Bamboo Pellets??...Yes, there is apparently such an animal...LOL

[imacman]

I know the ears of a few of the multi-fuel stove owners on the forum will perk-up at this thread, especially Jay's. Just saw an ad on CraigsList for someone advertising pellets in western NY. They sell different grades & mixtures of pellets, but the Bamboo pellets caught my eye. We need some western NY multi fuel owners to get a few bags for testing this winter......any takers??

I sent the company an email asking for specs, and also asked if they could send me a sample to test burn.

www.abettersourcebio-fuels.com/heating-pellets.php

 

[woodsman23]

Mac i sent them an e-mail about the bamboo pellets. i'll let you know what's up.

 

[jtakeman]

My ears are all EARS! You all now I am very interested in what up with them.

Faster growing bamboo could be something that could take the pressure off of the wood fiber industry. 1.5% ash is close to corn at 1..2% and better than grass at about 3%. I can't wait to see some results. 1.5% ash is right about where I draw the limit of ash level in my fuel(right about where I mixed the wood and grass pellets). Can't wait to hear how they burn(guys its really not all that hot to burn some :lol: ).

I wonder if there is any side effects of burning bamboo? You know like corn will effect the flu with corrosive gasses and so on.

Pete maybe we could get DJ to make a batch of pellets for use???? Just need to find the fiber source. DJ what you think??

 

[woodsman23]

here is his reply,

Hi, They burn in a regular pellet stove. I can send you a 20 pound bag in a few days.

 

[imacman]

here is his reply,

Hi, They burn in a regular pellet stove. I can send you a 20 pound bag in a few days.

He must not want to send them all the way to me....I sent my email to him before you, but I haven't got a response.

 

[woodsman23]

here is his reply,

Hi, They burn in a regular pellet stove. I can send you a 20 pound bag in a few days.

He must not want to send them all the way to me....I sent my email to him before you, but I haven't got a response.

Yes but did you include a naked pic of yourself!...

 

[imacman]

here is his reply,

Hi, They burn in a regular pellet stove. I can send you a 20 pound bag in a few days.

He must not want to send them all the way to me....I sent my email to him before you, but I haven't got a response.

Yes but did you include a naked pic of yourself!...

NOOOOO....you want the guy to have a heart attack???? :lol:

 

[summit]

amazing.. let us know how it works out... just don't expect nude pics!

 

[imacman]

Just saw this on a search of the internet: Look down to the 2nd chart ("Chemical Characteristics") for heating values, ash, sulfur, etc.

Except for being a little higher in ash, the Bamboo compares closely to softwoods, wasn't far behind hardwoods, and was better than switchgrass.

http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/papers/misc/biochar_factsheet.html

 

[begreen]

Bamboo should burn just fine. Do they say where the bamboo is grown and where the pellets originate from?

 

[woodsman23]

amazing.. let us know how it works out... just don't expect nude pics!

he may send the free by thye ton when he see's my pic.............. :sick:

 

[WoodPorn]

I just found this on a search, very similsr to Imac's;

Packaging Details:
15kg/bag,66bag/pallet Lead Description:
Our Wood pellets-no additives,no chemical,only by pure bamboo chips or sawdusts.pellets.
specifications Diameter 6mm/8mm
Length 10-30mm
Ash content 2.0%
Moisture content<8%
Calorific Value 4080-4663Kcal/kg,
Sulfur content<0.06%.
Density>1.1kg/m3

 

[WoodPorn]

I just emailed the seller (from China) about the pellets and how to obtain a sample. Jay, if I get some I'll split 'em with you for some testing.

 

[jtakeman]

here is his reply,

Hi, They burn in a regular pellet stove. I can send you a 20 pound bag in a few days.

He must not want to send them all the way to me....I sent my email to him before you, but I haven't got a response.

Yes but did you include a naked pic of yourself!...

NOOOOO....you want the guy to have a heart attack???? :lol:

I think he sent this pic of himself! :cheese: (Pic is complements of krooser by the way! don't ask me how he got it from pete, Thats a whole other story! I had nothing to do with it.)

Just saw this on a search of the internet: Look down to the 2nd chart ("Chemical Characteristics") for heating values, ash, sulfur, etc.

Except for being a little higher in ash, the Bamboo compares closely to softwoods, wasn't far behind hardwoods, and was better than switchgrass.

http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/papers/misc/biochar_factsheet.html

Nice find pete! Looks very promising. Almost want the cold to come in so we can start burning again(well not really!). :lol:

Bamboo should burn just fine. Do they say where the bamboo is grown and where the pellets originate from?

Looking at there site, They have divisions in the western region. Hopefully there using bamboo grown in the warm US area's. I have seen an episode of myth busters and there was a a place out west that was growing bamboo. They were growing for ornamental and other markets. I guess the stuff grows like weeds. It also tollerates our climate and soil. It may not grow in New England but should grow well in our southern area's.

I will ask the question of where there fiber is aquired from.

 

[TboneMan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQgXccbxHbM

 

[smoke show]

what a classic

 

[dac122]

Can bamboo be grown in the U.S.? If not, wouldn't that kinda defeat any green advantages by not growing it locally or regionally.

I learned a little trivia about bamboo:
1. It has virtually no crop diversity.
2. It has an enormous root structure where most plants are connected to each other.
3. It follows a 50 year die-off cycle
3. Rat plagues and famine due to other crop destruction have been historically associated with the 50 year die-off (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95c8GXU8_7g)

 

[begreen]

Yes, it will grow in warmer parts of the US, that was why I asked.

 

[Delta-T]

I think there are types of bamboo that grow just about everywhere. We have some local varieties, not likely "fast growing" enough for pellet harvesting though. Maybe in a greenhouse. It is after all, sort of a "grass on steroids". Many varieties can grow in horrible soil, which is great. I'm also waiting for things like Bush Willow to become popular for pellets.

 

[Pellet-King]

That's a pic of BTU!!

 

[begreen]

I think there are types of bamboo that grow just about everywhere. We have some local varieties, not likely "fast growing" enough for pellet harvesting though. Maybe in a greenhouse. It is after all, sort of a "grass on steroids". Many varieties can grow in horrible soil, which is great. I'm also waiting for things like Bush Willow to become popular for pellets.

I'm not comfortable with yet another heating fuel coming from overseas. It would be better to find an equivalent here in the states and make pellets out of it. Right now that is wood, and that's good, particularly where sawdust is a waste product. But in the future maybe bamboo, switchgrass or ??

 

[smwilliamson]

There is bamboo that grows on every continent except Antarctica. Before we start going down the import rd with bamboo, how about finding some use for lawn clippings, coffee grounds and fast food packaging. They all burn and we are a nation of consumption.

 

[woodsman23]

Bamboo grows fast a person could grow a crapload and sell for pellet processing. Some grow 12 feet a year

 

[Fsappo]

I know Bamboo grows already in the wild in some parts of the USA. I love the idea, as it grows faster than people do. I'll just be damned if I start buying pellets from overseas. I'll try to do a little researchorz

 

[imacman]

......how about finding some use for.....coffee grounds......

Been there, tried that. Forum member DJ who makes the grass pellets some of us tried last winter also helped us with experimenting making coffee pellets. A friend of Jay Takemans and DJ got some 5 gal. pails of grounds from Dunkin Donuts, and we tried it.

Long story short....it worked, sort of. I burned 35 lbs in my stove, and they did produce good heat, but the pellets were on the soft side and not dense enough. We need to find a binding agent to add, and we need to hammer mill the grounds this time after they dry out some.