Jim, I can walk you throughthe process if you want. Bamboo repairs are 99.9% of my rod building.
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I'm sure it's been covered but I couldn't find anything in the search. I just aquired a bunch of birch bark that is still wet(green). It's still pliable. What do I need to do to dry it for grip rings. I'm thinking of pressing it between two pieces of plywood with weight to get it flat and dry. what do others do? Also I've seen cutters made out of hole saws with the teeth ground off. Is t
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I've said that for years. Everytime I look at that spey blank I bought I think"I could have that done in a week" Then the phone rings and it's a case of I'll get to it next. I did finish a travel fly rod I wanted last August. Now I just have ot put the finish on the wraps.
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I do the threaded rod technique for my grips.. Instead of coating with parrafin I wrap the threaded rod with teflon plumbers tape. the glue doesn't stick and the grip untwists when done.
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I want to do the underwrap to get a translucent glow to the thread. I'm going to do a test run next week when I mix up a batch of epoxy. Like I said the otheroption is to go with a CP. I'd heard rumors that not putting a CP on Maderia will give you fisheyes because of the silicone coating.
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I'm getting ready to start this next fly rod and want to be ready before I start. In the past I've always used color preserver but this time I'm not. Here's what I'm thinking. Holding the guides down with a halo tinsel underwrap and then top with mederia poly. If I apply the epoxy finish I'm guessing I run the risk of fisheyes. Would it help to wipe the wraps down with some alcohol? Or d
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I have a semi regular customer that is a cane rod dealer and brings in rods for repair. he always needs it in a hurry and then wants to haggle on the price. I got so tired of it that I now send him a price list of services with his Chrismas card. On the bottom is the disclaimer that rush jobs cost 25% more. the bottom line is that if he wants quality work he needs to spend the money and time
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not that i've ervr done a rod lik e this since most of mine are fly rods but. I had a friend that pinstriped cars. I would think you could put the blank on a wrapping motor and build some type of rest next to it to support you hand. Get a pin stripping brush . load it up and withthe rod spinning touch the brush to the blank and stedily walk it down. i would try it on some scrap or a dowel
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We flew Northworst last year to Montana and a couple of the guys had 2 pc 8' rods. They let them cary them on and put them in the overhead.
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I am curious also. I've got some red pine bark that looks good when first cut but the color fades when finished. I also have some cottonwood that looks promising.
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This is the craziest thing I've ever had to do to a rod. Guy comes in with a 8' 1 pc rod. Says he needs it to be at least 2 pieces. We talk about ferrule options and replacing a few guides and I get around to asking him why he wants a two piece. He hims and haws and finally fesses up. He bought one of those little shoebox Scion cars and the rod is too long to fit in it. I waited until he
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I have the same lathe and use it for cork and reel seats. I got a nice record 3 jawed chuck at WoodCraft a few years ago. Sears catalog has most accessories and I've picked up some centers on their clearence table. Penn State would be my choice if I ever got another chuck.
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Most of the rods I build are fly. I have never done one just for salt , which brings up the whole corrision issue. Don't do snakes unless the customer really wants them. For distance single foots ar ehte way to go. I did just finish a 12' spey with Alconites and a concept spaceing that shoots line about a mile.
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Thanks for all the info. The next question is what do you charge for a class? If I purchase the components and blanks up front and roll that cost into the class fee, how much for instructors fee? Or for those that paid for the classes, what did you pay?
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I've been asked by a local shop if I would be interested in teaching a rod building class. i kind of like the idea but have a few questions for those who may hav edone this before. 1. do you meet withthe students a few weeks before and discuss rod and componet selection then order or make it a set "this is the rod you will build" situation. most of the people that go to the s
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