tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:17:54 +0000Making and fishing bamboo fly rodshttp://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)Blogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-7387601276600791101Fri, 12 Jun 2009 02:25:00 +00002009-06-11T21:36:09.557-05:00Shop TalkLooks like I'm going to get to do CRR this year. I was there in 2005 and totally enjoyed it. Alan Kube is going to share some information about the Dickerson rod shop and Ross Smith is going to present four rods with different geometries. That sound's really cool. And Lowell's going to do some sort of taper thing...not sure what that's all about.If you can make it to Colorado in July, this http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/3tdE1HoMN1g/colorado-rodmakers-reunion.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/3tdE1HoMN1g" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/06/colorado-rodmakers-reunion.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-235260508394052084Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:27:00 +00002009-04-23T12:33:16.341-05:00TapersFrank Stetzer posted the following note on the Rodmakers List today:The online Hexrod program has been running on the same web server for 12 years. I don't know if that is some kind of record or not, but the university where I work is going to pull the plug sometime this summer. So rather than wait until the last minute, as I usually do, I'm movingHexrod to a commercial web hosting site.You can http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/hj86LrHsu0k/hexrod-is-moving.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/hj86LrHsu0k" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/04/hexrod-is-moving.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-5157005541997101792Thu, 16 Apr 2009 01:05:00 +00002009-04-15T20:23:42.813-05:00Shop TalkThe Italian Bamboo Rodmakers Association will be holding a raffle at their gathering to raise funds for the Abruzzo Earthquake Relief Fund. There will be several items in the raffle. Here's a list of items donated so far:1st prize is the gathering rod, a 6' 6" blonde bamboo rod with two tips and bamboo ferrules The other prizes in order off arrival but which haven't been assigned yet are:http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/72ZHYuB-LY0/ibra-abruzzi-earthquake-relief-fund.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/72ZHYuB-LY0" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/04/ibra-abruzzi-earthquake-relief-fund.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-6469988553223575473Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:43:00 +00002009-04-15T20:32:15.960-05:00TapersLarry Lohkamp and Lowell Davis have reported problems running the calc macros in Flexrod. They are using Excel 2000 and Excel 97. I built the macros in Excel 2003. Larry figured out how to fix it in Excel 97. Here's his note:The failure occurred when pressing the calc button on tapers sheet, andI assume the list calc would fail also. The other buttons work correctly.An error dialog pops up http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/tclm3FNHNIM/flexrod-excel-2000-problem.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/tclm3FNHNIM" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/04/flexrod-excel-2000-problem.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-2866218531548373679Sat, 11 Apr 2009 23:34:00 +00002009-04-11T18:41:58.587-05:00This is a photo of one of the things a rodmaker really hates to see: it’s a freshly-glued section that had 2 splines crossed. I pulled the binding string off and found the “surprise.” If a rodmaker catches the twist while the glue is still wet, you can take everything apart, clean the glue off, dry out the splines and glue it up again. If you miss it when the section comes off the binder, andhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/r53SrQ7nap0/crossed-splines.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Koch)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/r53SrQ7nap0" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/04/crossed-splines.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-578702700047090297Sat, 28 Mar 2009 00:16:00 +00002009-03-30T12:10:40.875-05:00Lee KochSecret StuffTo follow up on David's secret tips, here's another:After gluing and binding a rod, we typically tie a loop on one end of the section and hang it to dry.I've taken to putting tension on my hanging sections, to "encourage" them to dry straight. The trick, then, is to fix the loops you tie on each end of the section so that when they pull on the rod, they pull evenly on at least 2 opposing sides http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/n5Ow88eRFYg/simple-secrets.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Koch)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/n5Ow88eRFYg" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/03/simple-secrets.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-3840329256626947244Wed, 25 Mar 2009 02:31:00 +00002009-03-25T21:08:31.929-05:00Secret StuffI'm using Tightbond III on all my rods. I've tested the other industrial strength glues for set resistance. They are more set resistant than TBIII, but they will all take a set if abused. URAC is the most set resistant glue I've tested.My TBIII rods do not take sets with normal use. But there's something about the process that's worth putting in the list of Secret Stuff. The glue joint needshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/_9YyFvBR2PU/tightbond-iii.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/_9YyFvBR2PU" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/03/tightbond-iii.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-2945957488659004960Wed, 25 Mar 2009 01:38:00 +00002009-03-24T20:54:40.166-05:00Secret StuffI may have posted this before, but I thought it was worth adding to the list of Secret Stuff. I've tried several recommended methods of turning ferrule stations. I've used sand paper, files and lathe bits all with varying degrees of success. I've read about home made cutters made from tubing and then there's the high dollar station cutters that are way beyond my hobby budget.I've settled on http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/9GcxgsrJTdQ/turning-ferrule-stations.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/9GcxgsrJTdQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/03/turning-ferrule-stations.