Pics of homemade rods

[simmered]

How many people on here build their own rods? Lets see some of your work!

My cousin is going to show me how to build rods when I go to BC this summer. For those of you that build rods, where is a good place to buy the blanks and supplies from?

[Lornce]

Here is mine a Meiser Spey rod 12.5ft 4 wt. It received Bob's blessings which was great. I use it on the Bow River for large browns swinging streamers and skidding bitches.

[ViperV7]

Originally Posted by Lornce

Here is mine a Meiser Spey rod 12.5ft 4 wt. It received Bob's blessings which was great. I use it on the Bow River for large browns swinging streamers and skidding bitches.

Nice doesn't even discribe that. That's a perfection!!

[BeeGuy]

wow.

what did you coat the handle with?

[silverdoctor]

Very nice rod

[simmered]

Very nice Lornce!

[Lornce]

Birchwood Casey's with sanding between then a coat of paste wax. Been through weather, rain ice and snow with no finish problems.

[IckyFlyWorks]

Originally Posted by Lornce

Birchwood Casey's with sanding between then a coat of paste wax. Been through weather, rain ice and snow with no finish problems.

Nice work! I built a couple of rods over the winter for the first time but they're certainly not picture worthy!

Where do you buy your tube and sock, Lornce?

Cheers,
Ben

[pikergolf]

http://www.valleycustomrods.com/
http://www.rodbuildersupplies.com/
http://www.mudhole.com/
The first two are in Canada. Between those three I can't think of much you couldn't get. If you like Batson blanks, I'll tell you Mark at Valley has outstanding customer service. The other two are good too, I just find Mark vey easy to talk to and ask advice of. If you need help with a rod wrapping jig and rod drying machine I can help hook you up for dirt cheap if you are at all handy, heck I'll build you a wrapping jig for cost of shipping if your interested? Oh and lots of info here, http://rodbuilding.org/list.php?2

[ReconWilly]

Beautiful craftsmanship Lornce, i'd lay down cash for something custom like that, i crave originality and possessing one of a kinds.

[simmered]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

http://www.valleycustomrods.com/
http://www.rodbuildersupplies.com/
http://www.mudhole.com/
The first two are in Canada. Between those three I can't think of much you couldn't get. If you like Batson blanks, I'll tell you Mark at Valley has outstanding customer service. The other two are good too, I just find Mark vey easy to talk to and ask advice of. If you need help with a rod wrapping jig and rod drying machine I can help hook you up for dirt cheap if you are at all handy, heck I'll build you a wrapping jig for cost of shipping if your interested? Oh and lots of info here, http://rodbuilding.org/list.php?2

Thanks for all the info pikergolf. My wifes cousin is going to teach me when we go out to Chilliwack this summer. Interesting how the one site is from there, small word!! Just looking to put together a kit so we can build one together. I like doing little projects like that, if it all works out I'll hit you up if you still have stuff available
Thanks again

[Don Andersen]

I make some every year from bamboo.
This is a 3 piece Payne 98 taper. Done quite a few Payne tapers over the years.
The rod is planed from a 2.5"OD*12' piece of bamboo. The reel seat is maple burl c/w nickel silver fittings.



Don

[ReconWilly]

Originally Posted by Don Andersen

I make some every year from bamboo.
This is a 3 piece Payne 98 taper. Done quite a few Payne tapers over the years.
The rod is planed from a 2.5"OD*12' piece of bamboo. The reel seat is maple burl c/w nickel silver fittings.



Don

Beauty of a rod Don, whats the supply cost to put one of those together?

[jeprli]

Wow, that is a VERY NICE job you've done Lornce. Is that real copper wire trim? Never seen it that bright... I'd be afraid to leave my house with it, put myself in harms way just to keep it whole
what grain weight is that stick?

Don, that is a beauty in its own... I can't imagine the amount of concentration it takes to build something like a bamboo rod. Graphite/glass is cool but starting from a plank and ending with a rod like this must be quite a journey!

[Don Andersen]

ReconWilly

The bamboo itself is quite cheap with <>$20.00 of material in the rod. The tooling can run from $500>$40,000 depending on your pocket book and how many things you can do yourself.
The actual parts in the rod are <>$250.00 including shop costs. Only takes about 70 hours to build a rod.


jeprli,

The journey starts will a desire. Built my first glass rod in 1968, first graphite in 1975 and first bamboo in 1981. Made about 200 rods so far. Use them for most everything.

Don

[gilbertslake]

Originally Posted by Don Andersen

ReconWilly

The bamboo itself is quite cheap with <>$20.00 of material in the rod. The tooling can run from $500>$40,000 depending on your pocket book and how many things you can do yourself.
The actual parts in the rod are <>$250.00 including shop costs. Only takes about 70 hours to build a rod.


jeprli,

The journey starts will a desire. Built my first glass rod in 1968, first graphite in 1975 and first bamboo in 1981. Made about 200 rods so far. Use them for most everything.

Don

Don, I have built cane rods from manufactured blanks. Recently made one on a Partridge of Redditch blank, a 9ft 7wt 3/2 on what they just referred to as American Taper.

