How to Cut Bamboo the Easy Way

I have been collecting bamboo for a new dome at the land, and hand cutting it was SLOW.  Because of the effort I decided to try my weed-eater with the blade attachment with the blade pictured to the left.

This was found to be the easiest way to cut bamboo that I know.

I haven’t found a faster way to cut bamboo.  Additionally, it allows me to cut the stubs of bamboo very close to the ground so that I don’t step on them and trip.   A weed-eater with a saw blade is by far the best power tool to cut bamboo.

If you don’t have a weedeater, you should get one.

If you want more information on both the differences between a brush cutter and a string trimmer, as well as where to buy weed-based trimmers, I have linked to an article from toolsfreak

My Plan for the Bamboo

Once my bamboo dries out and stops shrinking I am going to cut rings of PVC and make hubs.  This will allow me to lash the bamboo to the hubs to make a dome.  Then I can temporarily cover and use as a form to pour aircrete.  This aircrete will be made with my new aircrete foam gun so I can cast a small dome at my land.

Others have used the aircrete to cast slabs.  The slabs are cut with homemade slicers made from 16 gauge steel sheet.  This lets them cut out blocks that are then used to build domes.  I plan to try that also.  However, for now, I am trying to convince the wife that I need to cut mounds of bamboo so I can get way more than I “need” while it is available.

Then I can do lots of other projects, including making a small Da Vinci bridge with the boy.  I know that using the weed-eater instead of a hand saw really helps with getting the wife’s help.  Because it is the easiest method for cutting bamboo down my help stays around longer.  Too many ticks, too much humidity, and too much effort makes my help go home too soon.