New diversion - Learning to build a split cane fly rod from scratch

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Paul M
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Re: New diversion - Learning to build a split cane fly rod from scratch

Post by Paul M »

Sid:
It is essential that the power fibres remain sufficiently thick right to the top. Some makers keep it all by not stripping the enamel (Silex) layer at all eg Pinky Gillum. I did strip the enable with a scraper but that’s about it.

On my first rod, I hollowed and scalloped the butt section only and then starting well above the handle and well below the ferrule in order to preserve strength. I am told the hollowed rod is not only
lighter but also stiffer than a solid rod. The central channel does not seem to be a key factor accomodating the glue. There is a whole book that could be written in the various glues and there are vigorous online debates about what is best. I used Tight Bond III for the butt and had trouble because I didn’t slather on enough glue. My 2 tips were bonded using Unibond 800 which is a highly specialized 2 part process consisting of a liquid resin combined with an accelerant powder. There is lots to go wrong with the mix and the resin has a limited shelf life so not for the faint of heart ... but it works great.

I skipped discussion about the straightening that took place in my project. We used a heat gun rather then an alcohol lamp. Every separate strip is treated as required and the assembled blank can also be unbent / untwisted using the same process. It is a long tedious process even with a heat gun.... but it is a critical process that can’t be skipped. Take heed of the Garrison method of looking down the spline while the assembled blank is pointed to a window with daylight reflections revealing the twists. That helped me make a better rod IMHO.

I heat treated my first rod in a heat chamber as shown above. This was similar to the Garrison process except I used an electric heat gun fired from one end of the tube instead of a propane burner underneath the chamber illustrated in the Garrison book. You want to apply just enough heat in a small section to make the bamboo give, like warm plastic. You don’t want to scorch the rod. Use bare hands and when it is getting too hot to hold that is when it bends and holds shape.

My torching of culm #2 did make the bamboo brittle in certain areas and I barely got out enough suitable strips, as a result. ( I have not yet started roughing triangles on those strips). I think the flaming is more cosmetic and does not improve the performance over a blond rod but it can certainly ruin the wood if done in a damaging way. Time will tell about my position on flaming. I need to work more on my rod #2 to see if it is a process I would do again. I am making a significantly different taper for my rod #2 so not sure I will be able to compare accurately.
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john elder
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Re: New diversion - Learning to build a split cane fly rod from scratch

Post by john elder »

Sid, here are a couple oft-cited books on bamboo rodmaking... claude Kreider from 1951 and cattanach from 2000. I’ m sure i have more and will report in



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john elder
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Re: New diversion - Learning to build a split cane fly rod from scratch

Post by john elder »

PS...(I'm saving myself with some heavy editing here in case you read what I first wrote!)

The other book/maker that offered up some excellent articles on rodmaking was Stillman Taylor and Dr. Todd has put together a book of his articles:

http://www.whitefishpress.com/bookdetail.asp?book=238

Well worth the read! (for those that caught me in mid-edit, I reviewed this book when it was in preparation and found the steps he described so easy to follow, even a retired Phd can do this :D

one other note, I have tried for the past year to adsorb all this information by osmosis....it DOES NOT WORK! :shock:
ORCA member since 1999
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Specializing in saltwater reels...and fly reels...and oh, yeah, kentucky style reels.....and those tiny little RP reels.....oh, heck...i collect fishing reels!...and fly rods....and lures
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Re: New diversion - Learning to build a split cane fly rod from scratch

Post by sdlehr »

Thanks, Paul and John. Paul, I understand the power fibers go right to the enamel (or rind, as Garrison referred to it), but it is also my understanding that those in that location are the strongest, but power fibers can be seen going through the entire cross-section of each triangular strip, and to make the rod hollow you have to remove some and yet the removal of these power fibers makes the rod stiffer...???? Surely not intuitive, perhaps the chapter I have not yet read on rod tapers will shed some light on this. I think that chapter is going to be heavy on the physics of rod-making. It may be that the hollow rod approximates a hollow tube, which has different properties than a solid object of the same dimensions. If I find a clear answer I'll come back and report.

John, I'm disappointed I wasn't quick enough to see what you had originally written. What you left behind was very helpful, I can't imagine what you edited out. I'll look into those books. thanks.
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Paul M
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Re: New diversion - Learning to build a split cane fly rod from scratch

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Paul Manuel

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Re: New diversion - Learning to build a split cane fly rod from scratch

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The butt and 2 tip sections for rod #2 have been split, roughed-out and heat treated. I have finished planing one of the 2 tips and am working on the second tip.


Then the form will need to be adjusted for the thicker butt section. As I shop for components I see that the great reel seat I bought before has already gone up in price and the spec has changed too! Anyway, the flamed blank will probably look nicer with different hardware. The taper is a wispy Payne #100.
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Paul M
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Re: New diversion - Learning to build a split cane fly rod from scratch

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My bamboo rod #2 is now complete. It is a flamed Payne 100 taper. Nice and slow for wet flies. Maybe I will bring these to fish in Harpers Ferry. At least they look old.

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Re: New diversion - Learning to build a split cane fly rod from scratch

Post by Midway Tommy D »

Those are beautiful, Paul! You should be very proud. :cool
Love those Open Face Spinning Reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco)

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Re: New diversion - Learning to build a split cane fly rod from scratch

Post by Paul M »

Just made my 4th split cane rod which is a 5/8th oz. baitcaster similar to the one that was auctioned off at the 2018 ORCA Convention except that this one has an old style wicker handle and foregrip and the action is a bit more sensitive for lighter weight lures. (The picture was taken before I added a black rubber butt cap that cleans it up a bit). Here are all 4:


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