Project Information
I had asked my wife if the budget could handle my taking a 7-day class to learn how to make bamboo fly rods ($3,500 for the class, plus lodging and meals) now that I am retired. She diplomatically suggested that it might be more challenging for me if I bought a 'How To' book and teach myself. I decided to make a practice rod that I would throw away after I had gone through each step of the process, and here is the result. Although this is the first completed rod, it is my second rod blank. The first had too many problems with it to more time and the cost of hardware. Since this turned out better than expected, I think I'll see how it fishes.
Most rods are made for Tonkin bamboo, but I made this from medake bamboo, since there is a bamboo nursery about 30 minutes from home. The reel seat spacer is from a walnut cut off from my scrap bin. The process took me about 10 weeks, since I needed to build all of the supporting jigs and forms (the binding form, plane forms, oven for "baking" the strips, cork handle press, etc). I'll post and describe these if anyone is interested.
Most rods are made for Tonkin bamboo, but I made this from medake bamboo, since there is a bamboo nursery about 30 minutes from home. The reel seat spacer is from a walnut cut off from my scrap bin. The process took me about 10 weeks, since I needed to build all of the supporting jigs and forms (the binding form, plane forms, oven for "baking" the strips, cork handle press, etc). I'll post and describe these if anyone is interested.