Arundo cut

texasbagpiper · Post by **texasbagpiper** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:56 am

I use French Bassoon cane, Some people Use french, spanish cane , California cane, local , and Homegrown, But you can't really go wrong with bassoon tube cane...

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 2:36 pm

DarthWeasel wrote:Do you guys have any opinions on weither the stuff that is growing by you is as good as french cane or cane that you would purchase?

texasbagpiper wrote:I use French Bassoon cane, Some people Use french, spanish cane , California cane, local , and Homegrown, But you can't really go wrong with bassoon tube cane...

It is all Arundo Donax, regardless of where it grows. I am quite pleased with the stuff I have harvested here in Florida.

Currently, while I am awaiting for my stores of Florida Arundo to cure (I have a limiterd supply of it that is cured), I have been using cane from the Var region in France. Excellent stuff.

ausdag · Post by **ausdag** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 2:44 pm

Joseph E. Smith wrote:I have been using cane from the Var region in France. Excellent stuff.

I ordered some from that mob just last week. Guy said they'd run out but getting new stock in this autumn so my order is on hold till then. Judging by the website should be good stuff.

Cheers,

DavidG

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 2:46 pm

It is very good cane, and very nice to work with. You will be pleased with it.

ausdag · Post by **ausdag** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 2:48 pm

In the meantime I'll pack my pic-a-nic basket and go and take some pics of the stuff near my place.

texasbagpiper · Post by **texasbagpiper** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 2:50 pm

I've been using Var French cane too.. allbassooncane.com has some in stock ,,, Ask for Tony :adminok:

texasbagpiper · Post by **texasbagpiper** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 2:54 pm

Hello Mr Smith

, How long do you let your homegrown dry out before you smoke---..... I mean use it...

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 3:00 pm

texasbagpiper wrote:Hello Mr Smith , How long do you let your homegrown dry out before you smoke---..... I mean use it...

About 2 to 3 years, depending on its condition when I harvest it. Sometimes the dead standing stuff is ready to be cleaned and used right out of the ground... most of the time not.

texasbagpiper · Post by **texasbagpiper** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 3:47 pm

I noticed that some of the stuff that I was letting sit just for a few months was dead and yellowed when I picked it, and It worked nicely...

Hmmmm

Maybe :roll: I will cut some more and see how it works It sure beats paying for it....

I noticed if you don't peal the husks or skin off the cane It will grow mold under it....

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 6:03 pm

texasbagpiper wrote:I noticed that the stuff that I was letting sit just for a few months worked nicely...

Wait a few months to a year, and then see what happens with those reeds.

texasbagpiper wrote:I noticed if you don't peal the husks or skin off the cane It will grow mold under it....

It will. It is important to keep it dry (if you leave the leaves on) while it is curing... taking them off will help keep the mold down, but you do not want to let it sit unattended, in the rain or dew or humidity, for any real length of time without wiping it off occasionally.

djm · Post by **djm** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 7:33 pm

No mold or leaves that you don't need
Flo-Joe's Gold is
Bad-ass wwweeeeeeeedddd

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 7:53 pm

djm wrote:No mold or leaves that you don't need
Flo-Joe's Gold is
Bad-ass wwweeeeeeeedddd

Kevin L. Rietmann · Post by **Kevin L. Rietmann** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:48 pm

I tried to make some reeds from French cane once - harder than bricks. I've heard lots of similiar comments from other people.
How thin are you guys taking the slips to? .038, or less?
Sorry to interrupt your doper revelrie.
Maybe you're sanding down to .0420?

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:06 am

Kevin L. Rietmann wrote:I tried to make some reeds from French cane once - harder than bricks. I've heard lots of similiar comments from other people.
How thin are you guys taking the slips to? .038, or less?
Sorry to interrupt your doper revelrie.
Maybe you're sanding down to .0420?

With the stuff from Var, I have been gouging down to about .042, then sanding off to .040 or there abouts. It depends on each and every slip, as they vary in 'springiness'.... if you will.

The cane I have from Var isn't really hard, nor is it soft... it is about a medium hardness. It works nicely and is a breeze to gouge.

sean an piobaire · Post by **sean an piobaire** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 6:53 pm

In some of the photos I saw herein, I suspect that the stalks with the brushy tops are actualy a near relative of Arundo Donax known as Arundo fragmites (communus, australis, etc.). The character of this grass is its' softer, light density wood, with looser fibers, than the structure of Donax cane. This is used for double reeded, mizmars, zurnas, sornah, and other middle eastern wind instruments. These fragmites doulble reeds have to be sopping wet, in order to play. Swedish pipes use single tongue reeds made of fragmites stalks, chipped out of the ice of frozen lakes, the sap's not running then, for sure! As to Arundo donax varigata, the leaves have narrow green and white stripes, and the stalks have very short internodal lengths,this grass isn't really used for anything other than for ornamental plants. I used to think that the Middle eastern Ney (rim blown) flutes were made from these varigata stalks, but really, the Neys are made from Arundo Donax, grown near the sea, and poisoned by salt water. Further, the stalks are cut down half way through the growing season and the short internodal tubes are the result of the roots trying to compensate. Sean Folsom