Hey, guys. I'm wanting to jump into bamboo rod building. I was going to start piecing out the parts and tools for this over the Christmas holiday. I don't want to buy metal forms until I'm sure I enjoy bamboo. So I was thinking of making them from wood. What would be the best wood to do this with? Are the plans for making a steel form the same for building wooden forms or are there special considerations??

http://www.bamboorodmaking.com/html/wood_planing_forms.html

this link gives a step by step...i've never built a set...but appears to be good instuctions.

matt

Doesn't get much better than that. Thanks Matt. -Jared

For wooden forms get some clear Maple. Nice and hard and holds the machned groove well. I made my roughing forms from Maple. No knots and doesn't warp.

Cheers!

Arne

Might as well get a little extra wood and make a set of pre plaining forms, only takes a few feet more wood.
Cheers Ron.

Totally agree with that Arne, but I would get it as straight, tight grained, and clear of knots as possible, and then quickly seal it with a couple of coats of varnish. It's what you do with a wood door and planing forms are more critical.