Hey Kurt, Let's talk about some Tonkin Bamboo

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Dean in Eureka, CA
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Hey Kurt, Let's talk about some Tonkin Bamboo

Post by Dean in Eureka, CA »

Hey,
I checked out your website and found Boyd's website as well, his link to that one major rodmaker group he belongs to was awesome.
I'll tell yaa... It was like taking a walk back in time, but with many new good surprises.
I see that the Tonkin Bamboo is actually easier to obtain now than it was about 30 years ago or so. (Man...Time sure flies by)
I'm sure the internet has a lot to do with this, but even the specialty tools and parts seem plentiful and easy to obtain.
Thirty years ago, I would study every picture in my Orvis catalog, trying to figure out how to make a planing form.Image
Now you can choose from several makes right over the internet.
What planing form are you using?
Everything will be OK[img::]http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/images ... uryi3b.gif[/img]

Dean in Eureka, CA
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Kurt Loup
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bamboo

Post by Kurt Loup »

Dean,

See my response on the other thread. Well, I'm always looking for a good deal. When the guy from Colorado Bootstraps offered to sell partially complete, slightly defective planing forms for the cost of shipping, I jumped on it. Ended up where I only had to redrill some holes for the adjustment screws and tap them. If you want to try your hand at building a two strip, square rod, you don't need a planing form. Like I mentioned earlier, you likely have the tools on hand to do it. Read over a book on the subject to get familiar with the process and I can help you through with the two strip rod if you are interested. Don't take everything about making a rod as gospel. There is no need for an elaborate heat treating oven to temper the cane, etc. In fact, I've dismantled my oven and haven't heat treated the last couple rods I've built. I do flame the cane though.

Kurt
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Dean in Eureka, CA
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Post by Dean in Eureka, CA »

Kurt,
I'm a bit short on time at the moment and I'm going to be gone for about a week.
When I get back, I definately want to talk with you about this.
Everything will be OK[img::]http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/images ... uryi3b.gif[/img]

Dean in Eureka, CA
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Doug
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Post by Doug »

Confession,
I know nothing about fly fishing.
Tryed it twice when I was in high school, years ago, and I've seen the movie "A River Runs Through It".
I've got a nice graphite rod, a fairly large tackle box full of lures and other fishing stuff.
But I think it is more like "over compensation" for my lack of fishing abillity.
I'm not sure that I could successfully clean a fish, even.

This is a similar feeling to my early days of cedar strip canoe / kayak building.
My wife is going to freak out.

I've aready got my friend nervous, .....he grows bamboo.

Can across this web site in my travels.
Check out "streamside rod building" near the bottom.
www.hipwader.com

All the best,
Happy Holidays,
Doug
"Some people hear the song in the quiet mist of a cold morning..... But for other people the song is loudest in the evening when they are sitting in front of a tent, basking in the camp fire's warmth. This is when I hear it loudest ...." BM
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Rick
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Post by Rick »

Doug,

Well, then, you'll have to try flyrodding for smallmouth bass, and release them live. Pound for pound, smallies fight harder than any other and Ontario's full of 'em. They aren't that great to eat, but once you have one jumping and charging around, it'll be all you can do to hang on. Surface poppers are good flyfished from a canoe on calm evenings... fly rod convert guaranteed!
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Doug
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Post by Doug »

Another bamboo fly rod construction site;
http://www.thomaspenrose.com/bamboo.htm

Any book recomendations?

All the best in this hoilday season.
Doug
"Some people hear the song in the quiet mist of a cold morning..... But for other people the song is loudest in the evening when they are sitting in front of a tent, basking in the camp fire's warmth. This is when I hear it loudest ...." BM
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Kurt Loup
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books

Post by Kurt Loup »

I'd start off with one of the less complicated rod making books like How to Make Bamboo Rods by George Barnes or The Bamboo Rod And How To Build It by Claude M. Kreider. I have an original edition of the Barnes book, but there is an updated version that I understand includes the original text plus more current building techniques. Both of those books aren't so detailed that it will turn you off of the idea. The most detailed is A Masters Guide to Building A Bamboo Fly Rod by Everett Garrison and Hoagy Carmichael. Somewhere between these are The Lovely Reed : An Enthusiast's Guide to Building Bamboo Fly Rods by Jack Howell and Handcrafting Bamboo Fly Rods by Wayne Cattanach. Here's a link to some books http://vfish.net/books.htm Those books should keep you busy for a while.

Kurt
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Nachako
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Tapers & Forums

Post by Nachako »

Funny I should come accross this here . I had done a half a dozen rebuilds ( shakespear and Hedans) Before I started building boats . now I am looking to get back into it and start building my own blanks. So I would like to ask a couple of questions . Other that Ebay any idea on where to aquire plaining forums at a desent price . Also these books that you mentioned would you know if they also contain tapers. Thanks Paul
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Kurt Loup
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Post by Kurt Loup »

Paul,

Any of the above books contain tapers. The only problem is that you won't know anything about how the rod cast except for the author's description. Likely, the older books' tapers will be outdated as to modern rod action preferences. The older rods tended to be longer, slower actions vs. the actions of today's lighter, faster graphite rods. Check out http://www.canerod.com/rodmakers/ for a list of tapers. I prefer shorter length, fast action bamboo rods. I don't know any inexpensive sources for planing forms. If you have a drill press and follow the instructions at http://www.thomaspenrose.com/form01.htm you can make one.

Kurt
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Nachako
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Post by Nachako »

Kurt Thanks for you info. Paul
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Dean in Eureka, CA
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Post by Dean in Eureka, CA »

Yeah Kurt,
Thanks for the info.
I've put a few of those sites in my Favorites.
I think I'm gonna build a planing form using Tom's info.
Everything will be OK[img::]http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/images ... uryi3b.gif[/img]

Dean in Eureka, CA
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