Just posted some photos of a basswood fly handle with afzelia reel seat, which is being built for an old friend. I know this will not be acceptable to "hardcore" fly traditionalists, but I wanted to see what visual effect might be obtained from basswood cut & glued-up cross-grained. Basswood as you know, has no visually redeeming features when cut along the grain. I suspect it has a place for handle construction. Various effects are probably possible, depending on grain orientation, etc.

I look forward to your thoughts & criticism. Stan





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/28/2005 12:42AM by Stan Gregory.

Stan,

Very good looking handle set-up. Now for the tough question: You said you used an azelia burl for the reel seat, Is that the ornamental shrub that my Mom has planted on either side of the front steps? Gives a good contrast to the Basswood rings.

Bill in WV

I've seen this done in wood turning for other objects - it's called "segmented wood turning" and is often used on "plain jane" wood pieces but which have good contrast when used in conjunction with other wood pieces of a different color or shade. In fact, one builder wrote an article on segmented turning which I haven't gotten around to running in the magazine just yet. Rosewood or bubinga coupled with a lighter wood such as basswood reallly makes a stunning piece.

Because it's somewhat unusual and not often seen, I think you'll find a very receptive market for it. Don't stop here - you can alternate those basswood rings with rings of darker walnut or similar, if you want something even more non-traditional.


..............

Bill, your Mom's shrubs are most likely Abelia shrubs. The Afzelia burl apparently comes from an African tree. I got it from Andy at last years Charlotte Show.

Tom, thanks for the comments and suggestions. I'll keep trying out things along what you mentioned - and probably just drive my wife crazy with all the sawdust being tracked in. Stan

Could be Stan, but she calls them azelia's. But she's known to be mistaken on plant names.

Bill in WV

My Mom calls them Iselias!

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Who cares about tradition! Stan that is a sweet grip! If I were to order one I would prefer the reel seat insert to match the grip but
that is just me. Many others like the contrasting wood.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Woops, I mis-spelled Afzelia in the first post. Stan

I don't know, but if the plant grows well around the pacific Northwest, I think it is called an Azalea, which I think is related to Rhoddendrons.

I'll look at Stan's grip now since I am looking for a cork subsitute too.

Mike Blomme

Great looking handle and reel seat.

Big John
Rio Hondo, Texas
Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting

Very nice handle Stan! Simplicity can be beautiful and I think this a perfect example of that. I especially like the effect of the lighter and darker blotchy "Lego" texture. When you look at the thumbnail it almost looks as if it is a really low resolution picture that you need to look from a distance. And then you get the impression of light reflected to the handle from a wavy water surface - a sort of glimmery effect which you could imagine alternating in a rythm of the waves (Yes, I do have a fishtank ;) ). A true piece of art and the best looking handle along Antti's bark handle for a long time IMO. :)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/28/2005 05:37AM by Mikko Stenberg.

Stan I carve fish out of wood when im not building rods I use tupelo its lighter in weight than basswood and has none of the fuzz basswood has it grows in the swamps down south if you need a supplier email me and ill hook you up.




Steve

I would also mention that if you use a hole saw on wood planks or boards, your outside grip surface will be "end grain" and won't be as smooth as if you had the rings sawn with the grain instead of against it. So, you can turn a cylinder of the wood you want on the lathe and then part off individual rings and stack them that way. This puts the grain in line with your grip and usually makes for a smoother surface.

Basswood is very tightly grained and so it wouldn't be much of a problem either way. Nice job. The grip looks great.

..........

Looks great Stan. I would have never thought of it.
I often mix light woods with dark woods for inlays, but this is something entirely different. Beautiful.

Josh Markvan
www.markvanheirloom.com

Very interesting concept. I think it looks very sharp.