The making of good quality fishing rods from bamboos is a skilled craft. It involves; splitting culms into strips, planing them, gluing the strips back together to make blanks, wrapping the guides, varnishing, and making the cork grip and seat for the reel. To start out on your bamboo fly rod building project it is a good idea to get the best advice out of the published works of masters of the craft. After all, you want to end up with well crafted rods that are going to do an excellent job of catching fish!
The world's largest rod building event, the International Custom Rod Building Exposition offers items of interest for all custom rod builders working at any level in the custom rod building craft.
February 21st & 22th, 2009
Showplace Center - High Point, NC
Bamboo Fly Rod Building search for books on eBay
I have also provided links to three recommended books on bamboo fly rod building. By selecting the image of each book you will be able to read the editorial reviews, customer reviews, and new and used prices. (Please note that each book is presented from the USA and UK separately).
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page when you have finished browsing as there is a free e-book for you to download!
Book Description
The bamboo fly rod represents the pinnacle of the fly-fishing art: its apparent simplicity and delicacy belie the craftsmanship and strength that are the hallmarks of all great rods.
Wayne Cattanach begins in the Kwangsi and Kwantung provinces of China, where Tonkin bamboo takes about eight years to develop the qualities that distinguish it from all other materials: a tensile strength akin to steel, light in weight, with the flexibility that gives all bamboo rods their relaxed action.
Book Description
This is a truly excellent book on building a bamboo fly rod, and it is possibly the best currently available. The instructions are precise, the photos and drawings are detailed and the author(s) write the book from the standpoint of "We WANT you to succeed.."...
Book Description
By unanimous agreement, this is simply the best work on the subject – the definitive book. Mr. Garrison, a mechanical engineer by training, built perhaps the finest rods ever – and describes how it’s done. He died before the book was first published (in 1977) though his protégé, Hoagy B. Carmichael, completed it and brought it to publication. Essential reading for all who admire fine bamboo rods. A useful section is included on restoration, refinishing and repair as well. Now In Its Third Printing
Note: The descriptions and reviews listed above are from Amazon.
There are many other books available so I have also provided a direct search link to new and used books that are related to bamboo fly rod building. The following links will open up the listings in a new window/page for you to browse and/or search using the facility provided.
USA - Book Reviews & Store
UK - Book Reviews & Store
Out of around 1,000 species and 91 genera, Arundinaria amabilis or Pseudosasa amabilis - Tonkin Cane, is the prized species most often used for bamboo fly rod building but Calcutta Cane was also used in this craft. Tonkin Cane, recommended to be one of the strongest species of the bamboos due to its high density of fibers, is popular with bamboo rod makers because of its straightness, well spaced nodes, flexibility and strength.
Pseudosasa amabilis
Common name: Tonkin bamboo
Family: Gramineae
Synonyms: Arundinaria amabilis
Range: E. Asia - S. China
Habitat: Forests; Forest Margins; Damp Grasslands; Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Deep Shade;
If you are keen to make your own fishing rods but do not want to build the blank, buying a blank to start you off with crafting your own is just the thing. You can buy blanks and hardware separately and outfit the rods yourself. See my page on bamboo fly rod blanks...
This link will take you to a page that provides access to recommended rod makers, suppliers, and listings of rods for sale.
From your interest in bamboo fly rod building, you will also find other sections of this website useful for further information. Also, download the free e-book on the right by selecting the link or the book image and saving to your pc.
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