Tag Archives: gluing a bamboo rod

Bamboo Rods on Noname Creek.

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Earlier this week we got the chance to hit Noname Creek (sorry, I’m sworn to secrecy) about 2 hours from Stanley in search for some hungry Cutthroats with our good friends, Noel and Sue, from Australia.  Noel has one of my 8′  3″  Signature Series 5 wt fly rods so that was his weapon of choice.  Sue doesn’t fly fish but came along to enjoy the day on the stream and lend a hand with a net when needed.  Mary Ann and I each took 7′  0″  4 wt rods.  The trout were happy to take just about any dry fly we put their way and we were successful landing many nice fish.  Here are a few photos from our day.

Noname Creek

Noname Creek

Noel and I ready for battle.

Noel and I ready for battle.

Noel landing a nice Cutthroat.

Noel landing a nice Cutthroat.

A nice bend in my bamboo rod.-

A nice bend in my bamboo rod.-

Mary Ann with a nice Cuttie.

Mary Ann with a nice Cuttie.

A "Calendar Photo" of one of our catches.

A “Calendar Photo” of one of our catches.

Building a Hollow-Built Bamboo Switch Rod – Chapter 1

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I recently started on another Hollow-Built Bamboo Switch Rod.  I though it would be fun to document my process along the way, so here are some early photos.  First, the bamboo is selected and split.  For this Switch Rod, four pieces of matching bamboo were used.

Each piece of bamboo is split into 18 to 20 pieces.

Each piece of bamboo is split into 18 to 20 pieces.

Splitting into small strips.

Splitting into narrow strips.

The strips for the Butt Section and Mid Section are done. The Tip sections still need to be split.

The strips for the Butt Section and Mid Section are done. The Tip sections still need to be split.

After heat treating, the bamboo strips are roughed out into a triangular shape on a Bellinger Beveler.

After heat treating, the bamboo strips are roughed out into a triangular shape on a Bellinger Beveler.

Hand Planing gets the strips down to the final tapered dimensions.

Hand Planing gets the strips down to the final tapered dimensions.

Each strip on the Butt and Mid Sections get hollowed with scalloped cuts on the inside edge.

Each strip on the Butt and Mid Sections get hollowed with scalloped cuts on the inside edge.

- The planed and hollowed bamboo strips are then glued together using Unibond 800 adhesive and a Bellinger Binder. The thread holds the strips together under a constant tension until the glue cures.

– The planed and hollowed bamboo strips are then glued together using Unibond 800 adhesive and a Bellinger Binder.
The thread holds the strips together under a constant tension until the glue cures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rod Building – Gluing Strips with the Bellinger Binder.

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I’m working on a new rod right now and thought I would shoot a short video showing how the bamboo strips are glued together. I use a binder from Bellingers to accomplish this. Check it out! Oh, and by the way, how about my nice wallpaper in my rod finishing room. This room in my house was used as a boy’s bedroom by the previous homeowners. I have never felt the need to take it down.