Bamboo

[Joe Pelonio]

I'm not sure this is the right place for this one. I was just having a chat with the neighbor shop, he's a woodworker that does mostly custom cabinets. Apparently he's so busy that he would like to store some in
the part of my warehouse that I leave empty for doing vehicle graphics. Anyway, I went over there and saw that he has bamboo in veneer and also in a "hardwood" form. I've never seen it before except as flooring and wanted to know if any of you have used it. It's very attractive, and he says has become popular for kitchen cabinet doors. He uses the veneer
to reface, the boards for actual doors and cabinets. The boards are like plywood with a real wood core, he says it comes 3/16" for paneling and
what I saw there was 3/4", which he says is about $300/4x8 sheet.

[Jim Becker]

Kewel stuff..."Grass" plywood!!! :)

Yes, bamboo has become quite popular in recent years, although most of the examples I've seen have been in flooring...made the same way as the plywood your saw.

[Michael Ballent]

Ouch $300 for a sheet... just make sure that you measure 3 times and cut once ;)

[Russ Filtz]

Sure it wasn't $30 a sheet? $300 I wouldn't pay for a SOLID sheet of bamboo!

[Joe Pelonio]

I decided to look it up for the brand he gets it. Definitely close to $300/Sheet for 3/4", the 1/8" is $120.

http://www.greenbuildingsupply.com/Public/NaturalFlooring/BambooProducts/Plywood/index.cfm

[Steve Cox]

My only experience has been with flooring and I was suprised by how difficult it was to cut, actually I should say rip, it crosscut just fine.

[Joe Pelonio]

I just got this info from the manufacturer, turns out their offices are right here on Mercer Island.

"Teragren panels are available in ¼” and ¾” as a solid stock or with a cross laminated bamboo core up to a 4’ x 8’ dimension. Our veneer selection includes a solid bamboo 1/8” 4 x 8, as well as a 1/42" paper-backed veneer in both a 48" x 98" and 17” x 98” sheet. Edge banding in 7/8" x 500' rolls and solid stock lumber are also available. Special order panels are available up to a 3” thickness."

They are sending me a sample kit free and now I'm looking into laser
cutting/engraving it so will re-post on that forum.