Bamboo Rafts Material

[SinghaLover]

Sawadee Khap,

I am currently looking for information on bamboo rafts and a place where I could aquire the raw materials for some.

Maybe one of you has already built one of these in the past or knows a place where I could get more information on them. I know that many of the northern hill tribes build them but I would not know how to contact them.

A few questions I have:

1. How long would you estimate does it take a group of 3 or 4 to build one from raw materials? It would have to withstand the currents of a river but only be used for about 2 hours at a time before being dissembled again.

2. I suppose this depends on the type of bamboo, but how often (if at all) are those materials reusable? Would you have to let them dry and then could use them again?

Any contact addresses will be highly appreciated!

Thanks a lot

Cheers,

Singha

[SomchaiCNX]

Go to an elephant camp that offers bamboo rafting and observe them.

Mae Taman, Chiang Dao, Mae Ping etc.

You will have all your answers, within an hour.

[whiterussian]

[jaideeguy]

My first visit to CM 18 yrs ago, I did the tourist trek thing.......hike, elephant ride, overnight at hilltribe village [back still hurts from the bamboo bed] and grand finale was the down river bamboo raft ride.

At the landing site that was used by many other tour companies, there were maybe 100 rafts and I asked the guide 'what happens to the bamboo?' he said 'it gets sold to the bamboo dealers'

I think.....'how clever these Thais are...tourists pay them to transport bamboo for the Thais!!!'

maybe the tourists need work permits??

[whiterussian]

Any luck finding a bamboo dealer?

Needed for making a structure in my garden... the big poles are what i need

tia

[MESmith]

Any luck finding a bamboo dealer?

Needed for making a structure in my garden... the big poles are what i need

tia

Have you tried the bamboo merchant on CM-Lamphun rd, south of the ring road with Global House on.  If he doesn't stock the size you want, he may be able to get it from his suppliers.  As you head towards Saraphi, he's on the left.

[whiterussian]

Any luck finding a bamboo dealer?

Needed for making a structure in my garden... the big poles are what i need

tia

Have you tried the bamboo merchant on CM-Lamphun rd, south of the ring road with Global House on. If he doesn't stock the size you want, he may be able to get it from his suppliers. As you head towards Saraphi, he's on the left.

Thanks MESmith! Yes, they are just up the road from me, Im just being ki neow, because as you and I know, if we jump the middleman everything is much cheaper! They are not too expensive, will pop back today, thanks!

[MESmith]

Thanks MESmith! Yes, they are just up the road from me, Im just being ki neow, because as you and I know, if we jump the middleman everything is much cheaper! They are not too expensive, will pop back today, thanks!

You always drive up into the jungle with a machete, & literally, cut out the middleman 

Or, maybe plant your own, then you have a renewable supply.  That's what I do.  Don't do it to save money, but because I love the look of bamboo.  Then whenever I need some, just harvest a few pieces.

[whiterussian]

Thanks!!

I bit the bullet, turns out the prices go up when they have to split and craft the bamboo..

just the poles are very cheap:

Big poles (8cm Diameter x 5 Meters length) = 25 baht

Medium poles ( 6cm x 5m) = 19 baht

Total for my bamboo raised bed: 200 baht!!!

(I might have to pay the moobaan handyman to strap em together)

look at the state of that lawn. rock solid, bone dry.

--------

Its meant to look like this (except my jumbo poles are only 4 deep) - but I've done away with neat ends on the corners, for the authentic rustic look :

Edited April 8, 2010 by whiterussian

[MESmith]

Great info on the bamboo poles prices.  Are you planning to treat the bamboo with anything to preserve them?  Mind you, it'll be cheaper to replace than pay for the wood preservative, & less chemicals near your veg.  Post a pic of your finished raised bed.

Now you'll be needing some soil......

Edited April 8, 2010 by MESmith

[whiterussian]

Hi, no not planning to treat them, they say they wont rot for at least 3 years.. and at 25 baht a pop.. no worries..

Yes... I will need soil .. 1.3 to 1.5 cubic meters. Not sure how many standard bags that is

I think about 850 litres of soil, I dont know how they measure soil here..

so thats about 17ish big bags of soil... maybe 400 baht... (going to splurge on the soil!)

maybe my calcs are all wrong...

Will try and get the handyman to tie it all together tomorrow...

Only thing I wonder about is if the soil falls through the gaps in the bamboo...So I will either have to strap them tight, or put some woven matting as a liner.

