A couple questions from a 'boo newbie

[Photojoe4]

So, here's the deal. I decided I wanted a bamboo rod, and I figured for the amount that most new/used rods go for, I'll be able to build my own, and I'll be a lot more satisfied fishing with a rod that I made (kind of the same mentality of tying my own flies). I've gotten my planing form back from the machine shop, I've split my bamboo and decided on a taper (Dickerson 8013), now I've just got a couple questions that I need answered. First, is there an easy way to determine the spacing for the guides (mathematically or otherwise). Second, I've been toying with the notion of darkly flaming the butt section, and leaving the tip section a lighter tone-anyone ever tried this? How did it affect the rods performance/action? And also, is there a trick to getting the initial 60degree bevel on the strips without using a roughing form (as I said, I've got my planing forms with the 60degree groove already, but not a set of roughing forms), or should I just break down and buy a roughing form with the rest of my components? Thanks in advance for all your inevitably good advice.

Joe Martin
Salem, OR

[gerry l]

Hi Joe.congrats and good luck on your decision to build your special rod. We should talk about the guides later or check out Wayne Cattanach's book.It can get confusing. I would not mess around with flaming my first rod, especially, dark . You might go too far. Besides, I like the beauty of natural bamboo. I think you will find it helpful to keep your first rod on a simple plan.

The roughing form costs about 40 bucks or make it yourself. It can be worked around, but its tedious,also, why bother if you can swing the 40 bucks.

Gerry L
Marion, IL

[dleo6446]

Welcome Joe
Well its good to see that you have taken the plunge and are obviously excited about your rod making venture. Nice choice on the Dickerson taper too by the way.

I am with Gerry, I would invest in the planing forms, what they will save you in bamboo is priceless and in time as well. If you havent already visited this site, you may want to. There are archives there that will help you a lot in both tapers and guide placements. Keep in mind that the guide placement is only a guide. The final placment should be decided after the guides are taped on to the rod the rod is laced and the flex of the rod checked visually to give you the best distribtution of the flex. Hope this site helps you. By the way, you are only a few miles (consideration given) from some of the best in the business in rod making, might be worth your time to visit them, pick their brain a little. I found them most helpful with advice and direction years ago.
[url=http://www.uwm.edu/~stetzer/Tapers/:a6971]www.uwm.edu/~stetzer/Tapers/[/url:a6971]

[idabelangler]

And also, is there a trick to getting the initial 60degree bevel on the strips without using a roughing form (as I said, I've got my planing forms with the 60degree groove already, but not a set of roughing forms), or should I just break down and buy a roughing form with the rest of my components?

You can do the rough planing on your tapered planing forms by setting each of the 5" stations to the same depth at say .250. This would get you a non tapered equilateral strip the depth of a 1/4". Or you could go buy 4'-6' 1x2 piece of hardwood and run a router down the middle with a 60 degree bit set at the depth of 1/4". This would also give you a good bed for a Medved Style Beveler if do decide to make one later.

[flyfisherjoe]

Photojoe4, Good for you!

I have been threatening to embark on project like that for many years but have never found the time.

Here is a link that may be helpful:
[url=http://www.thomaspenrose.com/bamboo.htm:bf465]http://www.thomaspenrose.com/bamboo.htm[/url:bf465]

I also have an old 40 page book in pdf format titled "Building the Bamboo Fly Rod" but I don't remember where I got it from so I will e-mail it to you. I think you will find it very informative. It's filled with a lot of step by step instructions and many sketches.

Since you have an aol address it may not come through. If it doesn't let me know and I will get it to you another way.

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Joe

[Photojoe4]

Wow! What a response! Thanks for all the great advice thus far. And no, JC, I'm not entirely alone and unguided in this venture of mine- aside from having this vast network of knowledgable people I have here on FAOL, my local library has a good collection of rod building books. Also, I am fortunate enough to have several component manufaturers living near me (I'll more than likely be getting my reelseats, ferrules and thread from Bellinger, which is less than 5 minutes from me), and several very competent builders as well, so I'd say I'm in pretty good hands. As far as the flaming of the rod goes-I was thinking of a two-tone look, with contrasting wraps on the guides, but if there's a good chance I'll screw up the action of an otherwise decent rod by flaming it I'll just skip it-I'd rather have a good, fishable rod than a "pretty" one. Thanks again or all the advice for a young (25) guy just starting out.

Joe Martin
Salem, OR

[flyfisherjoe]

flaming, besides the cosmetic effect, can temper the bamboo and produce a faster action. Just doing the butt section may have an unusual effect on the action.

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Joe

[oyster]

Joe,

I would recommend against two-toning your first rod. Speaking from experience, the more rods you make, the more you develope an appreciation for the tradition and classic simplicity of cane. Also, as flyfisherjoe mentioned, flaming can have a tempering effect on cane. A half-tone rod would likely be a rod in which the tip is not stiff enough to smoothly transfer flex into the butt section - the end result being a rod that feels "tip-whippy" and lacks punch at longer distances. Of course this could be corrected for with taper adjustments, but do you really want to get into that on your first rod? My advice would be to keep it as simple as possible. A simple rod, cleanly done, will be appreciated by even the most die-hard cane critic.

Good luck and enjoy!
Bill O.

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[url=http://www.oysterbamboo.com:b3977]www.oysterbamboo.com[/url:b3977]

[splinter]

Joe,
If you are 5 min from the Bellinger shop then you absolutely should go visit them. There are at least 3 and at times 4 builders there, a couple with low rod counts so they will remember why you are asking the question. Avoinding the pitfalls of improper plane prep, sharpening angles, why you don't want to build a two tone rod.. and many other topics will save you amny a week of fruitless building time.The rough forms are easily made with a half dozen wood screws, 2 - 4 ft pcs of 1 X 1 in maple and 5 min on a table saw.
splinter

[rjj]

i have a few cane rods and would love to take the plunge and build one.

but before i start one from scratch, here's what i think i'll do:

1. find a 'handyman special' vintage rod and strip it, rewrap it, re-varnish it, etc. you can get a rod in need of refinishing for $100 or so if you look around. i would suggest you can learn alot that way without a huge investment. also a lot quicker than building from scratch. if you have limited time like i do, this could be important.

2. buy a blank for a couple hundred bucks. this lets you bypass the cane curing/splitting/planing/gluing/wrapping/ unwrapping/cleaning/etc. this would let you get right down to finishing out the rod. you would choose the reelseat, ferrules, guides, wraps...

from my standpoint, i would go one of those two routes before investing in all the gear needed to build a rod from scratch. even if you can wind up making alot of the stuff like planing forms, it seems a bit tedious and costly. unless you plan to turn out more than a couple rods.

also, if you have a chance, find someone in your area who builds or repairs cane rods and visit the shop. their sage advice may help you avoid some common pitfalls.

just my .02 cents, and your mileage may vary.

whichever route you go, best of luck!

rjj