A wooden fishing rod is an antique that some collectors value today. They have few advantages over a graphite rod, or even a bamboo rod, because wood is generally stiff and non-flexible. It also takes a lot of time to shape the pieces to build the rod. However, for the classic, antique and nostalgic value, there is no comparison.
Instructions
1. The first step is to build the rod blank. In this case we will build a one-piece wood rod. So, find a piece of wood long enough to plane into the rod shape. The best wood to use is Dagame, an exotic wood, but you can use maple or oak.
2. Cut it to a diameter that is just a little wider than the total diameter of the finished reel handle on a table saw.
3. Measure the length of the casting rod section and mark off where it intersects the butt end, or beginning of the reel seat. This is also going to be made of wood, so you will plane up to this point.
4. Measure your taper. Make additional marks along the rod (all the way around the wood) every four inches to mark off the taper of the rod. You can make it more advanced with a sharp taper at the tip and longer taper near the handle end, but we'll keep it simple for beginners.
5. Mount the rod blank into a planing device or clamp that allows you to plane one side at a time. There are sophisticated tools for this purpose, but they are expensive, so any vise will do for your first rod.
6. Using a sharp hand plane, begin to shave the rod blank down lengthwise, moving it across three taper lines on two strokes, and four taper lines on the next. In this way, you can make a simple, crude taper. Continue to do this on one side, and then turn the rod blank a quarter turn and start on the other side, until you have a square, planed rod.
7. Final planing. As you get your rod into shape, use a micrometer to measure the thickness of the rod all along the length. Write down each taper measurement and continue to plane the rod to the right taper.
8. Once completed the rod is ready to be dipped in urethane or sealant.
9. Grind down the reel seat and handle to your desired shape using a grinder or sander, and apply a padded grip.
10. Attach line guides with thread and glue to the rod blank. Space them about one foot from the real handle, then reduce the spacing as you move up the rod. They should be spaced so that, when bent, the line does not touch the rod itself.
Tags: into shape, reel seat, taper lines