Hi All,

This has the makings of a great site, hope you can help me with these queries about my first bamboo rod build!

I already have the components listed below, so I'm already now to assemble.

2 Piece 7'6" LineNo4 Impregnated Bamboo Blank
1 Nickel Silver D/L Reel Seat with Wood insert
Cork Rings
One Nickel Silver Winding Check
Pair Nickel Silver Ferrules, fitted but not glued
Set of Seymo chrome guides + hook-keeper
Silk Threads

I intend to brush on the Varnish before wrapping the guides (I know it can make wrapping a little more slippery, especially with Silk).

So assembly would be in this order:

1. Locate spine, mark flat, and glue on Reel Seat.
2. Glue on TipTop.
3. Glue on Cork rings, shape grip on lathe.
4. Fit on N/S Winding Check.
5. Glue on Ferrules.
6. Write 'inscription' on butt section with dip pen and India Ink
6. Apply 2-4 coats Varnish, thinned progressively and gently use 0000 Wire Wool between dried coats.
7. Wrap all guides and ferrules.
9. Apply 2 thin coats of Varnish to Wraps, 'feathered' over to Blank.
9. Glue on Butt Cap.


Have any of you bamboo rod makers any comments on this intended sequence?

I also have a Varnish query;
I have the choice of Polyurethane or Spar and also between Gloss and Satin, what are your personal preferences?

All comments greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

MichaelC

Hi Michael,

Regarding varnish for the wraps. It depends on whether you prefer opaque or translucent wraps. Polys act like a color preserver to some extent, though if you want truly color preserved wraps, use a color preserver of some sort. Spars - and I mean a true oil & resin marine spar - will make the silk go translucent. Both are traditional, so it's a matter of personal taste.

If you aren't already a subscriber to Tom's RodMaker, I'd call him and sign up. The next issue will contain an article that will be of direct interest to you.

Though it's not the sequence I prefer, you'll come away with a very fishable rod. Make a few and experiment - in a couple years you'll have tried many methods and sequences and materials...it takes some time to discover what works best for any one maker. A lot depends on what you want out of your rod - a fishing tool, an art piece, or both.

Hi Michael,

Regarding varnish for the wraps. It depends on whether you prefer opaque or translucent wraps. Polys act like a color preserver to some extent, though if you want truly color preserved wraps, use a color preserver of some sort. Spars - and I mean a true oil & resin marine spar - will make the silk go translucent. Both are traditional, so it's a matter of personal taste.

If you aren't already a subscriber to Tom's RodMaker, I'd call him and sign up. The next issue will contain an article that will be of direct interest to you.

Though it's not the exact sequence I prefer, you'll come away with a very fishable rod. Make a few and experiment - in a couple years you'll have tried many methods and sequences and materials...it takes some time to discover what works best for any one maker. A lot depends on what you want out of your rod - a fishing tool, an art piece, or both.

Best regards,

Russ

Michael,

I think you may want to re-think the order of your procedure.

1. Fit and glue on tiptop.
2. Measure sections to determine proper ferrule placement. Merely cutting the rod into two equal sections of 45" each will give you a shorter rod than 7'6". Depending upon the ferrule you are using, your sections will be closer to 45½" each. DO NOT cut the butt section length at this time. You only need to determine where the ferrule station is to be cut.
3. Once section lengths have been determined, fit ferrule for tip section, and glue into place once you are satisfied with everything.
4. Fit ferrule for butt section, and glue into place.
5. Using the tip section, align the tiptop with the end of the female ferrule on the butt section, mark on the butt section where the end of the male ferrule of the tip section is. This will be the total length of the butt section.
5. Depending upon how obsessive you are you may want to take into account the thickness of your reel seat cap when determining the overall length of the butt section. If you don't your butt section will be approximately .090 longer than your tip.
6. Glue on reel seat. Allow time for adhesive to dry.
7. Glue hardware to reel seat. Don't forget any rings or nuts! Allow adhesive to dry.
8. Glue on cork rings. Allow adhesive to dry and shape on lathe, if you prefer this method over gluing the rings together beforehand and then shaping on a lathe.
9. Fit winding check.
10. Write inscription.
11. Apply finish to rod. With an imprenated blank you will be doing little other than adding the depth of finish and weight of the additional varnish. 2-4 coats is usual for non-impregnated blanks. Typically, impregnated blanks have no additional coatings. A couple of coats of varnish to seal your inscription is a good idea but you needn't do the whole rod unless you simply want to do so.
12. Wrap guides and ferrules,
13. Finish wraps. If you've finished the wraps properly it isn't necessary to feather the finish onto the blank, unless you want that look. Some makers dip their rods with one final coat in order to provide a smoother transition from wrap to blank. If you use the Pearsall's silk thread you will have a much finer delineation that if you use some of the other brands.