200910 - Issue 37 Description

October 2009
Issue 37

Power Fibers is published in Adobe Acrobat format. To view the magazine, you must download the Adobe Acrobat Reader. You can get it here.

To get this issue, order the 2009 Issue CD on the “Backissue CDs” page.

The October, 2009 issue of Power Fibers contains:

Constructing a Rod Taper Measurement Fixture

While attending a rod gathering in Martell, Wisconsin a few years ago a gentleman arrived with an original Payne 200L that he fished regularly and allowed us to cast. This 8 foot 3 piece 4wt rod was extremely smooth and cast well in short, medium and long distances. I decided that I wanted to build one of these for myself and went to the various taper libraries...

2nd European Rodmakers Gathering

The 2nd European Rodmakers’ Gathering took place in Sarnen, Switzerland from Friday, 25 September 2009, to Sunday, 27 September 2009. It was a top-notch celebration of split-cane rod making. The setting was wonderful (it is hard to beat a picturesque town on a lake in the Swiss Alps) and the gathering absolutely outstanding. Participants came from Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, the United States, South Africa, Japan, and, of course, Switzerland. The languages heard the most were German, Italian, and English. The facilities...

Making My Drain Tube User Friendly

I built my drain tube over 10 years ago after reading a post by Darryl Hayashida about draining the varnish instead if pulling the rod from the varnish tube. Not having the ceiling height needed for a dip tube, that was what I did. The first article I did for Power Fibers on the drain tube was in Power Fibers, January 2001. Since then, in using the drain tube I have found some shortcomings. The upper and lower shelves were made so that they also had to be removed when removing the tube to insert or remove...

It’s Reely Pretty Easy

In this third installment, Michael and I will address a topic most rod builders are hesitant to tackle — reel building. This task is not as daunting as you would think. This is a tale about how one man, John Betts, inspired two men to make their own equipment. These reels are his designs and the story is of his influence....

2009 Metolius River Fly Fishing & Bamboo Rod Fair

About a year ago, during a camping trip on the Metolius River in Oregon, I saw a shirt for sale in the Camp Sherman Store for the “Seventh Annual Metolius River Fly Fishing & Bamboo Rod Fair.” I had never held a bamboo rod at that point, but it sounded like something I might enjoy making and fishing....

Making Long, One Piece Rods on 5’ Planing Forms

The first step is to pick a taper. In this case, I am looking for a powerful six weight. This taper looks parabolic, but is not, because of its overall steepness.

Next, select a culm. Try to pick a straight one, with smallish nodes to keep straightening top a minimum. The strips will be a bit unwieldy, and you will save yourself...

Cane Rodmaking Class 2009

Sometimes it’s on the Bucket List, that list of things we all intend to do someday. Sometimes it just seems like a good idea, as simple as that, intuitive. Who wouldn’t want to pause on the stream, cane rod in hand, and answer the question, “Nice rod; who made it?” with a modest, “I did!” Whatever their individual motivations, like-minded anglers converge at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum the third week in June every year, and emerge five days later as the newest makers of split cane fly rods.

As with most classes - there are many these days, thanks to a nearly universal effort to democratize the craft - prospective rodmakers have a chance to try out making a split bamboo...

Joe’s Rod Shop Tutorials - Trim Wraps Down and Dirty

Well, as of late I have had many individuals interested in my method of doing trim wraps. This by no means is something I just conjured up. A customer showed it to me when I had my fly shop. Anyway, I will try to pass it along, so here we go.

Today I decided I would do this from the very beginning, it seems that most of the questions were, "Where do I get some pine pitch?” Well, I was on my way to see if I could find some at a music shop, but I thought...

October 2009Issue 37