Bamboo rod question

[nowindknots]

What does it mean to say the tips of a bamboo rod are "bookmatched"?

Jim

[dleo6446]

difficult to do but the masters, like Kusse, Thramer, and many many others can do it...

bookmatched (adj), bookmatch (n)
refers to pieces of sequentially cut wood arranged so the grain creates mirror images

[nowindknots]

Thanks dleo. I had an idea of what bookmatching means in woodworking, like bookmatched wood on guitars, violins and such. But I'm still a little confused as to its meaning in rod making. Does it mean the adjacent flats on a particular tip are mirrored? What is mirrored? The nodes? The power fiber edges? Is there any special relationship between the two complete tips? I've searched the net and I find references to rods that have bookmatched tips, but no explanations, and no usable pictures.

Jim

[dleo6446]

Hi Jim,
Well I think that in woodworking the meaning is quite clear, and without really stirring up a big "stink"....to book match, say a table top, a piece of wood is split and then reglued edge to edge to give it that "mirrored" look. I have a rod with bookmatched tips and about all I can tell you about it is, the tips look identical with node spacing, position with relationship to the guides etc. except one is 180 degrees from the other. Ron Kusse could probably give the term in bamboo rod making more clear definition....

[splinter]

the bookmatch in this case means that the tips are 'mirrored', ie: they are identical as possible. the 12 strips that make up the two tips are taken from adjacent sections of the culm(s) of bamboo. the idea is to make the two tips ACT as identical as possible in use. it is not a required part of making a top quality rod but it is a sign that the maker pays attention to the details of construction
splinter

[dleo6446]

thanks splinter, welcome aboard