Rick
I have used bamboo skewers for years. At the risk of telling Grandpa how to suck eggs, here are a few tips to save some hassle:
In the larger scales, only make one plank out of the the skewer, right out of the center, half the thickness of the plank on either side of the centerline.
Split the plank out of the skewer with a #11 blade. You want it a little thicker than needed. Sand both sides of the plank smooth and end up with the desired thickness.
Sand an airfoil cross section to the plank. (See Harry Woodman's method in his scale models in plastic card book.)
Make more planks than just enough. You may only get half the length of the plank usable if the skewer does not split evenly. Don't worry about it, just make enough to compensate and for broken or lost attempts. The skewers come a whole bunch to a pack, so only settle for the best examples.
Cut to length, use some kind of benchmark or jig to ensure they are all exactly the same length and trim ends as per the needs of your model.
Finally drill the ends and insert your favorite pin material. Bamboo grain is like tubes, so it drills real easy. Careful not to poke holes in your fingers.
I finished them with a watercolor pencil and then multiple coats of Pledge, tinted or clear as dictated by the subject. You can also paint them as you would plastic or resin ones,
Bamboo is incredibly strong, being slightly flexible adds to that strength. It is easy to work and looks good, you are going to like it.
sp
