Grinding Natural Boo Lams???

[gables]

Does any one grind natural boo slats to a uniform thickness for core material? If so, any tips?

[Bob Sarrels]

I do occasionally. I first use the planer to remove the rind from the top until it is wide enough for a lam.  Then I flip it and plane all the pith away.  Next I cut the strip to the appropriate width then take it to the thickness sander.  It ain't hard but takes considerable work.

[Aeronut]

Do you use a thickness planer or an edge jointer?  I have been wanting to try that, just not enough time right now.

Dennis

[Mike Mecredy]

I get some 1/2 thick bamboo slats from bambooandrattan.com,  I set the rip fence on my band saw so I can rip them about in half.  I use the side with the nods for backing osage or hickory boards, and the part I trim off, I run it through my drum sander and grind them down to about .050-.100 to use for core lams.