Would Bamboo

[Bookworm]

I'm thinking of making a few prototype hoses of my own (inspired by cotsi and scalli) and I was wondering if bamboo would be a safe hose handle material. Do you think it would need to be lined with something or would inhaling through a bamboo tube be potentially dangerous?

[Scalliwag]

Use an aluminum tube liner. If nothing else because it would be easier to attach. Some 1/2" OD tube works well (or whatever ID tube you use.
Tap it up through the bamboo to break through the membrane walls, blow it out, then plug one end of the tube and coat it with silicone sealant (like used for aquariums) and run it back into it. The plug is to keep silicone from getting inside the aluminum tube. Then pop the plug out and let the silicone cure.
You can also stain the bamboo.

[haze605]

I wouldn't see why it would as long as the bamboo is naturally dried and has no chemical or synthetic finish on it. One problem you might have though is that the bamboo would probably absorb a lot of flavors, so it might be wise to line it with a thin plastic sleave or pvc.

[Giant Ninja Robot]

I wrote in Scalli's thread about wanting to do the same thing. I can't see how it would be dangerous. I thought at first that I'd have to run some metal tubing through it, but I think that would just end up being way more work.

[Bookworm]

Alright! look forward to a baller-ass line of hoses coming in a month+. I've got prototyping to do!

[Giant Ninja Robot]

Careful cutting the bamboo into sections, it splits like a motherfucker.

[Scalliwag]

one good trick to cutting bamboo is wrapping masking tape around it and cutting it with a fine tooth hacksaw. Then take some 600 grit sandpaper and slightly bevel off the fray on the ends. Wipe an ever so slight layer off super glue on each end to act as a sealer/hardener, but just on the very end where the fibrous part is exposed.
It would be hard to explain how I would do the tip in detail, but you can take some of the bamboo leaves or banana leaves, corn husks and make strips. Leave about an inch or so of tube sticking out the end of the bamboo and take Elmers wood glue or any other water based glue and after soaking the strips in water to soften them and make them pliable, soak up excess water and dip them in the glue and wrap the end to form a tip.
Once cured you can sand that to shape.

I've made a lot of really cool shit from bamboo when I was a kid that I have not seen before or since that I know you could implement into your project

[HookahD]

I think thats a good idea

[Long Horn Hookah]

Bamboo is amazingly flammable, I would watch out if your going to use that for the hose port too. Maby hookah smoke is humid enough this wont be a factor, but I can imagine a lot of internal charring leading to some horrible smoke. Maby hookah smoke isn't hot enough and this calc all-nighter is getting to me, but I would definitely test it thoroughly before you decide to mass produce it.

[Karot]

Like previously stated I would think it would absorb any flavor like a mofo and get major ghosting. Wood is very porous and would thus probably hold in the flavors. While I cannot confirm this I'd say its worth and try to find out.

[Scalliwag]

Bamboo is amazingly flammable, I would watch out if your going to use that for the hose port too. Maby hookah smoke is humid enough this wont be a factor, but I can imagine a lot of internal charring leading to some horrible smoke. Maby hookah smoke isn't hot enough and this calc all-nighter is getting to me, but I would definitely test it thoroughly before you decide to mass produce it.

As long as it's not exposed to a direct flame it's not a problem. If you get it to catch fire you got well outside the limit of anything any hose should ever be put through.

You may also want to look into oil curing Book.