I was just curious as to what the insides of a Fishing rod assembly/manufacture look like. Do the people who work there really like their jobs? Are there all kind of hi-tech machines? I am talking like G-Loomis, St.Croix . They all caim handcrafted by craftsmen. Is it true. I think import rods I envision a group of people chained to a work bench working 23 1/2 hours a day!!!!! Just kidding there! 20 hours a day!
Just a question I have been wanting to ask. I know Some of you get to see these places.
Mark Schulte

In some ways you would be impressed. In other ways, not. There is much specialty machinery involved in making blanks, finishing etc. But you will also find regular people sliding pre-formed grips on the blanks and wrapping guides just like you do.

Craftsmen? I'm not to sure about that in all cases. I remember one well known fly rod company that moved some years ago and decided to just hire new help when they got set up in their new location. A friend had asked the company supervisor how they would find the craftsmen they needed. He said they didn't need craftsmen, just a couple dozen women who could do repetitive tasks. This doesn't mean that they don't use competent people - they do. Just that most commerically made rods are simple assembled items just like so many other products we use each day.

Obviously, the people who do the R&D and design the blanks are trained in that field.

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Mark,
Good point. I'll give my observation of a personal visit first hand to Park Falls and St. Croix Rod factory. You might have to ask the people who work there if they like their jobs, but overall seemed they did their tasks well and were at work areas that seemed to meet their particular skills, and the work areas appeared to be safe. I suppose a lot of this is to do with successful personnel management, and I believe St. Croix may be first rate at this with their 50+ year history.

Now, being a longer term dealer with St. Croix I may have a bias or two, but the tour did impress me for the quality and care shown in how they still made rods one at a time. Albeit, to a standard 'recipe' as it were (not custom rods). They make very good rods, and in great numbers per day. From what we observed, yes, there are high tech and lo tech machinery (both manual and automatic...like drill presses or wrapping machines) and especially in the blank production room (higher tech). The environments are controlled as to temperature requiements and quality for storage, blank assembly, finishing rooms, and areas where handles are fitted or painting, sanding and such.
I believe some of their guide winding is on contract off site, but the rest of the in-house production is top notch in ordered fashion; from stress testing of blanks to paint coating and all steps in between. Quality is tested at many stages, and blanks checked at least through, I believe, 6 different close checks for straightness and consistency by different people.

One thing obvious is the rods are still handcrafted individually, but methods may be true to keeping within an economy of scale and standard choice and placement of components as you would expect factory rods to be made. This particular company takes a great deal of pride in their product, and the folks there are very nice with first rate management of a world class rod company.

The greater skills mentioned are observed are with the blank designers with their high tech devices (some quite large really), and proprietary computer software. One thing impressed me is the great care in materials handling and keeping with a standards, and precision machinery.

The thing about assigning people that have learned skills to certain areas, is that may be one particular task they are doing. Say in the finish room, that person would be expert at applying finish, but perhaps may have nothing to do with handle assembly. This is probably the most obvious difference that would be seen in comparison to what a custom builder may do all task per rod, and then some testing. Also, there are people in areas for some repair work that may be a little more diverse in skills that might be recognized. That might be from replaceing cork handles or wrapping a replacement guide. I came away with the impression the rods did not 'feel' mass produced with about 150 employees there. But I did see one heck of a lot of rods in various stages of production. I had the urge to do a decorative butt wrap when we got home.

Rich
Richard's Rod & Reel