LESS THAN TWO WEEKS UNTIL THE OHIO GATHERING.

Goodness how time flies. Currently 21 rod builders are signed up for a day of learning, sharing, and fun. We still have room for a few more.
If you would like to be with us we can still accomodate several more builders. Reserve a place for you by sending an e-mail to me Bill Eshelman at: bkcustomrods@yahoo.com. REMEMBER, THERE WILL BE NO CHARGE! you will be responsible for your own meal at the adjoining resteruant.
We are going to:
1 Greg Hromiko will build a rod for the new builders who are coming.
2. Joe Vanfossen will go over the ins and outs of desining and applying decals. as well as static testing the proper way as discussed in this forum a couple days ago.
3. Roy Miller who has one of his wraps featured in Rod Maker magazine will show us how it is done.
4. Dave Dosser will show us some of his grips from poly pipe, cord, and heat shrink.
5. Herb Tidrick and Dave Dosser will handle the fly tying aspect of the gathering
6. A buy and swap table will be set up. This could be a good time to get rid of un-needed tools and or excess supplies.
7. There will be many quality door prizes from our sponsors, which include: MudHole, Swampland, American Tackle, Anglers Resource, Decal Connection, Hydra Fishing LLC, Anglers Envy, J. Stockard Fly Fishing. Let`s give these great sponsors our support . We couild never pull these gatherings off with out them. Also thanks to Tom and Rod Maker Magazine for the articles he has offered to place for this and gatherings by any other group trying to represent rod building.

When you come bring a rod or two you are working on.This is a great way to share and to get to know each other. Don`t we all like to tal;k about what we do?

Come to learn, come to share, or come for the door prizes, we would just like for you to come.

Don Morse, Thanks for the little snippet in the e-mail you send to your group, You guys will always be welcome here.

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2012 05:10PM by Bill Eshelman.

No problem Bill, you and everyone are welcome here in April as well, I just wish I could make it down but have agreed to teach a fly tying group that day. Best of luck to you.

______________________________________
Super Tight Lines......Don

Joe,

Sorry, I have you down as de-sinning. Which is good, It should be designing which is good too.

Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

Hi Bill,
Time flies when your having fun!!
Looks like you guys are set up to have a great meeting and I hope it turns out well for you and everybody.
Our SEARBS group is growing slowly but steadily. Got a guy from Tasmania who joined and that's a LONG way from were we are based.
Got a meeting on the 12th of November with Mark Fisher as a guest so we should have a good one also.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

Hi Col.

Thanks, it seems as if these groups are popping up all over.and that is great. I think most rod builders are starved for the knowledge and to be around other builders. We have a group of 8 - 12 that meet monthly for breakfast.. A lot of information is shared.

I hope your group continues to grow and you build not just rods but life long friendships as well.

Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

Are de-sinning skills readily acquired? :)

Richard,


Noooo, but if you talk to the right people they can be.

Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

Richard,

Bill I think proper desinning requires a time machine to go backwards in time. There are clever ways for moving forward in time, but no so much for going backwards through time. Of course there are plenty of venues and opportunities for those seeking forgiveness or seeking a place to learn about time travel, but talks on desinning, time travel, and forgiveness are for other places and times :).

Looking forward to the ORBS gathering,

Joe

Hi Bill,
It seems the demand is there, I don't know of any other rodbuilding groups in this country so it might be a first. All the members I've spoken to state that other interested builders aren't easy to find and they're glad to attend and enjoy the meets. We now have ten members and continuing to grow slowly. I'm starting to build some friendships with a number of the members already and that can only be good. If the group continues to grow we will have too many to hold a meet at members residences then I will be looking to you for advice on what you did when that happened to your group.
Leave that desinning for another time!! Lot of us need a bit of that occasionally but rodbuilding meets have better topics to cover.
Once again have a great day.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

When I started The NERBs in 2004, Dave Boyle started Sydney Rodbuilders and someone else started MElbourne ROdbuilders. THey had a few meetings each, it's difficult to keep up and keep getting new people to attend.

