Making Bamboo Brooms

[Karl Derrick]

I've been making some brooms from bamboo over the past few years.  However they do not have that woven look from those made in Japan.  The brooms I make are good looking, sturdy, and useful.  Do any of you know where I might see the process of assembly for a bamboo broom made in the Japanese style?  Thank you!

[Yama]

Hi karl
 1) Do you know how to identify age of bamboo?   
 2)  Can you identify bamboos?
 If you can get 4 years old bamboo's branch during fall, cut off branchs from colum,  wet branch and cover with tarp, leave it for 10 days or so.  Doing so, leave fall off easely from branch. 
yeloow grove bamboo, and black bamboo make "soft broom"   Moso bamboo's broom is stiff broom.
18 gage cooper wire or black tie wire for rebar are easy to work with.
3/8 inch or so above node, make 1/4 inch or so small hole and use "mekugi"  which is short bamboo branch serve as holding wire /easy to tire and sturdy.
 You need 50 plus minus bamboo barnchs,
 Long ,stiff barch 6 to10 banchs for middle, soft and shorter one are placed around it.

handle.
 Hachiku or maake works best. Yellow grove bamboo's colum is thin and weak.
 If you are 6feet or taller, make handle 6" or so longer.  Japanese standard bamboo broom are made for 5 footers.
yama

[Karl Derrick]

Here is a small picture of a broom I made.  I have Phy. Henon "Magurachiku" and also Moso.  The brown twine is Palm fiber that I spun on my spinning wheel.  But I use wire to bind the branches.

I would like to know how to make the decorative "weave" some brooms have.

Thank you.

[Yama]

 In your case,  perhaps strugling is your best teacher.
Learn how to lean.   my 2cents

[don]

I dont remember seeing woven tops on the garden brooms in Japan. I have one at home, but it is not Japanese and not for garden use.  I am sure you have seen the instructions posted in the reference section of japanesegardening.org, right?

[Yama]

Hi Don
 Bamboo broom is easy to make , cheap and don't last long. Korean temple also use identical bamboo broom. use "mekugi" to hold bamboo branches which you can't see from out side of bamboo.
 Karl don't respond timely manner so that I don't write to him back but he can read this.
 He can look around to know what mekugi is    ( or he can ask what it is 
yama