Birch bark handle?

Equipment Rod Building: Cane and Graphite
1

Well I have been reading about making handles from birch bark rather than cork. So I figured I’d give it a go. This is the result of about 6 hours of collecting, sanding, cutting, drilling and stacking birch bark. The stack on the right is 6" long and 2" x 2" squares, the other is 1.5" squares. I haven’t glued anything together yet and I was wondering what type of adhesive to use to stick them together? Regular 2 part epoxy or something else? I hope to have time to glue a handle up and turn it down after the holidays. Any other handle turning tips?

2

Mike,
what a great and interesting thought, never considered Birch bark but it should be beautiful. I would give either titebond or Gorilla glue a shot rather than the epoxy I think. I sure would like to see that as a finished product, that is so novel. Good luck with it.

Leo

3

I just checked my Rod Maker magazine. Antti Kymalainen’s article on birch bark handles. What he says when you glue them together, do not glue more than 20 rings together at a time. Use a slow cure epoxy. BTW, lube up your bolt/all thread with pariffin so the epoxy doesn’t adhere to it. Turn each ring 90? from the last one. Grain going N/S next ring E/W. After the 20th, put a washer on top and a nut. Tighten until the excess glue is squeezed out. Make sure the washer is larger than the rings too. Fender washers would work good.
After you glued all your 20 ring packets together, glue those together as one.
Good luck on your handle. I’d love to build one, but where I live, it’s hard to find birch trees.

RTJ

4

Hey Ralph, does he give any reason why the Epoxy is better than other specific wood glues?

5

If you use Gorilla glue, and then turn the grip on a lathe, PLEASE wear a proper face mask. The dust from the glue is very harmful.

6

Mike
what kind of birch are you using?

Ralph
when you say no more that 20 rings at a time, do you mean 20 pieces of bark or like a ring od cork? i don’t quite follow the meaning.

7

dleo-No mention of why the epoxy. Just guessing, since he’s a rod builder, he has the epoxy on hand . I don’t know if it would be any stronger or any more water proof.

rizeye- I guess I should have said 20 pieces of bark. From the picture it looks like he got a piece of pipe probably a 1?" or 1?" diameter and sharpened the outside edge and uses it as a punch. Welded a piece of flat stock on the top of the pipe.

It sounds like the bark is pretty fragile because there is so many layers and could break easy. I think that’s why the 20 pieces at a time and then epoxying the stacks together after curing.
As for what type of birch, he mentions white birch is the best, and you need to remove all the white surface material.

RTJ

8

Well I glued the bark together tonight. I got my wife to help me so I could do them all at once. There are about 120 pieces in that 5.5". I used gorilla glue, and I plan to turn it outside and wear my respirator. I think it should work out. I still need to pick some wood for the ends of the grip and turn that down. I suppose I should glue that to the bark ends as well.

I don’t think I’ll have time to get back to it for about a week but then I’m going to try to finish this up.

Mike

9

birch bark handles do look realy nice. i couldn’t find a rod handle but did find some knife handles

http://maximknives.com/2006/d-55b.htm

10

Hey guys, here’s a few pictures of birch bark fly rod grips. Can you say give me some bark.
http://www.rodbuilding.org/photopost/sh … 507/page/1

and another
http://www.rodbuilding.org/photopost/sh … 507/page/1

Now I’d like to get some buffalo horn
Keep us posted Mike.

11

So these are pieces of birch bark stacked on one another and epoxied (glued), then turned on a lathe? My goodness they’re beautiful. I would never have thought. Here’s my new project: making a bent-wood willow landing net. I have the net and am working on the wood. I took a bent wood trellis making course this fall and this was a must to the net. JGW

12

here is my bark grip after turning it down to about 1.25". I still need to pick some wood for the ends fof the grip before I can finish it off.

I hope mine looks as nice as those others do.

Mike

13

The more I see of this the more I like it!! Approximately how much doe it weigh?

14

I’m not really sure how much it weighs compared to cork. I have read “slightly more” and “the same as cork”. I would say it might end up being a bit heavier but I plan to use this piece on a 9’ 6wt so I don’t imagine it will make much difference. I am looking forward to seeing how soft it feels after sanding.

15

I build all of my grips out of birch bark, I use gorilla glue and limit eacn ring to about 20 pieces, you have use wood end caps at the end of the grip because the bark flakes- once put together it is really tough - and light, the diference of weight is not noticible maybe 10%, I drill a 1/4, 5/16 or 3/8 hole in each ring depending on the butt size - then I place the rings on a threaded rod, tighten and turn - the neext step is very important -using a pencil draw line - I draw 4 lines 90 degrees apart the lenght of the grip, then number eac ring- dismantle and ream the ring to the butt and assemble by lining up the rings - reason for the pencil lines - you need a ring tool made up of wood and threaded rod to tighten the rings while the glue sets - you can treat the rings with tung oil or leave it alone- I have never had a problem with therings holding water.
Picture of a 6’ 3" bamboo rod in progress - the winding check is from a deer antler, the final step is to sand the grip lightly to remove any glue from gluing on the rings -needs - Mike
[http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q245/gatech2001/DCP_1723.jpg[img]

16

That is gorgeous Mike, Excellent work and aesthetics

17

For some reason I cannot open the file. JGW

18

Martin

19

Beautiful job, Mike. I love your reel seat too. Is the winding check slightly tapered?

20

The grips look great! I would like to make a few, but birch bark isn’t available locally. Does anyone know of an online source to purchase it? Thanks.