Shishi Odoshi Design: Learn All About Japanese Bamboo Fountain Shishi Odoshi

You are about to learn the secrets of designing a beautiful Japanese Bamboo Fountain (i.e. Shishi Odoshi). Learning how to design your own Japanese Shishi-Odoshi would help you create a zen-like unique attraction for your indoors or your garden.

The shishi-odoshi design project would last for about 15 hours. The design part would take about 10 to 12 hours, and the set-up would take 4 to 5 hours. Considering the beauty of this timeless classic, it is well-worth the amount of time your spend on this project.

Materials

• You would need two bamboo spouts. Size specifications: The first bamboo Spout would have to be 6 ft (2 meters) long and 2.5 inches (60 mm) in diameter. The second bamboo spout would have to be 7.5 ft long and 5 in (120 mm) in diameter).
• Plastic Tube - 15 ft (5 m) long, 0.375 in (10 mm) diameter.
• Medium-sized submersible pump
• Flexible armored pipe to protect pump cable
• Electric circuit breaker
• A small rock for bamboo to strike on and make "clunking" sound

Tools

• Measuring Tape, Pencil, Market
• Sharp Knives
• Electric Drill with 3/4 in (20 mm) bit.
• A Rod to pierce the inner membranes of the bamboo
• Drill Hammer
• Spade
• Garden hosepipe
• Coping saw

It is important to get a high-quality bamboo that is not having split ends...be careful with razor sharp bamboo edges.

The best place to get a good bamboo for your shishi odoshi is local garden center or speciality garden outlets or estores.

This is how shishi odoshi looks from the top

You need to pick a good location for your shishi odoshi - an ideal location would create a focal point in your garden without over-powering with its presence. Shishi odoshi has several configurable set-ups.

Three of the best setup locations for sishi odoshi are:

• Setup on your pond (if you have one)

• Pick a decorative water container

• Create a self-containted basin

One of the best practices when setting up your shishi odoshi is to cover up the water delivery pipe (the pipe that would carry re-circulating water). The best place to hide this pipe is under the rocks or shrubs. However, when hiding it, be careful that the rocks or shrubs are not pinching it, or the water flow would be blocked or fettered resulting in an in-optimal water flow.

Step 1: Create Building Blocks"

Cut the 7.5 ft bamboo spout in two parts: 3.5 ft long and 4 ft long. The part that is 3.5 ft long is the main spout and the part that is 4 ft long is support spout.

Step 2: Create A "Pass-Thru Window"

For the see-saw bamboo to pass through the main spout, we would need to make a cut on the peripheral areas of main spout.

In order to facilitate the cuts, we need to make markings on the main spout with pencil and marker. These markings are to be made on both the sides of the main spout. They are about 2.75 inches wide and 7 inches deep.

These markings are chosen so that when you cut the markings, the base is about 5 inches above the ground level. Carefully cut away the area with markings on both sides of the main spout with a coping saw.

Step 3: Create the Pivot

Cut the 6.5 ft long bamboo spout in two pieces: a 2 ft piece and a 4 ft piece. The 2 ft piece will serve as the Seesaw spout, and the 4 ft piece will serve as water carrying bamboo pipe. Carve a pivot that is 8 inches long and 15 mm wide. Place this pivot pin in the center of the "pass-thru window" by drilling a hole in the main spout. Seesaw spout would have to be drilled as well so that the pivot pin pass through it. Insert the seesaw spout into the "pass-thru window" of main spout through the pivot.

Step 4: Shape the Support Spout

Using coping saw and knife, cut a U-shaped support on top of the support spout. Pass the water carrying bamboo pipe through this pipe. Cut the bamboo pipe to be 4 feet long.

Step 5: Final Assembly of Shishi Odoshi

Pour water through the garden water hose onto the seesaw spout once you are done mounting the main spout with seesaw spout pass through it. Check to see if the seesaw motion is as per your expectations. Connect plastic tube with pump and water-carrying bamboo to recirculate water from pond to the bamboo spout. Use armored pipe to conceal the power cable with an electric circuit breaker.

Designing your own shishi-odoshi is a challenging task, albeit the results are very fulfilling and rewarding.

Getting an assembled bamboo water spout would reduce your amount of work substantially. Here's an example of an assembled shishi odoshi. If you enjoy wood-working and carving bamboo's, there is nothing more fun than creating your own shishi odoshi Japanese bamboo fountain.

A medium sized submersible pump may be found at your local home depot or lowe's. Make sure you know the water capacity of your container when shopping for the submersible pump.

This squidoo lens is based on the section "Japanese Deer Scarer" of the book, "Outdoor Water Features: 16 Easy-To-Build Projects for Your Yard & Garden" by Alan and Gill Bridgewater.

Here's an example video of Japanese style bamboo water fountain.

Click on the image below to open a new window that shows a beautiful shishi odoshi fountain in action - a video will demonstrate the lift and fill motion of bamboo spout.