Part way done a ghetto bamboo bike conversion and thought hey! why not post some pics.
The bike started out in life as a delightful late 70's Gas pipe Vulcan 10 speed that found it's way into a thrift store and then to my "studio".
A couple of years ago I did the obligatory SS conversion that was fun while it lasted but, truth be told, the bike has been under used since then because I have a FG I like to ride more. Shhhh... don't tell the Vulcan.
So as is the way, it was into the parts bin and out with the wire wheel to remove some paints from the glug lug areas.
They say some species are better than others but I just went to a local bamboo supplier and picked out a couple of poles I thought would fit.
A quick eyeballing and they were cut to size.
Then out with the ol hacksaw and away went the Top, Seat and Down tubes (I had to reduce the longish top tube nub a bit more after the photo to make the bits fit together). I used some hemp cord to fill in any gaps between the bamboo and pipe nubs eds.
I also left the seat and chain stays metal for aesthetics and because it seemed like a lot of work to do them. I like to think of it as a hybrid which sounds progressive.
Tacked together, we engaged in some light bondage for a spell.
And I thought I took some pics of the next phase but I guess I didn't.. Huh?
Basically, I used some hemp cordage from Mallwart and West System epoxy to bind each joint in a round about crisscross fashion, painting the pipe and cord with epoxy as I went until saturation was achieved. Then I bound each joint with electrical tape (sticky side out) to set. This squeezes the hemp together so there is a consistent mix of cord and epoxy and no air pockets. After it set the tape was removed.
When the first epoxy coat was cured the amine blush was washed off (a waxy byproduct of epoxy curing) and the epoxy and bamboo pipes were wet sanded so a second coat of epoxy would stick. There were a few holes to fill and in those I jammed some more hemp cord.
I then painted a second coat over the joints and bamboo, laying it on thick where divots and crevasses had formed in the hemp cord.
Now it has to cure again and then we'll see if a third coat is needed or not. After that I will touch up the metal bits with paint and reassemble.
End of Part One...