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Author Topic: Primitive Fly Rod  (Read 7644 times)

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Offline PrimitiveTim

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Primitive Fly Rod
« on: November 28, 2014, 01:54:22 pm »
So I had this idea of how to make a bamboo fly rod.  Basically I used the branches of the bamboo to make the eyes and I heat bent them around and bound them together with dogbane fibers.  I did that all the way to the end.  I thought I while on what type of fiber to use for the string and well, it was about time for my annual hair cut so I saved my hair and got to making string with it.  Making the rod was a lot more fun than making the string.  That's for sure!  I made a spool by drilling (stone hand drill) through the wall and sticking the branch into it with pine pitch.  I'm gonna take it out soon and see if I can catch a fish with it.  The end of the line i weaved in dogbane fibers so I could get the line thinner and I figured the white line would be less visible than the dark stuff.  Let me know what y'all think!











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Florida to Kwajalein to Turkey and back in Florida again.  Good to be home but man was that an adventure!

Offline DC

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Re: Primitive Fly Rod
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2014, 08:14:46 pm »
Does the line float or sink?
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Offline PrimitiveTim

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Re: Primitive Fly Rod
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2014, 11:24:51 pm »
Quote from: DC on November 28, 2014, 08:14:46 pm
Does the line float or sink?
I think it will float.  Haven't tested it yet.  I think I'm in the early stages of coming up with a good natural line.  Hair is just kind of fun lol and it has a lot of good characteristics.
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Florida to Kwajalein to Turkey and back in Florida again.  Good to be home but man was that an adventure!

Offline Knoll

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Re: Primitive Fly Rod
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2014, 09:59:48 am »
I think you're inventive!  And am hoping to see the fish ya catch.
In my case, accumulating enough hair for a line would take far longer than I've got left . . . .
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... alone in distant woods or fields, in unpretending sproutlands or pastures tracked by rabbits, even in a bleak and, to most, cheerless day .... .  I suppose that this value, in my case, is equivalent to what others get by churchgoing & prayer.  Hank Thoreau, 1857

Offline Trapper Rob

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Re: Primitive Fly Rod
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2014, 09:56:41 pm »
Looks good Tim.
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Offline lebhuntfish

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Re: Primitive Fly Rod
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2014, 11:24:07 pm »
It looks really good! The only suggestion I would give you is, Your eyelets are kinda big. A smaller one will allow your line to glide through the eyes. If they get to big the line will coil between the eyes and either make a big mess or really slow down your cast. Also make sure your line isn't too heavy. Make the line the same length as your rod, then hold your rod straight out and attempt to pick the line up with the rod. If the rod bends more then just a touch, a little flex is ok. If it bends more than a couple inches then the line is too heavy. If that's the case then give your rod a decent heat treatment. Or wrap it he rod with some fine strips of bamboo. I really like this idea, it's been years since I made a bamboo rod. Can't wait to see all your finished pics! Patrick
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Once an Eagle Scout, always an Eagle Scout!

Missouri, where all the best wood is! Well maybe not the straightest!

Building a bow has been the most rewarding, peaceful, and frustrating things I have ever made with my own two hands!

Offline lebhuntfish

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Re: Primitive Fly Rod
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2014, 11:27:51 pm »
Also try infusing the line with some talo and beeswax. Patrick
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Once an Eagle Scout, always an Eagle Scout!

Missouri, where all the best wood is! Well maybe not the straightest!

Building a bow has been the most rewarding, peaceful, and frustrating things I have ever made with my own two hands!

Offline PrimitiveTim

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Re: Primitive Fly Rod
« Reply #7 on: November 30, 2014, 01:28:57 pm »
thanks guys!

Quote from: Trapper Rob on November 29, 2014, 09:56:41 pm
Looks good Tim.
By the way it's all trapper rob's fault cause he gave me some flies.  So I was like, well I got to make a fly rod now. haha  >:D

lebhuntfish, I agree the eyes are too big.  It was just a really fine line between the getting those thin branches warm enough to bend and burning them.  I almost screwed up a few.  I'm definitely going to experiment with this some more, especially with the rod.  Once the rod is seasoned then it's all about heat bending it straight and making the eyes which is a million times easier than making line.  Lol, my hair was pretty greasy when I cut it but we'll see how it does when I take it out today.  It may need some wax or talo.
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Florida to Kwajalein to Turkey and back in Florida again.  Good to be home but man was that an adventure!

Offline Trapper Rob

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Re: Primitive Fly Rod
« Reply #8 on: November 30, 2014, 04:31:01 pm »
I'll make you some more when you need them hope they work for you.
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Offline JoJoDapyro

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Re: Primitive Fly Rod
« Reply #9 on: November 30, 2014, 05:23:28 pm »
I was thinking about the eyes Tim. Have you thought of using thicker bamboo and just hollowing it out? Fly rods generally don't have very large eyes. My Tenkara rod doesn't have any.
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If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got.
27 inch draw, right handed. Bow building and Knapping.

Offline DC

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Re: Primitive Fly Rod
« Reply #10 on: November 30, 2014, 08:20:37 pm »
If you cut donuts out of another piece of bamboo and tied them on with sinew I wonder how strong they would be? You could polish the inside of the donut and they would be as good as store bought. I read somewhere that in the Victorian era they used a single strand of horsehair for a leader.
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Offline JoJoDapyro

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Re: Primitive Fly Rod
« Reply #11 on: November 30, 2014, 08:37:52 pm »
Tenkara line is usually hand knurled line, so just about the same as a bowstring, only 3 strands instead of two.
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If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got.
27 inch draw, right handed. Bow building and Knapping.

Offline madcrow

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Re: Primitive Fly Rod
« Reply #12 on: November 30, 2014, 09:18:52 pm »
I made a short fishing line last year to use with my bone hooks.  I reverse twisted it 25 feet long and kept it as close to1/16 as possible with the last five feet tapering to nearly nothing.   I made a sinew tippet about 8 feet long but instead of twisting, I braided it and made sure to stagger the splices.  Im just guessing it was 1/32 of an inch wide, maybe a hair less.  The i waxed it all.  It worked great.
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Offline Jodocus

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Re: Primitive Fly Rod
« Reply #13 on: December 02, 2014, 01:33:18 pm »
Sweet! Do you have a hook already?

Keep us posted about how it works..
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Offline Saxton

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Re: Primitive Fly Rod
« Reply #14 on: December 18, 2014, 02:05:56 am »
Where's the fish pics ?
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