Through a series of events, i am now building a bamboo fly rod for a school project, and i have a very little idea of where to even start. Ive already contacted somebody who imports tonkin cane, but is there any one person who people have used a lot and trust?

Also, what is the best book to use for learning to build one?

And finally, if anybody has built bamboo rods for a while, i would really appreciate if you could message me or post here so that I know who can help.

Thanks in advance

Are you building from raw bamboo or from a blank kit? Sounds like you are starting from scratch.

Either way, sounds like an interesting project.

Do some googling. There should be plenty of bamboo building forums out there.

Go to that mudhole tackle place, they offer classes I think

There are more than a few bamboo rodmakers about. Tony Spezio up in Arkansas immmediately comes to mind.

But for best results, go to http://clarksclassicflyrodforum.yuku.com/ and sign in. You will most likely be overwhelmed with responses

I would jump right in and help you if I weren't in Iraq! One thing you stated is that you 'have very little idea of where to even start'. Are you going to build just ONE fly rod from a culm of tonkin cane? If so, then contact Harry Boyd. Here is some of his contact info:

http://canerods.blogspot.com/
http://www.canerods.com/ Bamboo Rods
http://www.bamboorodschool.com Ozark Rodmaking School
Cell phone (318) 282-1825
Harry Boyd
1211 Newman Street
Winnsboro, LA 71295
(318) 435-5476

Harry makes some of the nicest split cane rods in the USA. He can tutor you on building your own rod without breaking the bank on compiling all the hard-to-find, specialized tools you'd need, and you'll actually spend a fraction of the cost, too!

Good luck on your school project! You might find that you've gotten yourself in over your waders!!

Regards,

JR

+1 on Harry. Can't go wrong with Spezio's help, either.

Another guy who is a great teacher of 1st timers is my good friend Larry Wegmann of Springfield, MO. He's a college prof and retired high school teacher of 30 years. So he has a knack for teaching and school projects. He only checks his email every few days, but if you pm me, I'll give it to you. He makes some gorgeous stuff, but can keep it simple for you on your first project. I can't really commit him, though...obviously.

To me a bamboo rod is a work of art, just gorgeous. It is unmatched in beauty. I used to think I would like to make my own rod or two...but then I think about set up costs, and I change my mind every time. :-)

There are probably some guys on death row, who started innocently enough with a thought,"I want to build a split cane rod."; resulting in such anquish and strife that led to killing and mutulating innocent people. Thats my theory anyhow. Split can rod may have a totally different take on it-p-

I know that I have put off coming home to stay ONCE AGAIN, but when I do, the FIRST thing I'm going to do is build a split bamboo fly rod. I visited my 'stuff' that is all in storage when I was home in October, and my planing forms are getting a little bit of rust on them. I couldn't bear to look at my Lie-Nielsen scraping plane that was lying there tarnishing. EGADS!!!

I think I just hi-jacked Axiom's thread... sorry!!

JR

You are going to need a lot of supplies to build the rod, if your only going to build one it's definately worth trying to find someone who will let you use their equipment. I have built one with my uncle who builds them professionally and it is both fun and rewarding, but the expensive start up costs scare most people away. I would say finding a local with a good shop you can use is the first major step.

What I'd want to know is - is the instructor bonifide in the art of bamboo fly rodding.
A class taught by my pal Hector would be MUCH harder to pass than one taught by my favorite brother Carl.

"Deez flyrud, ezz action - eh - not so gud" - vs - "Wow, so this is a fly rod huh".

Anyway - those little hand planes are EXPENSIVE - learn to use sand paper on a hard wood block the same way.
You can do it.

I'd have you slap out two or three test rods made of balsa or pine - you'd get thru the learning curve much faster, and cheaper, that way.

Can I order a mesquite fly rod from you? That would be cool.

I dont think mequite has the properties one looks for in rod building material although it is decent for cooking hamburgers.