Bamboo fly rods.

[Volksfish]

This is something i make in my spare time, a lot of hours hand planing.

 

[LittleEars]

Looks cool. How did you make it?

 

[Adam W.]

Very nice indeed. What reel do you pair them with?

 

[Volksfish]

Looks cool. How did you make it?

The bamboo poles are split length ways , 6 sections are then hand planed on a steel planing form, which produces the desired taper. Then the 6 pieces are glued together. Varnished and rings and reel hardware fitted. As simple as that! The cork handles are turned on a lathe. I want to learn to turn some real wood for the real seat in the future.

 

[Volksfish]

Very nice indeed. What reel do you pair them with?

I use a 3 weight Orvis Battenkill.

 

[LittleEars]

The bamboo poles are split length ways , 6 sections are then hand planed on a steel planing form, which produces the desired taper. Then the 6 pieces are glued together. Varnished and rings and reel hardware fitted. As simple as that! The cork handles are turned on a lathe. I want to learn to turn some real wood for the real seat in the future.

What sort of bamboo?

 

[Volksfish]

What sort of bamboo?

It’s called Tonkin cane.

 

[LittleEars]

Thanks. Just been googling. Interesting.

 

[MikeJhn]

What weight do they cast?
Most split cane rods I have used are a very soft action, are these?
I use a Waterworks Lamson on my Loomis two weight seems to balance well, the rod only weighs a couple of onzs, interested to see the process.

 

[Volksfish]

What weight do they cast?
Most split cane rods I have used are a very soft action, are these?
I use a Waterworks Lamson on my Loomis two weight seems to balance well, the rod only weighs a couple of onzs, interested to see the process.

That rod is a 3 weight and casts really well. A lot of older rods were very soft, i have a collection of old rods and there terrible use.
Ill try and dig out some photos of the process of making the rod.

 

[ProfGuy]

Beautiful! Please post photos of your others.

 

[MikeJhn]

The bamboo poles are split length ways , 6 sections are then hand planed on a steel planing form, which produces the desired taper. Then the 6 pieces are glued together. Varnished and rings and reel hardware fitted. As simple as that! The cork handles are turned on a lathe. I want to learn to turn some real wood for the real seat in the future.

I know the thread is old, but it's the only reference I can find to the information I need, I am specifically talking about shaping cork handles, I have a need to convert some of my rods to double handed to ease my old aching bones, anyone have any advice?

 

[Jameshow]

I know the thread is old, but it's the only reference I can find to the information I need, I am specifically talking about shaping cork handles, I have a need to convert some of my rods to double handed to ease my old aching bones, anyone have any advice?

Irrc as it's over 30yrs since I did it with my dad, we would hollow out the cork segments until the were a tight fit on the blank, then sand them length ways before circular fashion using finer grades of sandpaper.

 

[MikeJhn]

Thanks for the reply, I was thinking more of carving them to shape before sanding to make a flared butt section and curved handle, I suppose getting hold of some cork and trying different techniques is the way forward for me.

 

[Lons]

Thanks for the reply, I was thinking more of carving them to shape before sanding to make a flared butt section and curved handle, I suppose getting hold of some cork and trying different techniques is the way forward for me.

You used to be able to buy diy kits, might be worth a google search

 

[MikeJhn]

Done that, but can't find a suitable bottom handle.

Have found a complete salmon rod handle, but that does require stripping off the existing handle, reel seat and first stripping ring.

 

[Lons]

Done that, but can't find a suitable bottom handle.

Have found a complete salmon rod handle, but that does require stripping off the existing handle, reel seat and first stripping ring.

Post a photo of your existing handle Mike, especially the end of the handle you're looking to extend and see what ideas evolve. I used to make up my own fibreglass fly rods a great many moons ago, it's unlikely but not impossible I have some old components lurking around somewhere. BTW a good source of cork is a decent quality, thick, close grained bath mat, easy enough to cut the core and oversize outer with holesaws the if you have access to a lathe it's a doddle to shape or can even mock up a jig for a pillar or hand drill, it needs very little effort to sand cork to shape.

 

[Volksfish]

I know the thread is old, but it's the only reference I can find to the information I need, I am specifically talking about shaping cork handles, I have a need to convert some of my rods to double handed to ease my old aching bones, anyone have any advice?

Hi, just seen your comment, I glue cork rings to the desired length, colour or pattern, then these are sanded very easily on a lathe, if you don’t have a lathe you can rig up a drill. PM me, your location, I may be able to help.

 

[MikeJhn]

@Volksfish Thanks for the reply and offer of help, very kind of you, but this is something I would like to have a go at doing myself, I note you are in Salisbury, I am a member of the Longford Estate fishing syndicate on the Avon, trouble is I am in Kent and its a long way to go and fish, but worth it for the wonderful Brown trout dry fly fishing.

 

[AJB Temple]

Interesting. We grow a lot of bamboos of several different types, including a very black variant and the so called Tea Stick (Tonkin) used here. I'm not a fisherman, so I am intrigued as to why you plane the bamboo, as it naturally tapers. If you take say a 6 metre cane and only want say 4 metres, you have a lot of cross sectional variety to choose from. What age do you harvest them? Bamboo canes put on their full length that they will ever reach in a season and in that first year they are very flexible. If not cut, they harden up a lot in the second season (but get no taller) and three year old canes are more rigid again. We strip quite a lot (most of the bottom leaves we strip off whilst still growing) and weave them into fences when we harvest them.