Finished! My first bamboo build from scratch

Well, at long last, here it is! Finally finished my first bamboo build from scratch late last week. A 2/1 7?2? 5 wt Paul Young Driggs River. Blonde cane (the raw cane was too nice to flame), cigar grip, cocobolo reel seat by Venneri (good grief that guy?s reel seats are gorgeous!), orange and black jasper wraps with black tipping to match the reel seat, nickel silver ferrules, Mildrum stripping guide and chrome snakes, and dipped with Helmsman spar polyurethane. The wraps are actually Gudebrod nylon. I tried some test wraps on a dowel with the Pearsall?s jasper, and while the silk was really nice, the nylon nailed the color of the reel seat. Some of the guys from the FAOL message board got to take a look at it this past weekend at the Mason Fly Tying Expo, so figured I would share it with all the rest of the gang.

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If anyone is contemplating building a rod from scratch, do yourself a favor and do it. I think this has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done, and to be certain, this is not the last one for me. Have my planing forms and binder and other items and am planning on starting a Garrison 201E after the start of the year. Two tip this time, just for the challenge. Hope to have it done in time for the opener, or at least in time for Grayrock and the Fish-In. Should be a lot of fun on Tricos. 8) This rod I built is far from perfect, with more than enough glue lines and gaps in the wraps here and there, but I gave it my best effort and for a first rod, I am really pleased with it. More than that, I already know that the next one will be even better! :D

I have to put a couple of shouts out to thank some people that encouraged me to do this. First off, an enormous thank you to the guy who showed me how to build the rod, Ron Barch from Hastings, MI. People familiar with modern cane builders or those who just enjoy cane rods will recognize Ron?s name as the publisher of ?The Planing Form? newsletter and owner of Alder Creek Publishing and Rods (publishers of Kathy Scott?s books). Anyone who knows Ron personally know him to be a real gentleman, a teacher and mentor as well as a student of the craft of cane rod building, and a great guy to sit down and share a beer and a conversation with. He has done a tremendous amount of work over the years to help people get into building and fishing cane rods, and his rods are beautiful fishing tools. I got to know Ron through the local TU chapter and when he saw that I was interested in refinishing cane rods, he encouraged me to take the next step. I will always be in debt to him for all his help and insight, which he continues to give generously. If anyone is considering building a bamboo rod, I cannot stress it enough, how worthwhile it is to learn under the guidance of an experienced professional, like Ron, or someone else near you. This rod wouldn?t have turned out half as good had I not had Ron helping me.

Second, after much searching and frustration, I think I can finally say that I have found a really good color preserver. I have tried scads of different preservers during my refinish jobs, but none of them even come close to the performance of Al?s Color Rite which is available from Angler?s Workshop. This stuff is DA BOMB!!! 8) Nylon or silk, it completely saturates the thread (has a consistency of milk). Just three coats, dries completely in an hour with no buildup, cleans up with warm water, AND IT WORKS PERFECTLY! Doesn?t darken or change the color of the thread. I don?t work for them and I know they aren?t a sponsor here, but I can?t help but give kudos where kudos are due. That stuff is awesome!

And finally, a huge thanks to JC and LF for bringing us all this forum, and to all of you folks that make this board so colorful. We all have a hand in encouraging each other to try new things and grow in the sport, and what a rewarding adventure it is. To all of you, thanks. :D

Jim,
It's BEAUTIFUL!! You will certainly fish that baby with pride.
Tell Heidi & the boys I said "Hi".
Mike

Very nice Jim :D

NOW THAT IS AN AWESOME PIECE OF WORK !!!!!!

be proud. Lovely!

Wow and you say that is your first rod. Totally Beautiful stick.

When you say from scratch do you mean that you also made the blank yourself?

Extremely nice first boo. Now, as we say in the addiction called rod building..."NEXT...!" :lol:

Joe

That's a nice looking rod you have there! Congratulations! I'm also trying to make a bamboo rod now. For a couple of years already I'm gathering information on how to do that. This summer I bought some tonkin cane from a German rod maker and have almost completed my planning form. Can't wait to see my finished rod, you probably know that feeling :lol:
Good luck fishing your first rod!

Thanks for the kind words fellas, and yes Gnu Bee, I mean from SCRATCH. From the raw culm. As Marinaro would say, "Split and Glued" by yours truly. And yes Joe, the next one is in the works, cane is ordered and awaiting delivery. May even try to fit a restoration project in in between on a Heddon built special order 8.5' 3/2 5wt. Reglue the female ferrules, revarnish the wraps, and rub down the finish. It is so much fun working with boo. Just something about those rods that are older than me by a long shot. Too much fun.

congrats jim.
very fine work.

