![\"Custom](\"https:\/\/bamboopursuits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/PC200005-Copy-580x435.jpg\")
<\/a>Custom Machined Winding Checks<\/p><\/div>\n
Then it was time to blue the ferrules.\u00a0 I use Brownells Oxpho-Blue liquid gun bluing solution on my nickel\/silver ferrules.\u00a0 First, the areas I don’t want blued get masked off with tape.\u00a0 I then\u00a0wipe a cotton swab drenched in the bluing solution over the ferrule, always making sure I move over the entire surface that I want blued.\u00a0 It takes about 30 to 45 seconds at room temperature to get the desired effect.\u00a0 Here is what it looks like:<\/p>\n
<\/a>Bluing a Nickel\/Silver Ferrule.<\/p><\/div>\n
It’s important to\u00a0rinse the ferrule very well in running water to remove all the residual bluing solution.\u00a0 Let it dry, and then spray the blued surface of the ferrule with a clear lacquer to protect it.\u00a0 I use Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch Crystal Clear Gloss in a spray can, but any good clear lacquer should work fine.\u00a0 Then it was on to wrapping the guides.\u00a0 As with all my switch rods, I use black thread with straw and claret tipping on my wraps.\u00a0 I use Pearsall’s Naples thread on the ferrules, and Pearsall’s Gossamer thread on the snake guides.\u00a0 The Stripping Guide is a 16 mm Black Banded Agate guilde.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Wrapping a Black Banded Agate Stripping Guide<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Snake Guides on my Switch Rod.<\/p><\/div>\n
Finally, after coating all the guide wraps with 8 coats of Varathane 900 Gloss, the rod was ready for finishing in my dipping tube\u00a0process.\u00a0 I put on 6 coats of polyurethane on my rods, using a dip tube filled with finish.\u00a0 Each rod section is dipped into the finish and slowly pulled out.\u00a0 The finish just runs off all the\u00a0guides.\u00a0 \u00a0It takes about 2 hours to dip an entire rod.<\/p>\n
<\/a>The Butt Section coming out of the dip tube of finish.<\/p><\/div>\n
It’s a slow process…kinda like watching paint dry!\u00a0 After a day of drying time, each section gets a thorough sanding with 1500 grit sand paper, first the flats on the thread wraps, and then the flats on the bamboo.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Sanding the thread wraps after the fifth coat of finish.<\/p><\/div>\n
Finally, after six dips and a final 48 hours of drying time, the finish gets rubbed out with a polishing compound.\u00a0 I use Meguiars Mirror Glaze 83 as a polishing compound and a small felt pad.\u00a0 This process helps take out any dust particles that have made their way onto the finish coat.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Polishing after the final finish dip.<\/p><\/div>\n
And that’s it.\u00a0 After doing\u00a0 a final fitting of the ferrules, the Hollow-Built Switch Rod is finished.<\/p>\n
<\/a>The finished Hollow-Built Switch Rod.<\/p><\/div>\n
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And of course, I had to do a little casting down on the river this afternoon….<\/p>\n
<\/a>Casting a Hollow-Built Switch Rod.<\/p><\/div>\n
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I’ve been making good progress on my hollow-built bamboo switch rod.\u00a0 The next step was making a custom winding check.\u00a0 Bill Bennett at Bellingers made a few of these for me last year and has inspired me to build my … Continue reading