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All the credit goes to Dave Dozer, I was just a disciple of his teaching ;) (y) Anyone who wraps rods. either Bamboo, plastic or glass should really give this a try.

We have been meeting at Cascade View Park in Redmond in the past. It's a nice park with a large open area for casting. Here is a link to the location...

Maybe May 3rd? First Saturday of the month.

Last year we held it June 9th. I'd like to see it a bit earlier if possible myself.

I think you will like the Resorcinol Dennis; it has a decent work time and pot life. Yes, I do make my reel seat inserts, cap, ring and grip bushing and ferrules. No problem chatting about the ferrules or dropping in again for a visit. You need to invest a bit when you get started, but if you...

I think it might make the rod action a bit crisper, but I could not prove that, just my personal feelings. I have no documentation or testing documents to support that, but if memory serves me, I think I read something to that effect somewhere on the internet. I bought some NOS years back at...

Well, the rod is pretty much finished now. I have some cosmetic touches and a couple more coats of varnish to add to the wraps, but bottom line is it can be fished as is. The rod weighs 4.06 oz, 7'6" and with my Hardy Princess mounted it balances right at the nose of the grip (y). I am VERY...

I've come to like the ease of using Tru-Oil gunstock finish. I wipe on about a dozen coats then add the guides and wraps. In my drying box kept at about 85 degrees, it only takes about three hours for a coat to dry. You can easily get four coats on in a day if you start early enough. I apply...

I normally have to hit a few nibs before the final coats of varnish. I asked Dave Dozer about his routine for the beautiful wraps he produces, and he mentioned sanding. My specific question was to keep the wraps "flat" on the shafts, my finish work tends to build up a bit more than I like...

Another step closer to the finished rod today. I got the second coat of Spar Var on all the base and tip wraps. I finished making the hardware on the lathe for the Birdseye maple reel seat and got it "blued" and fitted. Next, I will be cutting the insert to proper length and mounting it on...

I don't use walnut oil or thin my first coat of Helmsman Spar Var anymore (I used to). I had an issue once when I was thinning my varnish with artist turps by about 20%, I got shimmers in every transparent tan wrap. Really bummed me out as I had to re wrap the entire rod and try again. Well...

Here's another consideration for wrapping guides with silk thread. Once you coat it with varnish it will look a lot different. I usually try some test wraps under the reel seat area to double check my choices. The change can be dramatic to say the least. The darker images are after the...

Absolutely right Tim, my wrapping station's tensioner is rather primitive (thread spool holder with a wing nut, washers and spring) and if I needed to back off a couple turns the thread would go slack compounding my problems. Using a bobbin, you can back off as many turns as you need without...

I'm wrapping the guides down now. Dave Dozer put on a presentation a while ago and he showed how he used a fly-tying bobbin to wrap his rods. The advantage is that the tension is made constant, created by the weight of the bobbin and thread spool hanging free. It really works great, and the...

I got the guides at their locations spaced and affixed with Teflon plumbers' tape ready to start the wraps now. I decided on a color for the wraps that will look like a tea shade on the shafts.

I'm going to hold you to that Steve! Thanks! Happy New Year.

Thats a great way to finish off a year! I need to tag along on one of your days on the water, when things warm up a bit ;)

Got the binding wire and masking tape off the shafts this morning. One of my favorite steps in the making process is assembling the rod sections together the first time after the ferrules glue is cured. Sight down the rod length, look for straightness of ferrule mounting and shaft...

Ferrules set, glued and bound. I get to give it the first assembled wiggle test tomorrow :) (y)👌

Yours looks much better than mine (y)