Although I have seen several demos on how cane rods are made over the years I’ve never thought at the time to ask this question of the demonstrator. How many tapers are there? Or, are new or variations continually being created. Also, how do the tapers translate into slow or fast action…or do they.? On one of my rods I was told it had a Wayne K. taper, another was built to resemble an older Payne. I’m not a cane nut but may be becoming one as this entire past season all I fished with was a Ted Knott cane rod (Canadian rod builder who passed away) in his memory. I had picked up the rod in a silent auction up at the Toronto show. Now I am hooked and next year will be trying out several other cane rods I bought over the years but never fished. Probably be buying another…dang…I thought I would outgrow this stuff…"What’s that Honey? Did I pay the taxes ? What kind of notice? …What did I do with the SS check?.. Can we get an extension?
I seem to remember a thread in the recent past titled “What do we really need” (or something close to that)
I guess we just gotta keep “cumulatin”
mantis, i don’t know anything about cane, but i do know that you da man when it comes to interesting threads! keep it up!
Mantis,
Tough question to answer. There is an infinate amount of tapers, that said, not all are good. I believe you have a Wayne Cattanach tapered rod. His tapers tend to have a finer tip, therefore softer, or tip actioned for dry fly fishing. With his tapers if you look at a strees graph the have what is called a “hinge effect” just below the ferrule, this allows the rod to bend deeper, giving it more power for roll casting.
The best way to figure out the tapers is to cast you rods with the recommended line weight, then go up and down a couple of line weights.
A good read about bambooflyrods is “Fishing Bamboo” by John Gierich (sp).
Also tons of Baambo rod information on The Classic Flyrod Forum @ [url=http://p205.ezboard.com/bclarksclassicflyrodforum:5f74b]http://p205.ezboard.com/bclarksclassicflyrodforum[/url:5f74b]
Pete
[This message has been edited by CTCaneman (edited 13 October 2005).]
How many tapers are there? Or, are new or variations continually being created.
That’s sort of a loaded question. Mathematically there could be over 10,000 tapers given rod length, type of rod (hex or quad), line weight…ect… but in reality there probablly less than 500-700 that accually work for a fly rod. Rod DNA list something like 520 tapers but some of those are spinning and casting rods.
Also, how do the tapers translate into slow or fast action…or do they.?
Tapers are the heart and soul of a cane rod. As a rough estimate you could graph the length of the rod compared to the thickness of the rod at that point. Most rods rise at something like .025-.035 inches per foot. The larger the rise is the faster the rod will be. But you have to take into account for the density of the power fibers in the cane, and to a lesser degree the glue used in the blank, varnish, ect…
I guess we just gotta keep “cumulatin”
Cane nuts would call it “Culmulation”
Mike B
[This message has been edited by idabelangler (edited 13 October 2005).]
WOW! Yes,…should have hit the ‘C’ instead of K. Heard the name but never saw ir spelled out. My God, how do you rod builders choose when so many options are available!!! I guess each has a few favorites for various type rods. Man and I thought I had it hard tying the crazzy flies I tie deciding what works best for what…Thanks to all who have responded.
I think you will like the Wayne C taper, I’ve built a couple. When casting it, slow down, let the cane do the work.
Watch your back cast, watch your forward cast. The rod will work the cast, once you get a hang of the timing and “feel” the rod load, the lights will turn on. Don’t be afraid to put some “wood” to the cast or a haul or double haul. It amazing stuff to cast. My basic casting style is a short arm/rod movement with a haul for line speed rod flex to let the rod do the work.
Enjoy it!
Pete
So many tapers, so little time (and money), sigh.
I’m no expert (sorry) but I’m fortunate to live immersed in cane, and have a couple of thoughts.
One thing we all have going for us is the movement away from secrecy which sometimes handicapped the makers of the 1890s- 1970s. There are rodmakers gatherings across the country where tapers are cast and shared, as well as bamboo casting events like SuperBoo in winter in Maine, the weekend last month in PA, and another just held in Wisconsin. Phones, web sites, the Planing Form : the word is out there.
Then, thanks to Hoagy Carmichael, Jr, and Everett Garrison, and a few modern masters of the spreadsheet, there are mathematical comparison graphs available so that new tapers can be compared virtually to known ones, at least to get a start on the “feel” of the action.
When buying or making a rod, decisions about tapers can be a blend of a dialog with the maker(s) familiar with different tapers and your own thoughts on what you’d like, but trying to attend a casting gathering could help (or just organize one yourself). I wouldn’t buy a rod from an unknown maker if I’d never cast it, but there are expereinced makers who I’d trust to make me a perfact match for my taste just from talking to me on the phone.
You know how many rods you need? One more.
My 2 cents,
Kat
Go to [url=http://www.troutrods.com:cf9c5]www.troutrods.com[/url:cf9c5] (Tom Morgan’s site). You may not agree with all he has to say(especially the prices of his rods), but it is some good information on Bamboo, graphite, rod actions and fly fishing in general. Some of it is a bit long-winded, but don’t forget to read the “articles” portion of the site.
fly,…very nice site. Lot of info but not much on tapers other than saying he developed his own. Nice history and pretty rods. You are right…High prices for a guy only actually building rods for 5 years(1999). Seems to say that B4 that he justdesigned the hand plane etc while others actually built the rods. I’m still not sure if it is Bill or he or both that actually build the rods.Bamboo price probably reasonable but on the high side but the graphite prices seem about double what you would expect. Again, beautiful site…lot of his history. Thanks
[This message has been edited by mantis (edited 13 October 2005).]
You’re right Mantis, not much on the tapers, but I guess what I drew from it was that there as many different tapers as there are people that build rods. I especially found interesting the way in which he/they came up with the tapers. I wonder what they did with the ones they didn’t like? Were they complete rods or just blanks? Who knows…I probably still couldn’t afford them.
Mantis, there is a lot of info about bamboo on this site, though specifics about tapers may be skimpy. Be sure to look into the archives of the rod building forum.
But here is a site where some active builders hang out. Some beautiful work being done these days.
[url=http://www.rodbuildingforum.com/index.php?showforum=2:8a622]http://www.rodbuildingforum.com/index.php?showforum=2[/url:8a622]
Jim
I wonder what they did with the ones they didn’t like? Were they complete rods or just blanks? Who knows…
I bet the hardware was stripped and the blanks burned in the stove. How do you think rodmakers the heat thier shop? 
Tom actually is wheel-chair and bed ridden and doesn’t ‘make’ any rods, and hasn’t for some time, (years?).
LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL
LF:Really, so he never really built any rods? Says he found amature rod builder Bill Blackburn in 1999 and hired him to build bamboo rods and they were going to make 200 bamboo rods in the next 5 years. So say year 2000 till now. Site was established in 2003. So they are really Bill Blackburn rods, a relative newcomer and just use the Morgan name because he once owned Winston Rod Co.?..Okay…guess those rods are pretty high priced for who made them then…They are pretty though…Thanks for your imput.
Hi,
Maybe you were looking for a taper archive?
[url=http://www.uwm.edu/~stetzer/Tapers/hexrod-archive.html:b8df4]http://www.uwm.edu/~stetzer/Tapers/hexrod-archive.html[/url:b8df4]
Kat
Oh, and, yes, Tom made rods.
Kat
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SNOWBALL FIGHT IN HELL KILLS THREE
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CUBS WIN WORLD SERIES IN SWEEP
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Mark
I’d rather be in Wyoming!