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-3035306076789408963Sun, 08 Mar 2009 20:56:00 +00002009-03-14T22:48:16.412-05:00Shop TalkI wrote an article about beveling with a bench top planer for Power Fibers last year. Here's the article with a few updates:There’s a bench top planer in my shop that’s used to mill hardwood for rod tubes. The thought of using it to rough in tapered strips percolated for a while after seeing Tony Spezio’s setup for PMQ strips. I figured hex strips could be beveled the same way. Other makers http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/n_wJK9jBUk8/beveling-with-bench-top-planer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/n_wJK9jBUk8" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/03/beveling-with-bench-top-planer.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-3323098931761848335Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:03:00 +00002009-03-07T19:56:17.645-06:00Shop TalkThe latest edition of the IBRA Bamboo Journal is out. It can be downloaded at the following link:http://www.rodmakers.eu/When I posted this yesterday I hadn't had a chance to read it yet. I still haven't read it all, but I took a copy of the guide making articles to Hardees this morning to read over biscuits and gravy. I can't believe how simple it is to make a guide. Now, that doesn't mean http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/-6QMf4h8UE8/ibra-bamboo-journal-february-2009.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/-6QMf4h8UE8" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/03/ibra-bamboo-journal-february-2009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-5399374664553637216Thu, 26 Feb 2009 03:23:00 +00002009-02-26T22:53:54.775-06:00Shop TalkThese two rods have been on my workbench for a long time. I started on them a year ago. They're finally finished. I still need to sew up the rod sacks and put a few finishing touches on the cedar rod tubes before they'll be off to Missoula.These are the seven foot versions of the ST2 and ST4. I cast them in the yard yesterday with a 4wt line. They have the same casting characteristics as thehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/k9JRirDyKGQ/finished-13-and-14.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/k9JRirDyKGQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/02/finished-13-and-14.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-2642740059706471331Fri, 20 Feb 2009 02:57:00 +00002009-02-20T19:47:11.966-06:00Harry BoydThe Ozark hills of northern Arkansas are world-famous for lots of things…handcrafted quilts and American antiques, good home cooking and homemade whisky, not to mention breathtaking river valleys and fantastic fly-fishing. Now, we can add bamboo fly rod making classes to the list. Bob Nunley and I have been making fly rods in this area for a combined 35 years. Our experience, innovation, positivehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/7x4BDLtCCtQ/ozark-rodmakers-school.htmlmaker@canerods.com (Harry Boyd)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/7x4BDLtCCtQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/02/ozark-rodmakers-school.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-2252643811341584061Sun, 01 Feb 2009 03:12:00 +00002009-01-31T21:58:45.014-06:00FishingI just finished up a blog for my Mom. My parents have cabins for rent in the Mountain View area. They needed a web site where folks could see pictures of the cabins.Mountain View is my home town. My Dad taught me to fish and make things. Memories of late night fishing on South Sylamore creek will always rank at the top of my list. We'd toss Jitterbugs up against bluff walls and slowly reel http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/0ndwmixGqtc/cabins-in-mountain-view-arkansas.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/0ndwmixGqtc" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/01/cabins-in-mountain-view-arkansas.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-7532957525078613483Tue, 20 Jan 2009 02:12:00 +00002009-01-19T20:46:27.011-06:00Shop TalkLee's Tri-hex post reminded me that it's time to renew my annual rod making subscriptions. There are three publications that, in my opinion, deserve the financial support of the bamboo rod making community.The Planing Form by Ron Barch: The Planing Form is a bi-monthly newsletter. It's the international newspaper of the bamboo rod making community. The annual subscription is $25. Here's a http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/WIPUlNQ4Gy0/annual-rod-making-subscriptions.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/WIPUlNQ4Gy0" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/01/annual-rod-making-subscriptions.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-7042633420777630270Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:32:00 +00002009-01-19T19:40:42.039-06:00There was a discussion on the rod makers list recently about the angle that should be used to taper a slide ring. Most rings that I've seen are jammed up onto the reel foot. The ring and the foot make contact only at the edges of the foot. It's a poorly engineered component, but it's simple and traditional.About the only thing that can be done to improve the fit is to taper the inside diameterhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/JbopKOU4XqI/taper-slide-ring.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)5<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/JbopKOU4XqI" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/01/taper-slide-ring.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-1310159140534452569Sat, 10 Jan 2009 17:59:00 +00002009-03-27T16:05:29.374-05:00Secret StuffOne of the mysteries of bamboo rod making is translucent wraps. I've read of several ways to produce a clear, shimmer free, translucent look. Some of them have curing problems. The varnish seems to take forever to cure. Others leave shimmers in the finish and still others have a cloudy appearance. There are probably others that work well, but the one that has produced consistent results for http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/VeDAmsQpQlw/translucent-wraps.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/VeDAmsQpQlw" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/01/translucent-wraps.