This year I have been buying some new things for my cabin upnorth and I wanted to get a new lamp for a new end table I just bought for up there. Well after looking around and seeing what sort of “fly fishing themed” table lamps were out there and the crazy prices some of these places charge for them, I decided to make my own since I knew I could make something much better for about 1/4 the cost of what is available to buy. So While I was waiting for some parts for some customers rods to come in today I whipped this up for my cabin.
Started with a 11"x16" unfinished oval Basswood base and stained it, then mounted a 24" tall rustic fence post to it. Bought a small old creel off of ebay to use on it, a wood net from a local sports shop, a Pflueger Sal Trout reel, a seat & grip I had sitting around the shop. Then for the “rod” I wanted it to look like an old Bamboo rod so I used a piece of 3/8 dowel rod and flamed it & stained it so it looked like an old cane rod. Added some “greenery” and some river stones to the base and topped it off with a moose & black bear shade off ebay. For the finishing touch I used an old pewter trout from my dad’s old key chain (who is now long passed away) since it has been sitting in my desk drawer for over 15 yrs.
Should make a nice handmade addition to the fishing cabin when I head up in a few weeks.
Very nice Steve. Your work is often inspirational. My grandfather was a farmer in the Palouse country of Eastern Washington, and he had the oldest and most tattered implements in the area. I used to help him on the harvest and many times the truck, combine or tractor would break down. He taught me that it was always cheaper to make the replacement part you needed than it was to buy it. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I like building fly rods more than buying them. Nice lamp, & thanks for the post. You made me think of Gramps.
Good job on the lamp. It brought to mind a story in Gene Hill’s book “Mostly Tailfeathers” about how you could sneak a new gun into the house disguised as a floor lamp.
Steve - That’s really nice - if you make another - see if you can find a beaver cutting for the post - one that is totally stripped with chew marks - just an idea I had some time ago, involving making a rustic-looking bed frame! Didn’t make the frame, but I do have the 9’ beaver log standing (leaning) in one of the corners of my living room! Yeah, I’m nuts, but I like it! Nice looking net there too! Thanks for sharing.
This reminds of an old article I saw from Heloise or another of the craft ladies who used to write in the newspapers. Her advise was to find old fly reels, paint them up real pretty and glue them to an old lamp you have laying around. I sure would like to latch on to a couple of those lamps now!
Unc Jess has a GREAT idea. One could “sneak” a whole new outfit past the wife with THAT lamp. I’m looking to sneak a new S&W 44 mag into the house. I wonder what it would look like mounted with an orchid protruding from the barrel ? AND, Mothers Day is anon, hmmmmmmmmmm.
much unlike THIS one.