CONCLUSIONS

Future workshops involving bamboo could explore more of the various joints that could be used for connecting bamboo. 3D Printing may be one way to better connect pieces of different diameters. Metal and non-metal hardware can be used to join bamboo, and this may be quicker to assemble and fabricate for multiple kits.

There are many more ways to explore bamboo as a material. The exterior of bamboo can be stripped off and used as a rope to tie other bamboo pieces together, similar to the use of rattan. The fibers can also be woven into baskets and other shapes. Bamboo can also split and flattened into sheets. Future work with bamboo should consider the planar dimension of flattened bamboo strips of exterior bamboo.

Working with bamboo can require a large amount of skill and practice. Because bamboo is a nonstandardized material, there are variations associated with each piece that can be hard to identify. Some pieces of bamboo split more easily, when other seemingly similar pieces hold together under the same stress. Certain fungi and structural problems with bamboo can be subtle. In future workshops with bamboo, having someone identify prime pieces of bamboo may improve the overall quality of the finished product.

The drill press, while effective in drilling holes quickly, can potentially cause cracking in the bamboo. It’s important to use a piece of wood as a backing piece when drilling holes, in order to mitigate the potential splitting of bamboo fibers that can cause cracks.

Cross-stabilizing vertical bamboo pieces may be a more efficient way to build a plant stand with less pieces of bamboo. Future researchers should investigate knots and joints that join vertical bamboo members diagonally.