There are a few people on @#$%& selling banty fly rods for approximately $150, and I am interested in possibly building my own from a nine footer's mid/tip as a project for the Winter. What are your thoughts and experiences with this type of project? Thanks in advance.

Ron

My winter, it is here now, project is 5 old bamboo rods. I have removed all the old guides and wraps and stripped all the finish off of all 5. Two of them will end up 6 footers using just the mid and tip sections and will have new reel seats and cork grips, the other three will have the original reel seats and grips, some will also have new ferrules,and be the original length, 8'6" and 9'.

It is a time consuming project but hopefully it will be worth it. If you are looking for a rod to work on find one with good ferrules if you can. New ferrules can be expensive.

If you would like more information feel free to email me.

Good luck and enjoy.

Bob

crookbob@msn.com

what you start with will determine how good this rod will be. i have been told by someone who builds banties a lot that you should not use just the tip and mid. you should also use a piece of the butt and build your handle on that. the mid butt ferrul will add some stiffness that is needed to make these rods cast well. from a 9' rod you will end up with about a 6'10" rod that will cast better than a six footer made just from tip and mid.

a fun project that i intend to do this winter as well.

Use the mid and tip sections only.
Trying to fit a tip ferrule to a butt ferrule is rather hard to do.. I know many of the folks selling the "small stream rods" and all use the mid and tip sections... it is prefered to have 2 tip sections, however if your rod only has one, that is fine too, as you can only fish one at a time anyway.
Many of the production rods used plated brass ferrules, which usually are cracked. Montague is known for this problem.. you can replace the ferrules easily and at a very reasonable cost.. you can buy them at some of the sponsors at the left.. there is no need to INVEST in nickel silver ferrules for a project rod, as they run about $60 for a full set. you can get the plated ferrules for $2.00 a set, you need to buy 2 sets to make up a full set put that beats the $60 bill. It will not be the same exact design of the ferrule used, but most of the old ferrules are out of production and even GW don't carry them.. Hopefully your rod has good ferrules... put it together and go thru the casting motion, if you hear a click or feel something,,, check the ferrules closely, sometimes the crack is very hard to see.. it is better to replace them now than after you have gone thru the work...

Need any other info, feel free to email me directly,

Tight lines to all ~ ~

<Trying to fit a tip ferrule to a butt ferrule is rather hard to do>

Art. This is not what i meant. do use the mid and tip but also use a piece of the butt. the mid ferrul already fits there. you start with a three piece rod. certainly more than one way to skin a cat. makes a slightly longer rod though and may not be what you want.

Most banty or small stream rods are 2/1 or 2/2, 6'-0", maybe 6'-6". Anything longer would be a common rod. Not many 6ft. rods were made in the former hayday of bamboo. In todays market you will find makers making 6ft rods as a common offering.

I didn't mean to offend anyone with the post, but it is the best information I can offer after making a couple hundred bamboo rods myself , both from culm, restoration of and rebuilding old rods .

Enjoy the project,, however you choose to approach it. Bamboo is fun stuff.

A statement comes to mind from an old painter. He told me one day when I questioned him about the old brush he was using. He said: "that a good painter can use a mop and make the job look good."

Tight lines to all ~~