rain. When it is windy, I am in the wind. - Mitsuo Aida
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#3 2006-06-17 19:53:52
- edosan
- Edomologist
- From: Salt Lake City
- Registered: 2005-10-09
- Posts: 2185
Re: Surface and bore finish
Regarding use of urushi, I would query Perry Yung. He frequently coats the bores of his jinashi flutes with either a black, brown or red urushi. He also has substitute coatings for those who are urushi-sensitive.
eB
Zen is not easy.
It takes effort to attain nothingness.
And then what do you have?
Bupkes.
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#4 2006-06-18 02:42:15
- EDF
- Member
- Registered: 2006-06-10
- Posts: 9
Re: Surface and bore finish
Thanks.
I have found out that bamboo is extremely high in silica,
which is white, and it would seem that this piece of bamboo
has been affected by the white spirit, lifting the free silica
paricles out of the timber.
Apart from the appearance, the bamboo is undamaged.
I polished off the outside with very fine wire wool,
and it looks fine now. The inside is still white though,
but water resistant now.
Next time I'll try Danish Oil, which has tung oil
in it, but dries quicker than neat tung oil.
Thank you for the suggestions.
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