Looking for some advise from some of you that still remember when you started building cane rods

I have refinished a few old rods, and I built a PMQ last winter, then scarfed a repair this summer. I enjoy it, and I know I will be building cane for a while.

This winter I was eager to dive in head first. I was planning on starting by building forms, then taking it step by step and building the tools as I need them. Unfortunately, I have been away for work a lot, and I haven't had as much shop time as I would have liked. There is no way I will complete the process before the hatches start this spring.

So, here are my options, as I see them:

1- Forget about the rod this winter, and concentrate on assembling the tools I will want to have eventually (forms, oven, dip tube, drying cabinet, wrapper, maybe a beveler), get some practice in on the lathe, and maybe whip a glass rod;

2- Plow ahead and make due with what I have and use some more temporary tools/techniques (rub on varnish, my old wrapper, a 'tent' drying area, skip the oven);

3- Go ahead as initially planned (step by step building tools as I need them), and pause for the fishing season, then resume wherever I left off in the spring.

I'm leaning hard to option 1, but I half feel that is too much hemming and hawing. I feel I already did option 2 when I built the PMQ last winter. Option 3 is overwhelming. I don't like the idea of having a half built rod in my basement distracting me while I work a big rising trout!

Thoughts?

Hi Bow,
I took route number 2, but I wish I thought about starting when I was in college.

I wish I had started before I had kids!

If you did it again, Phil, which route would you take?

I would go with # 1. Building some of the tools was half the fun of learning to make cane rods. You can combine the dip tube and drying cabinet and use a roughing form instead of a beveler to get started.

best of luck,

matt

Go with route 3 but don't stop during fishing season. You don't need to have all of the tools at first any way. Do a step, build a tool, use the tool on the next step, build the tool for the next step, use the tool and complete the next step, repeat until you have your first hex. No time like the present.

Go with option 4 (combination of two and three, minus the no fishing part) Disclaimer: I'm not even a year into this madness. Currently wrapping rod number one, number two recieved its final coat of varnish, and as soon as i get my hands on a weed burner, number three will be split and a PMQ that hasn't been dressed up (had to do something while waiting for thoose forms). I can't seem to slow down enough to build all the luxury tools. I hand bind and haven't wished for a binder yet. my oven was constructed in 20 minutes for under twenty dollars, i pour my finish on, and the drying cabniet is the spare bedroom with the door locked (thats for my own protection ) someday i'll take the time to build a binder, dip tube, drying cabniet, beveler, aquire a L-N grooved plane, finest blades, japanese waterstones, real oven, etc, etc, etc.

helpful hint: encourage the wife to get into sewing.....if you thought rod building was expensive.....

Hi,

There is another option. Find and take a class. You will end up with a rod, find out if you like rod building, and you may get to try different tools to find out which ones you want. There is a down side, cost and a possible wait for the class to start.

I am about 3-4 months ahead of you and opted for your #1. Figured that if I couldn't build the equipment I probably couldn't build a rod blank. I agree with Matt-building the equipment is a lot of fun (well maybe not the final planing form). I am now in the process of planing my first strips and have been pretty happy with how well the equipment has worked. Assuming I would probably screw up a first attempt, I went to a local bamboo supplier who sells bamboo for garden stakes and room decorations, I was able to get 17 4' long 2" diameter culm pieces (Moso, not Tonkin) for $20. That is a lot of material to practice on before dropping $300 on a half bale from Royer. I haven't had this much fun in years.

matt_a, that is a good idea! She could sew rod socks for you.

Run away... and don look back.

not to hijack this thread but i guess it does fall under the topic of starter advise.....when does the learning curve plateu.....i'm at a point where all i see are the mistakes and not the acomplishments in my rods. so what number rod was the one where you said "WOW! I'm good!!"

as far as rod socks......she like to make them out of "cute" material...and i'm not so dumb that i tell her how i want them.

Nothing says you have to have every toys required to build the rods. I still haven't made a dip tube (I pour the finishes). No drying cabinet, hang the blank some where safe. I bind by hand.

You just need the bare bones necessities to build a rod: forms, plane, oven, and glue. Smetimes we try to re-invent the wheel. As my mentor told me: Stup up and start building (I paraphrased). Building rods is like the old Nike comerical "Just do it".

All that being said, where you live a drying cabinet may be a requirement, this time of year. It was 75 here today. My finishes dry without a cabinet's aid.

Good luck,

Pete

"Shut up and start building"

I was hoping somebody wouldn't say that, because I know it is the best way to do it.

OK. I'll finish my forms, get my plane grooved, build a drying cabinet (I work in a cool, dusty basement) and an oven. No bevelers. No 4 string binders. No fluting jigs. No impregnation chambers. I promise.

The drying cabinet I plan to make so it can be horozontal for wraps, or vertical for hanging over a tube. I may just go ahead and make the dip tube as well. I poured my PMQ and it was WAY to stressful . I rubbed the re-finish rod, and it took a huge amount of time.

I'm sure I'll still end up fishing my PMQ and blue-collar boo this season. I love my PMQ enough to make that not a bad proposition.



It is so easy to get off track with this hobby. My new mantras:

"How complicated do you want to make this?"
"KISS"
"Shut up and start building!"

Bow You will do fine any way You start. Oh if You get bored waiting for tools pick up a few old beater rods or rod parts.
You can pick up a few guides and then delaminate the boo and replane it.

BowBound,

Took me about 3 years to make the equipment, outfit the shop. Worth the time.
Mind you, haul out your check book and all the stuff will be here within a week or so.
Building the rod tooling is satisfying as well. In fact, I'd suspect that a lot of builders get their jollys by building equipment to build rods rather than the rods themselves.

catch ya'

Don

Thank you, Don. Finally someone gave me the answer I wanted to hear!

You might remember helping me through that blue collar 'boo rebuild and sending down a wack of cane splines, which I built that PMQ with. I blame you for this obsession I'm experiencing!

Also, a year or two ago you sent cane down here for three guys interested in starting (including me), but only one showed up to get it. If anyone in Cow town is bugging you for some, I have got more then enough. Still got some strips wide enough for PMQs, too.

Well I don't feel all that bad then, it had been 4 years off and on in the winter messing with this stuff. I have one PMQ and spent tonight setting up my forms to see what width to split the Boo at. So, yes, lots of tool building less rod building hope to invert that in the next few months by building one rod. Cheers Ron.