OLD Bamboo rod conversion to SPEY ROD

This is a 3 pc spinning bamboo rod measuring about 12.5' when put together.

The condition of this rod is good considering its 'age'..

The handle

However the guides are pretty used up.

All the guides stripped and the loose varnish removed. Light sanding was done on the bamboo blanks before a new coat of polyurethane was applied on it.

The set of new guides are to take their places.

The old cork grip removed.

The reel seat removed and the old glue residue on the timber handle was scrap off.

 New cork rings for the grip.

New handles done.

Guides wrapped except for the tip. Missed out during my order for the guides.
It has to wait for now..

And finally the last parts was delivered after 3 weeks. The tip top was fixed in place.

A coat of cork seal was applied to the cork handle.

That is the completed BAMBOO SPEY ROD totally rebuilt from an old bamboo spinning rod.

Refurbishment Project : Cortland FR2000

Got a request from my buddy to do another handle refurbishment.

Existing condition of the fly rod handle.





The cork grip have to go...

Found some masking tape underneath the cork grip. I believe the rod have gone thru' some sort of refurbishment some years back.

Had the blank clean up.

And had the reel seat removed to fit in the new cork grip.

The new cork grip fitted. I have to lathed the cork handle on the blank for more accurate shape to fit the reel seat.

Then the reel seat was fixed to its' original position.

Done and it looks as good as new... but received another phone call informing me that the rod click....

Got to use some tricks up my sleeves to solve that... and it was clicking no more..

FG 3wt series

Another FG 3wt series fiberglass fly rod that I built 2 weeks ago.

Double sliding band reel seat with more vintage 'feel' and smaller diameter cigar type cork grip.



Olive green thread wrapping with white marker line.

Full view of the 3 section fiberglass fly rod

A close up ..

 and another piece put up for sell..

The JOHNSON "Profile" reinstatement

It was finished like that a week ago, but due some technical glinch, it had to be redo.

So, everything have to come off and rebuild.

All new cork grip right down to the reel seat.



The all new handle with cork sealant finish.

The JOHNSON "Profile"

This rod is about to get the whole new handle...

The cork insert at the reel seat was removed.

The existing cork handle was sanded slightly before wrapping over with rattan

New section of cork insert was made for the reel seat.

The new reel seat inserted and a few coats of Spar polyutherane on the rattan grip.

There... DONE.

Phillipson Master " re-guides"

This vintage fly rod just got itself a brand new snake guides and wrapping.

The original thread is twisted  green and red thread which is no more to be found. The next best option was to use twisted green and black thread.

All the old wrapping was removed.

Wrapping yet to be epoxy.

New guides wrapped and finished.

Done and it is as good as new....

Another follow up....

How about another one mouth watering photo of the fiberglass rod in action?

** Photos courtesy from Dewa Wes **

The PESOT glass fly rod follow up....

When they asked me about this blank I used to build that rod....

"How much stress can it take?"

I really can't tell..

But ... a picture tells a thousand words..

** Courtesy photograph from M. Faisal Pesot **

Really... You don't have to believe what people tell you when you can see with your own eyes..   :)

NFC top amd G.Loomis bottom

Finally the young 'ciku' found and settle on this North Fork Composite blank after searching high and low looking for a blank for his custom rod..

North Fork Composite blank by Gary Loomis pairing with the old school G.Loomis offset pistol grip.

This kinda grip don't come by pretty often.
Test fitting on the blank.

Electroplated SiC K-guides all the way from Japan.

Simple all black wrapping to the guides on the bare charcoal finish rod blank.

Epoxy on the rod decal
 

The completed rod

A closer look at this old school reel seat

The cork handle coated with U40 cork seal
 

Another look at the finished rod...