Maybe next time i will try the skinnier bamboo poles.

Im trying to keep the costs down, because if it works, I want row after row of these beds... at 200 baht (plus soil) a go...

Edited April 8, 2010 by whiterussian

[whiterussian]

Bit rough and ready, but for 400 baht this far... well worth it!

ignore the slight bulge in the bamboo (might flip it around so it's hidden)

Now for the soil!

Next time I may use the smaller poles.

Edited April 11, 2010 by whiterussian

[MESmith]

@whiterussian, whare's your house, Nam Phueng village?

[whiterussian]

@whiterussian, whare's your house, Nam Phueng village?

Hi, no just down the road from Mckean hospital/leper colony ... http://shellyandbrettf.blogspot.com/2008/0...osy-colony.html

google map

and you are nearby also?

Edited April 11, 2010 by whiterussian

[MESmith]

@whiterussian, whare's your house, Nam Phueng village?

Hi, no just down the road from Mckean hospital/leper colony ... http://shellyandbrettf.blogspot.com/2008/0...osy-colony.html

google map

and you are nearby also?

No, but I used to live in Nam Phueng village, & the house in your pics looked very similar.  Since moved out to the countryside south of San Kamphaeng.

[whiterussian]

No, but I used to live in Nam Phueng village, & the house in your pics looked very similar. Since moved out to the countryside south of San Kamphaeng.

That's where I'm headed one day!

The wife's clan comes from here labelled as OnTai .

Off there tomorrow for Songkran fun by the lake in the nature park.. Lake Here

and here is where i will build my country house (if i ever make any money, and cure my wife of her ghost and bandit phobia).... My... er.. The wife's spare land!

Its so great to live in country where they still make land! Unlike the south of england...

Edited April 11, 2010 by whiterussian

[MESmith]

That's where I'm headed one day!

The wife's clan comes from here labelled as OnTai .

Off there tomorrow for Songkran fun by the lake in the nature park.. Lake Here

and here is where i will build my country house (if i ever make any money, and cure my wife of her ghost and bandit phobia).... My... er.. The wife's spare land!

Its so great to live in country where they still make land! Unlike the south of england...

Ha, that's where we take our kayak!!  Thought I was the "only farang on the lake" 

Never see anyone else there except the occasional fisherman.  Beautiful around there.

If you're expecting to move, better attach handles to that raised bed frame  

Edited April 12, 2010 by MESmith

[willythewolf]

HI BAMBOO RAFTER

YOU CAN CONTACT ME DIRECTLY IN CHIANG MAI

I BELEIVE TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

[email protected]

[whiterussian]

HI BAMBOO RAFTER

YOU CAN CONTACT ME DIRECTLY IN CHIANG MAI

I BELEIVE TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

[email protected]

Hey willy!

Can you beat 25baht a pole? I need more!

[IanForbes]

When you get those bamboo poles, whiterussian, then give me a call and we'll take a drift down a river and compare cooking notes. I love those mountain river bamboo raft trips... especially if I have my fly rod along.

[whiterussian]

Wow! Great photos!!!

Where was that taken? I want to visit! Stunning!

My poles are for building a raised bed in my garden... The wife says she wants a flower bed... and I want another bed for myself.

[IanForbes]

Wow! Great photos!!!

Where was that taken? I want to visit! Stunning!

My poles are for building a raised bed in my garden... The wife says she wants a flower bed... and I want another bed for myself.

On a river near the Burma border. Good times.

Good luck at finding what you need.

The big bamboo she's long and tall

The big bamboo please one and all

Not the little chopstick but the big bamgoo

[whiterussian]

Garden forks and digging spades: 720 baht at Home Pro... spade is tough enough.

However just saw a western style fork and spade at global house for 450. They look reasonable strong. The fork is anyhow.

Bought one of those welded 'rakes' from Global house.. for 100+ baht. Lasted 10 minutes. Welds broken... I will save it for when the soil is friable..

Now waiting for sod to dry and grass to die... before raking and adding compost. Phew. 4 years of putting it off... feels good.

Thanks for all your assistance. Still only half way round the garden, and only 8 blisters. Got to finish it before the rains come for good!.

experimental crop of radishes and veg in bamboo raised bed, think I will just keep this bed as a huge seedling tray! Miscalculated the amount of compost by 50% - wrong sized bags

Edited May 4, 2010 by whiterussian