Rod Making Presentation

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Rod Making – Major Steps• Introduction

• Getting Started – Tapers, Construction & Other Design Considerations

• Initial Steps – Working with Raw Bamboo

• Flaming, Splitting and More Node Work

• Roughing, Heat Treat and Finish Planing

• Gluing

• Final Assembly and Hardware

• Guides, Wrapping and Finishing

• Bags, Tubes and other final items

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All you ever wanted to Know . . .

• Started fishing in 1959 (age 8)

• Started Fly Fishing in 1969 (older)

• Started making bamboo rods in 1997 (older still)

• Started Brack Hill Tackle in 1998

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• Celebrated 10th Anniversary in 2008 (very old)

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Decisions, Decisions, Decisions . . .

• Squares, Pentas and Hexes• 1,2,3 or More Pieces• What’s up with Tapers?

• Selecting the Taper is the most critical step in the process

• Hundreds of “Classic” tapers from books, Web and measured rods

• Taper stress calculations illustrate rod flex attributes

• Taper design software allows modification of known rod to other lengths, weight, etc.

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Decisions Continued

Decisions Continued

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Intial Steps – Working Bamboo

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• Saw 12’ culm into 2 halves• Top used for Tips, bottom

for Butts and Mids• Remove nodes at each end

when possible• Split each half into quarters• Dress nodes prior to Flaming• Nodeless – No thanks!

Intial Steps (Continued)

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Node and Diaphragm

• Initial node prep – The outer surface is filed flush to the adjacent Bamboo enamel.

• When all nodes have been filed smooth – Bamboo is ready for flaming.

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Flaming, Splitting, More Node Work

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Flaming enamel surface of the Bamboo Culm

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Flaming, Splitting & More (Cont.)• Begin by splitting each

half culm into thirds.• Pressure against

splitting blade will guide split down the length of Bamboo

• Continue splitting each 1/3 in half.

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Flaming, Splitting & More (Cont.)

Splitting Sequence• Split each culm into 2

halves• Split each half into

thirds• Continue splitting each

1/3 in four final strips• Should result in 24 strips from bottom half (for

butt and mid) and 24 from top (for tips)


Strip 1

Strip 2

Strip 3

Strip 4

Strip 5

Strip 6

Strip 1

Strip 2

Strip 3

Strip 4

Strip 5

Strip 6

Node Stagger Illustration

• After stagger is arranged, sections are trimmed to rough length.

• Nodes are now “pressed” to align power fibers with adjacent fibers in the strip.

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• Rough planing (or milling) processes strips into 60° equilateral triangular sections

• Two forms are required• Roughing also reduces the sections to a

consistent size – ready to finish• After roughing, strips are bound in sequence

and heat treated

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Roughing, Heat Treat and Finish Planing

Roughing, Heat Treat and Finish (continued)

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End view of 1st Rough Form

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• End view of first rough form used to cut one 30° angle with Stanley 9 1/2 block plane

• End view of second rough form used to complete triangle cross section with Record Low-Angle block plane


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Final test strips with “New” rough mill


• After heat treat cycle, adjustable steel forms are set to required taper dimensions

• Finish plane and scraper used to cut strips to final size

• Block plane is used to remove material to within .020” of the form surface

• Scraper, set to remove .001” chip is used to finish strip flush with form surface

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Low-Angle block plane to begin finish planing


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Scraper to complete finish planing


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• Block plane vs. Scraper shavings• Finished tip strip – typically .035” or thinner

than a slightly worn Roosevelt dime


The Glue Job

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All 3 sections cleaned, taped and ready to glue

The Glue Job• After all strips are finished planed, they are

cleaned, arranged in the proper sequence and taped together before gluing

• Nyatex Epoxy is used – applied liberally (not by Hillary) worked into the bamboo surfaces

• Strips are bound again, straightened and allowed to cure for 24 hours

• Final heat treat sets epoxy permanently!

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The Glue Job

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The Glue Job

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Final Assembly & Hardware

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• Several steps now required to assemble rod hardware

• After the epoxy is heat cured, the binding thread is removed and the sections are block sanded to remove glue and enamel surface

• The ferrules are prepped and rod sections dressed to accept ferrules

• The reel seat and grip area is cleaned and prepped


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Before & after block sanding & tung oil


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Ferrules prepped and sections ready for epoxy


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• Walnut Burl slab used for turning reel seat fillers.


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Finished Birds-Eye, Madrone & Maple Burl fillers


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Guides, Wrapping and Varnish

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• Now very close to completing the rod, it’s time to wrap & finish guides and varnish the completed fly rod

• Silk thread used for a smooth, fine finish• Hard Chrome snake guides in Bright or Bronze• Mildrum Carballoy or Agate Strippers• Epifane spar varnish in a dip tube for final high

gloss finish


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Steps for wrapping guides

Wrap over tag to trap thread Wrap in pull loop – allow for10-12 final wraps

Thread tag through loop

Pull loop Trim tag end Light burnish – Done!


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• Signature wrap is used to finish front of grip – open loops represent line weight

• Finish wrap to secure ferrule tabs


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Classic colors of Pearsall’s Gossamer Silk Thread


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Variety of Golden Witch Agate & Jasper Strippers


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• Varnish dip tank & dust proof enclosure

• Low R.P.M. motor extracts rod from tube at 2 inch/minute

• Rod is paused at guides to prevent sagging


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Bags, Tubes and Final Items

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Soft cotton rod bag hand sewn for each rod


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Powder coated tube, vent seal cap & fleece sock

The End

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If I used a Bamboo Rod, I’d be holding the big Rainbow !

Technology

Rod Making Presentation