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-7460431505602770632Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:41:00 +00002009-01-08T18:45:21.131-06:00Lee KochI promised David I would talk about the Tri-hex geometry I've been working on for bamboo rods, as opposed to the regular hex geometry, but I'm going to put that off. I'm driving up to the Denver Flyfishing show this weekend (Jan 9, 10, 11), and one of the guys who will be there has made 3 or 4 rods using that geometry. I showed him what I had done at CRR 08. I want to cast them while I'm there,http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/IvBf5hBpca0/dendver-ff-show.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Koch)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/IvBf5hBpca0" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/01/dendver-ff-show.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-4629263483709919573Sun, 04 Jan 2009 03:03:00 +00002009-01-04T16:21:51.728-06:00Lee KochI got a surprising e-mail the other day from David, inviting me to contribute entries to this blog. I’m flattered to do so, and will try to live up to the high standard he has set. David and I are contemporaries – at my first SRG, in 2002, I brought both of the only 2 rods I had made (twin Driggs), and David was in the final process of gearing up to make his first rod.I want to talk today about http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/xWKXEJuoFyg/rod-making-style.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Lee Koch)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/xWKXEJuoFyg" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/01/rod-making-style.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-8205834392198825289Sun, 04 Jan 2009 02:01:00 +00002009-01-03T20:29:44.087-06:00Lee KochLee Koch has agreed to be an author here at the Sowbug. I think you'll find Lee's view of rod making thought provoking. Lee is relatively new to the craft like me, but he's probably made several more rods than I have. He has certainly gone beyond what might be considered normal with his hex reel seats and the Tri-hex tapers. Lee is an entrepreneur running a sign company, bamboo net company, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/He3nxtcKIO0/welcome-lee-koch.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/He3nxtcKIO0" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/01/welcome-lee-koch.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-295483608570814369Sun, 04 Jan 2009 01:44:00 +00002009-01-04T17:13:50.150-06:00Shop TalkThe ST4 taper was the favorite of the SRG 2008 taper evaluation. Here's a link to the taper evaluation post if you haven't read it yet. I'm finishing up a 7ft version of the taper this month. It'll be going to friends in Montana along with a 7ft ST2. The ST4 will probably be a 4wt and the ST2 a 3wt. But I won't know for sure until I lawn cast them. I received a note from Larry Swearingen a http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/Hf7i6iM_9aQ/st4-taper-update.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/Hf7i6iM_9aQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2009/01/st4-taper-update.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-4288082195130949731Wed, 31 Dec 2008 22:00:00 +00002009-01-03T20:30:32.332-06:00Harry BoydHow many "correct" ways are there to build a bamboo fly rod? A recent online conversation led to several folks sharing broad outlines of the steps they take in making a rod. I suspect the steps I follow are different from those followed by the owner of this blog, and perhaps from almost any other rod maker. For what it's worth, here are the steps I usually take as of late 2008. And of course,http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/sRc3A2Tp7Xo/is-there-just-one-way-to-make-rod.htmlmaker@canerods.com (Harry Boyd)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/sRc3A2Tp7Xo" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2008/12/is-there-just-one-way-to-make-rod.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-2152313641412415449Thu, 25 Dec 2008 15:13:00 +00002008-12-27T15:41:18.575-06:00Shop TalkIt's been a good Christmas morning. We've exchanged gifts and everyone's back in bed, except me. I whipped up some blackberry pancakes and a pot of coffee. Umm...good stuff! Exchanging gifts is really cool. But the older I get the more I value relationships with family and friends. The greatest gifts are warm relationships. That's what this season is all about anyway...the relationships, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/BBGGbNjBjto/merry-christmas.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/BBGGbNjBjto" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2008/12/merry-christmas.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-6340733438755671773Sun, 21 Dec 2008 14:48:00 +00002008-12-21T08:49:58.851-06:00Harry BoydA recent thread on the Rodmakers Email List asked what there was to know about Wayne Cattanach other than his Handcrafting Bamboo Fly Rods book and DVD/video series.Brian Creek from Michigan reminded Rodmakers' readers that Wayne was the first to program Everett Garrison's math for the computer (I think it was in Visual Basic. If you can remember that language, you've been hanging around PC's forhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/Q47ZAHckR5A/influence-of-wayne-cattanach-on-todays.htmlmaker@canerods.com (Harry Boyd)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/Q47ZAHckR5A" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2008/12/influence-of-wayne-cattanach-on-todays.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31335651.post-2182333073673309748Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:05:00 +00002008-12-21T13:46:22.334-06:00Harry BoydI've invited one of my rod making mentors to contribute to the blog. He needs no introduction to those of us in the rod making community. But a few comments might be appropriate for folks that are new to the craft or just passing through the blog on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Harry Boyd gave me the inspiration to finally tool up to make bamboo rods. Matt West had tempted me with the idea for a http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~3/VzBIuhbvKTc/welcome-harry.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David Bolin)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SearcySowbug/~4/VzBIuhbvKTc" height="1" width="1"/>http://searcysowbug.blogspot.com/2008/12/welcome-harry.html