I get asked quite often how I inscribe my fly rods. I use an old style Speedball pen with an extra-fine tip and India ink. It takes a little practice and good magnification to see what you’re doing. Here is a quick video:
Category Archives: Bamboo Rod Building
And the finished fly rod…
My latest rod is now complete, and it will be heading out to Iowa today. A wonderful progressive action 8′ 0″ 4 wt hollow-built rod that will be a great match to Iowa spring creeks. Here is a look at the rod before it heads out my door.
A nice 8′ 0″ 4 wt hollow built Signature Series rod.
Finishing up an 8′ 0″ 4 wt Signature Series Fly Rod
Just finished the guide wraps on a new 8′ 0″ 4 wt Hollow Built Signature Series Fly Rod. The next step is to apply several brush-on coats of varnish to the wraps, and then it’s on to the dip tank to varnish the complete rod. This rod will be going to Willa, a good friend in Iowa, when it gets completed. She has big plans to fish this rod on several Iowa spring creeks….it should be a great match for those waters.
Guide wraps ready for varnishing.
Figured English Walnut Reel Seats
I just put the finishing touches on a batch of beautiful figured English Walnut reel seats for my bamboo fly rods. You never quite know how they will look from the starting blocks of walnut when you turn them down on the lathe and then apply the finish. Here is the “before” and “after” look.
Figured English Walnut Blanks Ready to be Turned on the Lathe
And the finished product
Bamboo Fly Rod Building Classes
At the request of several folks, I’m now conducting one-on-one bamboo fly rod building classes at my shop. I recently completed a class with Charlotte, a local Bend resident. She worked very hard throughout the class and finished with a fantastic 8′ 0″ 6 wt bamboo fly rod from my Signature Series of rods. Here is her entire rod building process documented in photos.
Getting started selecting the bamboo
Marking the culm for splitting
Making the first split
Making big strips into small strips
Running Bamboo Strips through the Bellinger Beveller
Hand planing strips to final dimensions
Gluing the cork rings on the finished blank for the grip
Wrapping the winding check and guides
And the finished bamboo fly rod
Testing her new bamboo fly rod out on the Fall River