"Build it and they will come"

Hi Billy,
That's interesting to know that at least acouple of other groups were formed, never heard of them or what happened. Aussies can be an apathetic bunch at times and it can be difficult to keep small groups together. Most of the guys we've got so far are keen at the moment but we're only new. Would be great if we could get builders like Mark Fisher to attend regularly then we wouldn't have a problem. Unfortunately there's not a large number of guys like him available. Ross Van Enkevort would also like to get to one if he's over this way but The Rodworks keeps him fairly tied up.
I'll just have to keep off my butt and try and keep everything together in between building a few rods. Groups like yours and Bill's keep me motivated. You do a fantastic job travelling around and attending meetings from different groups. Ray Balmforth is still hoping you'll have a holiday in this neck of the woods one day. Be tremendous to have you if you able to get here, never now what will happen tomorrow.
Just need to get my workshop finished!! Keep running into unexpected problems and it's taking a lot longer than I thought it would, plus I've got to go to work to provide the cash to do everything. I'll get there eventually and then will have a good clean area to build.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

Col,

It certainly seems as if you are on the right track. The easiest way to find new builders is by doing exactly what you are doing now and that is let them find you.
You, myself and a few others use their home town as there signatures. I`ve had several contact me that way and two of them are part of our group which meet monthly. The other way is by holding these gatherings and talk them up on this and other sites. I have posted on other sites with unfavorable resuts. This is by far the most popular one.

The first ORBS Gathereing was held in a meeting hall of one of our local parks. It was a nice setting with a nice lake. It fairly expensiveand we could only have it for 5 or 6 hours. We provided food for every one. It was a lot of work and I WAS A BUNDLE OF NERVES.

The second was held at a local hotel. I thought it would be easy for the out of town builders and i t did work out nice. I had one of our local BBQ joints cater it. The problem was, I had to order for 27 people and I think 22 showed up and 3 did not register or pay. So, I had to pay for their shares of the food and cost of the hotel

This year it is held in the banquet room of a restraunt. They do not charge for the room since we bring them business. It`s great, I don`t have to worry about a menu or money. Everyone buys their own meals, thus no charge to anyone.

Good luck,

Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

Hi Bill,
Thanks for the info. They have been finding me from this forum and some flyers I put out at local tackel stores and boat ramps and I need to do some more to cover the whole area. The one thing I've always had in mind was to keep the events as cheap as possible, hopefully free. Any great expense is going to turn people away in the long term as due to distances involved there is a bit of travelling and fuel is definitely not cheap anymore. We have four members in my area and we can travel together when needed so that helps.
I'll have to investigate your method of venue as it sounds good. I'd say in the next twelve month's we will have more members than we can accomodate in someones workshop or residence and I don't want people to have to pay to hire a venue as the numbers will soon drop off. Paying for your meal isn't a big concern.
I hope you didn't end up too far out of pocket. It's also a pain when people say they are going to turn up but don't bother, hasn't happened yet but it probably will.
We've got some expenses coming up shortly for shirts and caps and that's going to cost me short term but it will be good to have them available for new members.
There's a fair bit of work involved but I've enjoyed it so far, Barry Chapman and Ray Balmforth have been a great help as has Mark Newcombe even though he's a long way from most of us and is still battling to get over the cancer that nearly killed him. The more members you get then the more skills you have and it's good to have a number of people that can assist and are willing.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

Hi Col
I heard about Sydney rod builders it would have been great for me since it was located about 10 minutes walk for me I think it split because David Boyle moved to QLD?

Hi Col
I heard about Sydney rod builders it would have been great for me since it was located about 10 minutes walk for me I think it split because David Boyle moved to QLD?

Hi Col
I heard about Sydney rod builders it would have been great for me since it was located about 10 minutes walk for me I think it split because David Boyle moved to QLD?

Hi Col
I heard about Sydney rod builders it would have been great for me since it was located about 10 minutes walk for me I think it split because David Boyle moved to QLD?

Hmm don't know what happened there sorry bout all the posts

Hi Tristan,
Only hit that enter button once, it will post eventually, been there done that.
Barry Chapman will be moving to Queensland at some stage but I;m sure he'll stay a member as he had a bit to do with getting it started and he has been a great help. Hope he can get to the next meet but his old boss wants him to go to New Zealand and do some stuff for him, so much for being retired. He has been eagerly wanting to meet up with Mark Fisher.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia