Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
Bamboo
 Login/Join
 
Booshway
Picture of Iche Iia
posted
Quick question. In the 1830's was Bamboo larger that river cane grown in the US?


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
Picture of Iche Iia
posted Hide Post
I think that I may have found my own answer. Bamboo, as we know it, was introduced to the U.S. in Georgia in the 1880's. However, river cane, which was here when the Pilgrims landed could grow up to almost 3 inches in diameter.

River cane of that size is not around now days but it would have been in the 1830's. BUT is there any proof that it was used and maybe transported to the mountains in the fur trade era.

Bottom line, I want to know if I can make tent poles out of Bamboo (and call it river cane) because of the weight savings.


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
posted Hide Post
I have never heard of any historical use for either bamboo or our native river cane. However, there is plenty of river cane around here. The largest I have ever seen is about 1" in diameter and 10' or 12' in length. I have used it for cane fishing poles and I also made a couple of powder measures out of it.


Know what you believe in. Fight for your beliefs. Never compromise away your rights.
 
Posts: 1296 | Location: Cherokee Land, Tenasi | Registered: 06 January 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
posted Hide Post
Yep, fishing poles is all that I know of its uses as well.

How many poles and how long?

I have used 2x2x8' poles, and even extended them to 9.5 feet, but I am going to check out a local lumber yard because I don't own a table-saw, and the extended poles (which only come in 8' pieces) work but are ugly. I will have the lumber yard rip a couple of 2x4x10' pieces of lumber into pairs of 2x2x10' pieces of lumber. by cutting them up the center, lengthwise....

I have an 8' ridge pole for my French Double Bell tent, and to strengthen it I took a piece of 2x2x8' pine and added a piece of 1x2x8' hardwood, using a few screws and Titebond II glue. So now it's a 2x3x8' pole, and quite light. I didn't plan it that way. I just had the 2x2x8' pole and wanted it more rigid and then spotted the hardwood in a corner in the basement....

Might that work for you if you can't rip cut a 2x4x10' lengthwise??

LD


It's not what you know, it's what you can prove
 
Posts: 3843 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 10 November 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
Picture of Iche Iia
posted Hide Post
Oh, the tent poles is not a real issue, it was passing thought to save weight.

With my big wall tent, I use 2 x 2's and 2 x 4's. the 2 x 4's I have arranged on a hinging type of system so one man can put everything up. But, since my son started camping with me and we both have one man tents and go to ground,I thought bamboo would be easier to carry but, like I said it is no real issue.


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
Picture of SCLoyalist
posted Hide Post
I've read that in the west, they didn't carry tent poles with them when they moved campsites. They just left the poles and cut new ones at their destination since straight, skinny trees were in such abundance. I think supporting the tent by exterior poles was more common out west, maybe because of the availability of long lodgepoles. But, I wasn't there back then, so that's just what I've read.


Here's a health to the King and a lasting Peace. May Faction end and Wealth increase....Old Loyalist Ballad
 
Posts: 767 | Location: Panhandle Florida | Registered: 02 February 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
Picture of Iche Iia
posted Hide Post
In actuality, with my persona as a fur trapper, I doubt that I would have even had a full tent. Maybe a diamond fly of sort. but I think that they would have mostly slept on the ground with a buffalo robe or a wool blanket.

Today, at a rendezvous, you see everything from a open shelter such as my diamond to a white canvass mansion with two bed rooms with four poster beds and a seven place table and chairs. And of course, a wood stove for heating and cooking. And not to forget a portable "flush" toilet!


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
posted Hide Post
I think that as a trapper you'd have more of a reason to have canvas or oilcloth, rather than less. How would you keep your partially processed furs from rotting from moisture if you didn't have a way to protect them prior to breaking camp, and then on the journey to sell them?

LD


It's not what you know, it's what you can prove
 
Posts: 3843 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 10 November 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
Picture of Iche Iia
posted Hide Post
From all the sketches that I have seen and books that I have read that pertained to that, I believe that they did cover them with canvass and packed them on their mules. Of course, at night or in camp they were unpacked.

Once the brigade had so many that it was an ordeal to transport them, they cached them in some out of the way place (usually dug a big hole in one or several places.) When there were enough to send back to the company, they would dig up the catches plus what every else they had trapped and send them down river (in a keel boat usually).

They would be pressed into bundles of about 90 pounds each. I want to say it took about 200 hides to make that bundle but I’m not sure. A special press was made for that very purpose. I'm a little uncertain as to where the press was. I’m guessing that part of the job may have been left up to the camp keepers. It was a big cumbersome thing and I doubt that individuals or small groups would have had one.

But yes they did cover them in rain or snow or just dampness to prevent as much rot as possible. But that is all just the way I see it. it could have been completely different.


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
  Powered by Social Strata  
 


2014 Historical Enterprises, LLC