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Just a quick note regarding Catherine's comment about "f strength." The structural bamboo used in our house received certification after something like a ten-year process. I think a section on the Bambootechnologies.com website chronicles what they had to go through. The local framing inspector wanted to see the little metal labels on the bamboo which indicate the certified inspection the pieces get in the factory in Viet Nam! I have heard someone in Hawaii has gone through the IBC process for another bamboo species which grows more commonly in this state.
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Ohia is very very heavy and very very unstable. In beams of any length you'd be lucky if the ends stayed even remotely true. Ohia is a headache even if heavily treated with PEG and is prone to catastrophic checking. I wouldn't use it for anything other than a column and I probably wouldn't do that.
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Yuppers on that catastrophic checking. I made a really really pretty ax handle out of ohia once. It worked for about three days and then shattered.
"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson
"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson
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That's why the center drill and steel pipe liner, full integrity. It does make a beautiful post and twisted ones even better (very expensive)
and very desired by some!
Gordon J Tilley
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Sure, it's a good solution, but not for a beam.
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Jay, Hotcatz had it right about graded and stamped. There is an engineer who will work with experienced logger builders on exact specs required. Of course all with our CC building inspectors on permitteed jobs and all that entails.
Gordon J Tilley
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quote:
Originally posted by gtill
There is an engineered process, active in Puna that bores out 3" holes down the center of the ohia (or whatever) post,and filled with a thick walled steel pipe which equate steel in strength, and pass any code requirment.
My company has been contracted to install signs and sign posts for the State and the plans call for drilling a 3" hole, 2 feet deep into ohia logs. Any info on this company that does the boring, or any input from anyone that can help speed up the boring process? We have been using 3" forstner bits on drill presses as well as a 1/2" hole hawg with very little progress to show for our time. Any input will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
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Ohia has an Fb approximately equal to "red oak".