I would like to build from scratch and wonder about suppliers for planing forms, planes and good cane culms.

Being able to be involved in everything from splitting culms, through planing and the entire process, must be so satisfying.

Somewhere, I have a book by Charmichael that I had him sign for me at a workshop he did back in 1987. I just need to find it again as I put it away for safe keeping, but it so safe I can't even remember where I put it.

[ReconWilly]

[QUOTE=Don Andersen;1380196]ReconWilly

The bamboo itself is quite cheap with <>$20.00 of material in the rod. The tooling can run from $500>$40,000 depending on your pocket book and how many things you can do yourself.
The actual parts in the rod are <>$250.00 including shop costs. Only takes about 70 hours to build a rod.

thanks don, i'd like to learn these skills someday and appreciate the insight, do you sell any of your work? i'd like to see a builders shop to gather ideas and inspiration.Any suggestions on where to start? Thanks in advance.

[trapshooter]

Nice rods!

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

Ive got my Grandpas old Fly rod dont recall what Wt it is but its old as Methuselah , And I remember him telling me one of his teacher / principal friends made it for him , as Grandpa was a big Stream fisherman back in the day . When I get a Chance to go threw all my rods Ill grab it and post up some pictures , I only have 5 rod cases to go threw .

[Don Andersen]

[QUOTE=ReconWilly;1380529]

Originally Posted by Don Andersen

ReconWilly

The bamboo itself is quite cheap with <>$20.00 of material in the rod. The tooling can run from $500>$40,000 depending on your pocket book and how many things you can do yourself.
The actual parts in the rod are <>$250.00 including shop costs. Only takes about 70 hours to build a rod.

thanks don, i'd like to learn these skills someday and appreciate the insight, do you sell any of your work? i'd like to see a builders shop to gather ideas and inspiration.Any suggestions on where to start? Thanks in advance.

ReconW...

I build some for sale, some to donate, some to use. If you are in Edmonton @ some of the various shows you might have seen the rod I made for the Northern Lights/Tu Chapter for the Lloyd Shea Habitat Fund.
Lots of info on the net on how to build rods. Bamboo guys aren't shy.

Here are some pictures of the primary shop. The bamboo culms are stored under this bench. There is <>35 in the picture. I use 3 other spots though for things like varnishing, guide wrapping and rod drying. Got nearly all the basement tied up now. The shop looks cluttered but everything has a place. At various steps are done, tooling is installed. The only things that really don't move are the 3 vises, the mill, the lathe and the bench grinder.

catch ya'

Don

[gilbertslake]

Originally Posted by simmered

How many people on here build their own rods? Lets see some of your work!

My cousin is going to show me how to build rods when I go to BC this summer. For those of you that build rods, where is a good place to buy the blanks and supplies from?

Some recent rods.

9ft 10wt on TFO TiCr blank

9ft 8wt on Fly Logic blank

9ft 7wt 3pc on Partridge bamboo blank

Sorry, I am having trouble with macro, so some are a bit fuzzy

[Lornce]

Originally Posted by jeprli

Wow, that is a VERY NICE job you've done Lornce. Is that real copper wire trim? Never seen it that bright... I'd be afraid to leave my house with it, put myself in harms way just to keep it whole
what grain weight is that stick?

Don, that is a beauty in its own... I can't imagine the amount of concentration it takes to build something like a bamboo rod. Graphite/glass is cool but starting from a plank and ending with a rod like this must be quite a journey!

Its actually copper thread, keeps it brightness after being coated. As for grains it will throw a 325 to 400 grain shooting head like a rocket.

[ReconWilly]

What an awesome thread, alot of great info, thanks again Don, i'll try to get up that way and check out your suggestions, nice shop by the way, thanks for the pics.

Gilbertslake very nice work as well,

[Lornce]

Don is one of our finest Bamboo builders in Alberta.

[simmered]

Those bamboo rods are very nice!!!! i din't think people still made those. Very cool.
I've noticed that a lot of people build fly rods. How many of you guys build spinning rods? This is going to be my first one I attempt. Is there any blanks people prefer to buy. I've seen a lot of sites that sell st. croix rod and MHX rod blanks. Both offer kits in the $100-$150 range for a 7' MH fast action rod, which I think is going to be a great walleye/Pike rod. Are there any other spinning rod kits people can suggest?
Thanks

[Don Andersen]

CDN - West Coast

http://www.rodbuildersupplies.com/

USA

http://www.mudhole.com/


Should take 2>4 hours to put the parts on a rod, wrap the guides and epoxy.
Tools needed are few and cheap.

have fun,

Don

[Lornce]

My next one under consideration is a Bamboo Spey rod Blank.

[Ronbill]

Yes Don does great work from bamboo and has some nice proprietary tapers held in high regard. Speaking for myself, I have too many other expensive hobbies to get full into cane rod construction, but I'm sure enjoying finishing bamboo rods from blanks and restoring vintage cane rods.

Here's one of the latest, an F.E.Thomas taper 8' 3pc 4wt from a Dennis Stone blank:

[Alberta Bigbore]

Originally Posted by Lornce

That rod is a thing of beauty. WOW!