TNC,
Regarding the split/delamintion in your tip section:

Remove the varnish from all six flats around the damaged area.

Use some sewing needles or pins to pry and hold open the delamination. Open it up as far as you can. Use either Titebond II, Titebond III (or my preference, golf club maker?s epoxy) and using still another needle work the adhesive from end-to-end into the wide-open split you?ve created. Pull out the pins. Next run some rod wrapping thread through some paraffin and with some pressure, wrap down your repair starting in the middle of the repair, wrapping to 1/4? past one end of the repair and then wrapping back to 1/4? past the opposite end of the repair. Tie off the thread and allow the adhesive to cure.

When the adhesive cures, un-wrap the repair and scrape off the excess glue being careful not to scrape off any bamboo. Then use 00 white silk or nylon thread (don't run this thread through parrifin) and over-wrap the entire repair (wrap 1/4? past the repair on each end). Make sure the wraps are even and flat. Apply two or three coats of spar varnish to the wrap. The wrap should turn almost invisible. Now it?s done!

Good luck with your project!

Regards and WDE!!!
Bob L.


"If man had not been created to drink beer, we would not have been given stomachs."
--Robert Earl James


[This message has been edited by bamboo4u2 (edited 28 February 2005).]