Hey folks,
I just wanted to share with you guys an exciting development not only for my company, but for the rodbuilding community as a whole.
I have just purchased from 3M Company all rights and ownership to the 2 vintage Dale Clemens Videos:

Building Your Own Rod w/Dale Clemens

Creative Rod Crafting w/Dale Clemens

I am really excited about this first and formeost because these 2 videos were the spark that ignited my interest in building Custom Rods over 10 years ago.

These videos were filmed (according to Dale) in 1984 and were discontinued by 3M in the early 1990's for a multitude of reasons. There are a few ragged copies floating around on @#$%& from time to time, but for the most part, they are VERY hard to find in any decent condition.

For those of you who have never seen these videos before, they are some of the finest rodbuilding videos ever done....very professionally filmed and edited. It's obvious from the quality of the production and editing that 3M put a lot of money, time and effort behind this series. In fact the Creative Rod Crafting video contains to my knowledge the first "filmed" treatise on checkerboard inlays. BUT, the real highlight is the feature section on chevron/diamond wraps ...it is bar none the finest ever done. The diamond wrap shots were filmed under a high magnification lens and each pass is shown step by step while Dale himself narrates. Dale informed me as well that this video is what helped refine the "vocabulary" regarding threadwork that so many use today. Included are how to setup and layout open and closed wraps, plus 1 wrapping and much much more.

I spoke to Dale at length prior and during the transaction between 3M and myself to insure I had his blessing on this project, and he was very very excited about this. I think he was quite disappointed when the videos were discontinued, as they were a real labor of love for him. To my knowledge there are no other quality videos of Dale in action...so for those of you who have studied the books, and used his products, here is a chance to see the man himself in action at the height of his rodbuilding success.

My plan is to have these transfered to DVD in the next 60 days and offer them for sale seperately or as a set. So, as soon as we have some basic production done, and jacket artwork finalized, I'll post an announcement on my website and on this board.

Best Regards,

Andy Dear
Lamar Fishing Products

I have his books and find they are kind of my building bibles.

These I got to have - Let us know And thanks

FINALLY!!!!!!!! I was outbid numerous times for those videos. I'll be waiting. Now only Billy40. Mahalo and Aloha.

What about Billy 40? lol.

I have a VHS tape of Dale's rodbuilding video, and like you it got me interested again in rodbuilding. A very well done production. Many of the original 3M videos were quality products when most were shabby at best. It was pretty humorous when the 3M crew and Jim Teeny were cited for illegally fishing, cracked me up.

Hopefully they will be available in DVD format as well?

Look forward to them!

Phil

Phil, read the last paragraph in Andy's post.


Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

They are excellent videos, back from an era when it all started.

Lou

Oh... duhhhh. Read that line too... just didn't sink in.

Phil...you've been out on that boat too long....hehe.

Andy

Way to go Andy!!
I have a borrowed Clemens VHS and it will be nice to finally let the owner
have it back!! It wont be long now Derek! Thats a promise

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/2006 09:03PM by Raymond_Adams.

Dale has tentively agreed to appear at the International Custom Rod Building Exposition next February. He's only about two hours away and I'll provide him with a table space to use so he can meet and great old friends and perhaps sign some of your books and DVDs.

I won't nail this down until we get closer. Dale is older now and often it's hard to plan that far in advance. But all indications are that he'll try to make it.

...........

Dale is a quiet and unassuming man. I met him in Austin, Texas in the early 80's during one of his seminars. I hope to see him again in February. He ran a very informative seminar.

Dale Clemens was the most successful rod builder who ever lived. Think about it. He made money off of Clemens Tackle, then started Rodcrafters and made money off of that and then started the seminars and made money off of that. Then he sold it all for profit and retired to Florida!

I don't know if he was a great rod builder or not, but few people have been as successful financially as he was in rod building. I don't know if he would do it, but a seminar on rod building business matters with Dale as the presenter might be a hit!

Dear Friends,

It's great to hear about Mr. Clemens again. When I returned to rod building three years ago, I inquired on this forum as to the whearabouts of Dale Clemens. A gentlemen named Andy Dear promptly returned an e-mail to me putting me back in touch with Dale at that time. Dale was one of only a few people I dealt with in the "early years" of my rod building (19730 but he was very helpful and a great businessman. My special connection to Dale was that in his second book, "Advanced Custom Rod Building", I had the special priveledge to create most of the drawings in the book. I have a signed and dated copy of the book and a short note at the beginning of the book. Dale and his associates at that time were a great group of people to do business with.

Charlie

Hi Charlie,
Your email address is hidden. Would you please email me?

Thanks!

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

I doubt I'd ask Dale to present any sort of seminar, but will be happy to provide him a table/space where he can visit with old friends and perhaps sign a few autographs on your books and videos.

This is all very tentative but I'll let you know what we can work out as the time draws closer.


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

Does anyone know if Andy Dear ever reproduced the Dale Clemens VHS tapes on rod building that he obtained the rights from 3M back in 2006.
I would like to get a copy of the tape on Building your own rod (100 min.) and Creative rod crafting (110 min.). I had viewed them years ago and built some fly rods. They are excellent tapes and very informative.

Does anyone know if Andy Dear ever reproduced the Dale Clemens VHS tapes on rod building that he obtained the rights from 3M back in 2006.
I would like to get a copy of the tape on Building your own rod (100 min.) and Creative rod crafting (110 min.). I had viewed them years ago and built some fly rods. They are excellent tapes and very informative.