Hi
I hanen't bought any birch bark in a while the last I bought was from Munich Rod Man's Shop but I can't find the web site any suggestions?

Thanks
Mike
Mikes Custom Fly Rods

Try www.barkcanoe.com

Cool, thanks for the link. Next question, tool to cut the rings from the sheet? Where does one get one of those?

Thank you whoever you are

WWW.WeSeekHerRods.com

Brass tubing,available at hobby shops or elsewhere,can do it. It can be cut into short lengths and one end then beveled by chucking it into a lathe,spinning it and filing that end. I would advise however,that before you use a hammer to tap into and cut the bark sheets,you add a wooden dowel plug to strengthen it against collapsing/deforming. You can also add a small tapping block between it and your hammer. This works quite well with foam sheets so I don't know why it wouldn't work with bark.
Another option would be a finetoothed hole saw. At least you would have a center bored hole that is dead center.
Chuck

Ted,

All that information was in the Volume 9 #2 issue of RodMaker. Tools, technique, etc.

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

I've been using a plain old 1 1/2" hole saw for several years and it works fine for me. Hole saws are measured by the size of the hole, so use a 1 1/2" saw to get a ring about 1 1/4

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!!

I second the hole saw use. I use a couple of different sizes: 1 1/2" & 1 3/8" and I find by using the ones where the cutting portion unscrews from the shaft makes it much easier to get the cut pieces out of the cutter. I cut 4 or 5 pieces then unload the saw, makes for pretty quick work.

One caution in using the hole saw, be sure your bark is backed up with a good softwood surface, some thing like pine or fir as it seems to make less tearing when the saw penetrate trough the bark.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Mike, I sent you a PM re Birch Bark source for precut rings.