Bamboo rod making does require special tools from time to time.  The craft of fitting nickel silver ferrules has the rod maker using a Swiss Pattern Pillar file as well as an outside micrometer that reads into the “tenths”.  The following video explains there preparation and use.

The final video, showing the steps involved in the final fitting of the male ferrule will follow.  Soon.  I promise.

Here is the second installment on fitting nickel silver micro ferrules for bamboo fly rods.  This video is rather brief, I’m afraid, and it shows a lot of my back (or best side!)  I intend to redo this,  time permitting,  later this week.

Next video will show the fitting going on at the lathe.

I have given up on “making a movie” about fitting nickel silver ferrules used on bamboo fly rods,  so I am giving you this piecemeal.  My lack of editing skills, together with YOUTUBE not allowing videos longer than 10 minutes, make this the only way I can get out the information!

Well, here we go.  If you want more information, better video, or further explanation, let me know!

Bamboo fly rods have been made by mills and saws in greater numbers than by any other method.  Adding CNC controls to a bamboo fly rod mill maybe the best of both worlds.  A blend of old school with new technology.

The perfect taper for a bamboo fly rod with all of its insinuations inch by inch, just is not possible with a planing form.  The perfect deflection expresses itself best when the taper is controlled inch by inch, half inch by half inch, so that the rod bends exactly as the rodmaker wishes.

I have been working day in and day out on this design for a very long time.  And now it is done.  What you see next is the first run with the machine cutting the bed to dead level.

This is may be my  grandest widget of all.

Here is a picture of Luke with his brand-new split bamboo fly rod that he made in my February class.  Luke and Jim kept long hours and were both able to complete an extra tip section, in addition to their two piece, one tip rods, that they took from culm to completed bamboo fly rods in just a week!

Luke and his finished rod from class

Your week is my week, and I’m there as long as you need.  If you want to plunge ahead and start a second tip for your bamboo fly rod, let’s do it!

There was a lot going on this past Wednesday when it came to rodmaking! Here are some more images of Wednesdays rod making class:

Setting planing form in rod making class

Left: Luke is setting up his planing form for the butt sections.

Jim setting up planing form in rod making class

Taking lots of bamboo off the strips in rod making class

By late afternoon, Luke and Jim had started to get the strips of their rods down to final dimensions.

Wednesday was indeed a long day during this week of rod building.   Both students learned the complex art of straightening and pressing nodes the Garrison way.  No shortcuts here.  Just learning the artisan’s craft.

One of the things that students at Raine Hollowbuilt Fly Rods have to their advantage is the use of specially made tools for bamboo fly rod making.  And those tools are made right here in the machine shop.

Bamboo Fly Rod Making Depth Gages

This pair of planing form depth gages was machined here in the machine shop at Raine Hollowbuilt Fly Rods.

No shortcuts here!  Hand splitting bamboo, hand straightening bamboo and hand planing bamboo for classic fly rods is how I do it here!  If you saw your strips, and grind them flat, you are not getting your monies worth.  The goal of my classes is to get the students up to speed and experienced in the classic Garrison method of rod construction.  After taking my class, students cans buy the minimum of equipment, and produce a fantastic bamboo fly rod on their own.

Luke getting his strips arrow-straight for his bamboo fly rod

After much work, and oven tempering, the strips are ready for the planing forms!  Here Jim is getting ready to plane out the butt strips for his bamboo fly rod:

Jim is seeing his bamboo fly rod take shape

The rest of the week is easier.  All of the heavy lifting has been done by Wednesday!

The real work begins!  Here Luke and Jim are hard at work during their week long bamboo rod making class.  Tuesday is splitting, straightening and pressing bamboo strips.

Luke is splitting cane for his bamboo fly rod

The phrase “hand split bamboo fly rod” takes on a special meaning after spending some time reducing the width of the strips with just your hands!

The art of splitting cane

Careful instruction yields outstanding results.  Both Jim and Luke had outstanding control over the widths of their strips after just a few tries.  Controlling the width of the bamboo makes the subsequent operations easier and faster.

STAY TUNED

As this week comes to an end, a couple of students taking bamboo rod making classes at Raine Hollowbuilt Fly Rods have spent well over 40 hours of class room instruction building their own bamboo fly rods.  Starting with a culm of bamboo, these two hardy fellows have progressed through all the stages of a traditional build and are finishing up on their first bamboo fly rods.

Luke flames culm for bamboo fly rod

The  image to the left shows Luke starting the week flaming his culm of bamboo.

Luke chose a medium flame for his bamboo fly rod, while Jim preferred a lighter color.

Jim, shown below,  was impressed by the amount of water both liquid and vapor that escaped from the culm during his three-part tempering of the bamboo.

Jim tempering culm of bamboo for his bamboo fly rod

This started the fun for the week!  More to follow.