I even like the looks of the jasper wraps (which I normally don't care for).
and yeah venerri's reel seats are stunning.

my first cane rod was a driggs as well.

keep it up.

mgj

Very nice Jim !! Especially so in light of it being your first. WoW !!! :lol: You and some of the other guys have inspired me to build some rods this winter. As I am kinda nuts, I like to build everything myself. I just got started on a lathe to turn reel seats and cork. I figure it to also be my rod wrapping tool. When I finish that, I'll start in on a rod. I'll show off some photos of the lathe when it's done. I was asked to show some photos of my vise, which I haven't posted yet, as when we visited our kids a month ago, we left our camera behind. It's coming back to us this weekend, so I'll get some shots soon. I only hope my work measures up to your rod. Beautiful job !!....................................ModocDan


By the way, Tell us about that tube and sleeve........

what a very very very nice rod. Excellent job on your first rod. I was going to post pics when I got my first graphite done but it does not hold a candle to the rod you built. Excellent job!!!!!

Thanks again guys. Harley, this isn't my first rod build project. I've built a number of graphite and fiberglass rods over the past couple of years and have restored a few bamboos rods as well, so I have some practice related to the finishing of the rod, but it is my first bamboo build all the way from the raw cane culm. Please post your pics too. We all want to return the favor and encourage you on your journey. And as Joe said above, it IS a journey. There is alway a "next" rod to build. 8)

Whoops, forgot to respond to Modocdan's question about the rod tube. I bought it from Ron, and I think I know where he got it. He had an add about it in the last edition of the Planing Form. If you (or anyone) is interested in them, drop me a PM and I will look up the name and contact info for where you can get them. Right now the tube is too long for this rod and I am planning on cutting it down to fit it. It cost me $40, which seemed pretty reasonable.

A real accomplishment Jim!! did you make the planing forms from Thomas Penrose. I have been interested for some time in bamboo, and the dark side is a little intimidating.One question that has had be baffled is there a planing form for the butt section and one for the tip, or will one form do both.

Excellent job Jim!!

A fitting tribute to another rod builder from Michigan by an up and coming guy from Michigan!

Ain't blond cane GORGIOUS!

:D

Hi Guys
I got to fondle this rod at the Mason Show and the photos do not do it justice. This is one nice looking rod be it a first attempt or one from a long line of rod builds. Fantastic work Jim and thanks for the tip on color preserver.
Bill

Jim,

Great job. Much nicer than my first rod! You should be very proud.

Bill O.

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Originally Posted by oyster

Jim,

Great job. Much nicer than my first rod! You should be very proud.

Bill O.

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What a compliment coming from Bill Oyster.
Jim, taking orders yet?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RS1

Quote:

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Originally Posted by oyster

Jim,

Great job. Much nicer than my first rod! You should be very proud.

Bill O.

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What a compliment coming from Bill Oyster.
Jim, taking orders yet?

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I was thinking the same thing. It's like Chuck Yeager saying you're a good pilot.

:shock: Jeez-o-petes. Thanks again everyone, and Bill you are too kind. I really admire your work. The rod you built for Jimmy Carter is a museum quality piece, a national treasure. If my rods turn out a tenth as good someday, I will be tickled. Thanks to everyone for your encouragement and very kind words!

iflysw - to answer your questions, I used one of Ron's forms to plane the butt and a set of Colorado Bootstrap forms for the tip that I purchased through Ron. Figured for the money, I didn't want to skimp on the forms and run the risk of them not being well machined. The forms seem to be the most important part of this whole game, so I figured why take chances. Most forms come two sided with a groove for the butt sections on one side and the tip sections on the other.

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Originally Posted by Jim Flamming

:shock: Jeez-o-petes. Thanks again everyone, and Bill you are too kind. I really admire your work. The rod you built for Jimmy Carter is a museum quality piece, a national treasure. If my rods turn out a tenth as good someday, I will be tickled. Thanks to everyone for your encouragement and very kind words!

iflysw - to answer your questions, I used one of Ron's forms to plane the butt and a set of Colorado Bootstrap forms for the tip that I purchased through Ron. Figured for the money, I didn't want to skimp on the forms and run the risk of them not being well machined. The forms seem to be the most important part of this whole game, so I figured why take chances. Most forms come two sided with a groove for the butt sections on one side and the tip sections on the other.

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Thank You Jim for clarifying that for me i thought so, but just wanted to find out from someone who built on bamboo.

Perfect, what a great experience that must have been. Good for you.


Tim

Very nice, Jim! Welcome to the fold. You realize you'll never be free again ;-)

How many cane rods you need?....... One more!!!

btw, I'd second all those nice words about Ron Barch!

Kat

Jim - WOW! That thing is beautiful...I hope to do the same in a few years...just need a better work area. How did you decide on the taper? Had you cast something similar before?? Great to see your work though!

I'm getting the rod box out of the closet this weekend. I have a stripped down (soon to be banty) that's been lounging around for too long now!

Fantastic work. That is beautiful. Congrats.

Jim,

Just stunning! Beautifiully done. I love the jasper wraps, they are even my favorite color. What a fine fishing tool you have crafted.

REE

Jim,

Nice work. You certainly have more patience that I do. I was thinking of doing Bill Oysters class in the spring, but that would cut into my fishing and bicycling time.

A few questions, if you don't mind.
1. How many hours of your time did it take?
2. What reel will you put on it?

Thanks and congratulations.

Paul

Jim,

If I could envision making a fly rod that is how I would want it to turn out.

It is a legacy worthy of a king and deserving of a name... Did you name it?

Merry Christmas,
Sean