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DIY: Split Bamboo Fishing Rod

The fly fisherman standing up to his hip boots in the water of an idyllic stream is an iconic image of American leisure. For the avid fly fisherman, the sport is not only in the act of fishing but also in the careful construction of his equipment -- most notably, his flies. Few have graduated to making their own split bamboo rods. But with the correct equipment and some time, a fly fisherman can experience the same satisfaction creating a rod as when tying the perfect Green Highlander.

Things You'll Need

Block plane
Scraper plane
Calipers
Center gauge
Planing forms
Tonkin cane bamboo
Froe knife
Sharpened flat-head screwdriver
Mallet
Heat gun
Vise
String
Heating or curing oven -- available at specialty stores including laboratory supply shops, or made at home
Propane bottle torch
Binding machine (optional)
Glue
Ferrules, handle and other assorted hardware

Instructions

- 1
  Season your bamboo. Using a froe knife -- a specialized tool designed for cutting bamboo cane -- split the cane in half, up to the first node. Place the cane inside your heating oven at 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit for 24 hours.
- 2
  Finish cutting the rod in half using the froe knife. Flame the bamboo with a propane bottle torch. Run the flame along the length of the rod, starting in the middle and working toward the ends. For a blond rod, flame the bamboo on the pith side. For a flamed rod, use the torch on the enameled side.
- 3
  Cut the entire 6-foot length into six large strips, using the froe knife.
- 4
  Drive a sharpened screwdriver into the center of your large strip. Force the cane along the screwdriver, splitting it in half to create 12 medium pieces. Split the strips again. For a 6-foot, three-piece, two-tip rod, you will need 18 pieces -- 48 inches in length. The strips can be cut to length at this stage or after the rod has been glued, depending on what length your planing forms are.
- 5
  Lightly rasp uneven areas where the nodes were. Apply heat with the heat gun, and use the vise to remove bends and nodes. When heated, bamboo becomes very malleable, and when cooled, it is as strong as ever. Use this property to fully straighten and smooth each section of bamboo.
- 6
  Use a planing form for a 60-degree equilateral triangle, to plane your strips into the correct shape. Slowly remove the bamboo. You can always plane it further later, but you can̵7;t add more bamboo to your strip if you are overzealous. Leave the enameled side of your strip alone; do not plane it. Getting the shape perfect is crucial to your rod fitting together correctly.
- 7
  Use a center gauge to check the accuracy of your triangles.
- 8
  Wrap your pieces together with string, and heat them in your curing oven. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 minutes, rolling the rod over at the 3.5-minute mark.
- 9
  Use rod-making planing forms to taper your butt and tips. Using the same process as for planing the equilateral triangles, slowly work your planers along the length of the bamboo in the form.
- 10
  Spread glue along the inside of each piece, with a toothbrush. Once the wood has cooled, remove the string and spread out the pieces to be glued. Carefully add glue to the two interior sides of each triangular form, and press the pieces together.
- 11
  Bind the pieces together -- either with a binding machine or by hand. The pieces should be bound clockwise first, and then again counterclockwise.
- 12
  Remove the binding, once the glue is completely dry. Using a fine-grit sandpaper, remove any excess glue and the enamel layer on the cane.
- 13
  Add the handle, ferrules and other hardware according to the manufacturer̵7;s instructions. Each brand and style of equipment is applied differently, so be sure to follow the instructions carefully for the best fit.

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