Bamboo No 6

Completed my bamboo rod blank No 6 after working on it for a few weekends. Glad it came out okay but I ain't happy with the workmanship. I think I must have being lacking practising.. Gaps between the strips and bad ... bad ... big visible glue lines..!!!!!!!!!!! I thought I have sharpen the plane but I did not shapen my skill... 

I guess I can't do anything much on the glue lines. I just filled it up with some epoxy.

Other than that, the blank seems to be in good shape.

Another integrated bamboo ferrule construction.



 

The length of this blank is 6'10"



Testing my No. 4 bamboo rod...

I finished this 6wt rod a few months back but have yet to test it out in the field.

 

Finally I managed to test this in fish farm in Bedong. I caught a few Barramundi of decent size... but this one was of good fight... and good size too..

It was a good 45 minutes fight and I landed this.. and my integrated bamboo ferrule bamboo rod is still holding well...

"BLACK"

Finally it's done..... and it's time for testing 'Black'...........

Boo No. 5 tip section

Did some work on the bamboo over the weekend and completed the bamboo tip section.
This will be another integrated bamboo ferrule system bamboo rod.

NS ferrule is just to expensive. Guess I'll just have to stick with this integrated bamboo ferrule for awhile.

Next will be the butt section....

BF Bamboo rod #2

This will be my 4th built and the 2nd one for the year 2010. It was faster this time as the rough strip were done last year. This will be another integrated bamboo ferrule bamboo rod based on Sir "D"  7' 4wt taper.
I have to modify it slightly to incorporated the swell for the bamboo ferrule and swell at butt section.

 This blank was made from bamboo from Bernam river and the power fiber of this bamboo looks promising.

Construction of the bamboo ferrule was easier this time compared to my 1st BF bamboo rod after I understood the construction concept.

 Finally, the BF bamboo rod blank #2 is completed.

Bamboo rod with a difference.....

After having a hard time building my 1st bamboo rod, my 2nd one seems to be much more easier..

Perhaps after all those trial and errors, and problems which I have encountered during the making of my 1st bamboo rod, I guessed things just became simpler. As they said, the 1st step is always the hardest.

I am on my 2nd bamboo rod and this time will be slightly different from the 1st one. This time I will try to build an integral bamboo ferrule. Yes, no more metal ferrules.

Remembering the 1st time I saw a bamboo rod with integral bamboo ferrules was a Calviello's rod.

My friend, Riki bought one. It was pricey but very unique. I never saw anything like that before in Malaysia. There are so few people who uses bamboo fly rods here, let alone one with bamboo ferrules.

Even before I completed my 1st bamboo rod, I started looking up on bamboo ferrules. To my knowledge, there are 2 rod makers pioneered bamboo ferrules in their own ways. Marcelo Calviello with his BOBFS ( Bamboo over bamboo ferrule system ) < http://calviellorods.blogspot.com/2007/10/question-answers-about-bamboo-ferrules.html > and Bjarne Fries with his FIBH ( Fries Integrate Bamboo Hexaferrule ) connection < http://www.fries-rods.dk/ >.

Later I got to know about Alberto Poratelli from some forumers in some bamboo fly rods related forums. I started reading Alberto's write up on his findings and the construction of the bamboo ferrules. < http://www.aprods.it/e_presentazione.htm >

I told myself I must make one or at least try to make one for myself. I have seen some hobbyist rod makers in US have done it and I think I can do it.... I have some help from Larry Lohkamp and Mike Peck of The Bamboo Rod Room in sourcing information on bamboo ferrules.

That was how this project started...

The most difficult part of making bamboo rod to me are the initial steps... stripping and straightening.

Rough strip forming was easy.. as I have got a Medved beveller..














Setting up the planing was a bit difficult because there is a swell at the end of the tip for the bamboo ferrule. There was also some calculation for the swelling, thickness and the depth of the bamboo ferrules. My timber planing form was made of hard wood and it was difficult to flex to form the swell part.


















Finally, the tip section is completed.






Now for the difficult part.... construction of the bamboo ferrules.
I do not have the form for cutting the thin wall for the ferrules. I made a shallow groove on some timber that I have.














The thin wall for bamboo ferrule that I made was measured at 0.96mm.
The thickness should be the same for all 6 strips, if not, there will be a problem inserting the spigot.


Gluing up the strips.. and hang dry


While waiting for the tip to dry, I started work on the butt section.


2 days later, excessive glue are scrapped and the blank are sanded.






The bamboo ferrules need to be reinforce or strengthen due to its' thin wall.

















A layer of epoxy was applied to the internal side of the bamboo ferrules.
Excessive epoxy at the opening was carefully removed.












Silk wrapping was done to reinforce the bamboo ferrule externally. A thin layer of epoxy were applied to the silk wrapping and this turned the wrapping translucent.

The progress has been good so far. I managed to completed the blank...
And next step will be the finishes.