To all of you bamboo builders:

If you had to recommend only two titles to someone wanting to learn about beginning bamboo rod making, which would they be?

Thanks much in advance,

Dry crotches,
Charles

(1) The Lovely Reed by Jack Howell
(2) Handcrafting Bamboo Fly Rods by Wayne Cattanach
(3) Fundamentals of Building A Bamboo Fly Rod by George Maurer and Bernard Elser

I already own the first two books, and the third is on my to-buy list. I'm new at bamboo fly rod building, and The Lovely Reed has proven to be most helpful to me so far.

Clyde

I vote for the third. Great book.

And then there's the entire series on bamboo rod building in the past year and a half in RodMaker (although that would end up costing you more than the book!)


.........

Tom,

Funny, I'd vote for the first two, in the reverse order that Clyde lists them. In my opinion, Wayne's book is the best straight through presentation of how to build a rod. (Just the right balance between how and why.) Howell's book, while more interesting reading, is nearly as good, but get's a little technical in a place or two such as choosing a taper. (too much why) I think George and Bernie left too much of the basic stuff out, and added advanced stuff like powered bevelers, that only confuses the beginner. (Not enough why)

All that said, the fourth or fifth book you read, after having completed a few rods, is Everett Garrison - Hoagy Carmichael. I absolutely love that book. Even though many of the methods it shows are the hardest way to do things, there is a rationale behind them all. Many have vilified Garrison's math lately, but that doesn't make it any less valuable in my mind. But again, only after one has built a few rods.

Just my opinions,

Harry

I've read the Lovely Reed and Handcrafting Bamboo Flyrod and another book by Barnes (1977). I'm just starting my first rod, so I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. I skimmed through Garrison/Carmichael. I got them all at the library, and had them order the books not already on the shelf.

The Garrison and Barnes books have been returned to the library. Barnes was too basic, yet a quick read, and Garrison was too complicated for starting out. I still renew the Lovely Reed and Handcrafting BF's. I've been referring more to Handcrafting, but any book is not nearly as good as seeing it and doing it. So I canvased the country looking for the video version of Handcrafting. It was very hard to find, but Cabela's East Fork (call the store direct) store finally had one ($35 before shipping - I believe others charge $50). It's extremely slow and very boring, but in conjunction w/ the books, a lot of my questions are being answered. It's a real home-video-produced sleeper, but I'm looking for instruction, not an oscar performance, and that's what I'm getting. In short, I would recommend the Lovely Reed and Handcrafting BF from the library and get the video to boot.

Wow that is very hard to do considering all these books I have gone back to at one time or another. I also agree with the video. I am one who does learn by seeing . For some reason it just stays in my mind longer. One book in my opinion has tools that are what seems to me easier to find. That book is Handcrafting Bamboo Fly Rods. His video follows the book pretty well.