In this segment, the hand-planed bamboo strips are given their final taper and prepared for binding. Fly-Rod Making -- Tapering and Binding
- The next step in the process is to prepare for binding and heat-treating the strips. The strips are assembled to form the rod shape, and held together with tape. The rod is then uniformly wrapped with string using a binding machine (figure A). Cotton string is used, rather than nylon, so that the string won't melt during the heat-treatment.
- The bound rod is then heat-treated in an oven to further straighten the strips. John Cole uses a tubular oven that he made himself (figure B). The heat-source for the oven is a heat-gun attached at one end of the tube (figure C).
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees, and place the bound rod inside for 3-1/2 minutes.
- Once the time has elapsed, carefully remove the rod from the oven (figure D). Turn the rod end-over-end, and place it back in the oven for another 3-1/2 minutes.
- When the rod comes out of the oven, it is ready for final planing to whittle the strips down to the tapered pieces that will make up the rod. Rods are tapered from a thick butt to a tiny, narrow tip. Because the tip is made up of six strips, the tapering of each strip must be very precise. This portion of the process is very exacting, and requires careful calculations and precision (figure E).
- The depth and width of the final planing-bar is set at specific points according to a table of established specifications (figure F). The exact taper used in the rod tip determines the action that the finished rod will have -- power, speed, flexibility, etc.
- With the bar set with the desired taper, the bindings are removed and the rod is separated back into six individual strips.
- Each strip is then placed into the final planing-bar and planed a third and final time (figure G). Extra care is used to avoid gouging the strips with the block plane.
- The very end of the tip is carefully shaved with a razor blade (figure H). The end of a finished rod-tip is narrower than a toothpick. The end of each strip may be planed down to a thickness of 30/1000's of an inch.
- With all of the strips completely planed, they are then laid out in order in preparation for re-assembling them to form the fly-rod. To stabilize and help control them, they are laid out across a strip of double-stick tape.
- A clean toothbrush is used to brush away any dust or debris that may be on the strips.
- Another toothbrush is then used to apply epoxy glue to the strips (figure I).
- Without delay, the glued strips are rolled together and taped to prepare them for binding (figure J).
- The rod is then placed in the binding machine, and again bound using cotton string. The tape is removed as the rod is bound.
- The rod is then placed on a flat surface, and the ends are tied off with thread (figure K).
- The glue is allowed to dry for 12 hours, then returned to the oven to cook for 2 hours at 225 degrees.
- The rod is then removed from the oven, and the bindings are released. Excess glue is cleaned from the rod using 100-grit sandpaper (figure L).
- Finally, the rod tip is polished with "0000" steel wool.
In the segment that follows, the rod tip is completed, and the finished rod is revealed.
RESOURCES :
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fly Fishing
ISBN: 0028629531
Author: Michael D. Shook
Fly Fishing & Fly Tying magazine
The online version of the fly-fishing magazine, Fly Fishing & Fly Tying .
Web site: www.flyfishing-and-flytying.co.uk
The American Museum of Fly Fishing
Web site: www.amff.com
The Complete Book of Fly Fishing
Author: Tom McNally and Tom Beecham
GUESTS :
John Cole
John Cole is a solo craftsman who creates handmade bamboo fly-rods.
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