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 BambooJim1961 |
Rod Restoration Questions |
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Posts: 5 05/25/2009 21:56 |
I would like to get started restoring my dad's old Bamboo Rod since I have never done this before I am a beginner in serious need of some advice. What do I
need to do first? The rod is an Old Shakespeare A1308 8.5' with a broke mid section. According to the gentleman who owns Redwing Fly Rods, I will need to
take off and reglue the Ferrules and the tip eye. How do I take the ferrules off without damaging them or is this a project best left to an Expert?
Jim |
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PaducahMichael |
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Posts: 699 05/25/2009 22:49 |
Hi Jim,
Removing ferrules and tip tops is usually a very simple procedure. Most ferrules and tip tops were affixed by means of hot melt cement. All you need to do is apply heat (best done with an alcohol lamp or a heat gun), being careful not to burn the bamboo, and pull off the ferrules or tip top. Please be sure to wear gloves or use a hot pad when you pull off those hot parts! The ferrule stations and the cane at the tip of the rod can then be cleaned with denatured alcohol or acetone to remove the old glue. Just use hot melt ferrule cement to replace them. Some folks like to use 5 minute epoxy to reattach ferrules and reel seats, but if you do this be absolutely sure that you get them in the right position before the glue sets. |
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 lstshkr |
#2 | |||
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Posts: 250 05/25/2009 23:33 |
If you are going to attempt a restoration, I would suggest doing a little reading on the subject. Definitely do a number of searches on this forum for
specific topics, and absolutely get a copy of Michael's book: Bamboo Rod Restoration Handbook by Michael Sinclair
(PaducahMichael). Many of us have used that book to guide us through the process. I also use Handcrafting Bamboo Fly
Rods by Wayne Cattanach for instructions on reassembling, rewrapping, and recoating the rod. There are also some sites on the internet that detail most
of the procedures - do a Google search for those sites.
There is a lot of info out there for the beginning restorer, plus many of your questions can be answered by the gurus here (they sure helped me a bunch). Have fun, and good luck! Dean D
"I used to be clueless, but I've turned that situation around 360 degrees."
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baetisrodhani |
Removing ferrules | #3 | ||
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Posts: 62 05/26/2009 17:47 |
Hi,
Don't forget to very carefully search for those   pins that were so often added to "hold " the ferrules
in place... which did not keep the glue from deteriorating or the ferrules from clicking. They're often hard to locate: remove the windings (if the ferrule
was wrapped over where it meets the bamboo), clean it thouroughly (even polish it a bit) and take a magnifying glass to spot that little round dot that
indicates the pin's location. On the Shakespeare 1314 T I worked on, they were the nail type, not true pins as found on Heddons...which means you can't
remove it totally, only delicately hammer it in further, with a very fine punch or hardened steel nail, so that it will clear the ferrule's wall.
About the next step, heating tip tops and male ferrules: be very careful to point these toward a bunch of old, preferably dampened rags you'll have placed behind your lamp. They can shoot off like bullets because of gas buildup, way before the bamboo is scorched. Imagine the possible injuries to yourself or another person... and the condition of the part if it hit a concrete wall ! But enjoy your restoration project: it's a most pleasurable activity ! Cheers, Giles |
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BambooJim1961 |
#4 | |||
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Posts: 6 05/26/2009 19:19 |
Thanks for all the input and please keep it coming. Here are some pics!
Break in Mid section Pics 
I tried to repair it before I learned anything and it didn't turn out so good. Can this be repaired or should I get a new mid section? 
Thanks Jim
Last Edited By: BambooJim1961 05/27/2009 12:58.
Edited 1 time.
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BambooJim1961 |
#5 | |||
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Posts: 13 05/29/2009 15:41 |
Where did you All Go?????!!!!! Have I offended you??!!
Jim |
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lewis2dl |
#6 | |||
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Posts: 63 05/29/2009 21:01 |
Looks like a candidate for stripping off the finish. I use a product called "Safer Stripper" that I get at the local hardware store. Works slowly and
you can get the finish off before it has a chance to attack the glue holding the rod together. Mark out where the guides are so that you can replace them in
the original position, or if you prefer, you can add more to the rod. A 8.5 foot rod needs at least 9 and could go up to 10 depending on how much is broken off
the mid section.
Dean |
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Pete Appel.fiberglassflyro... |
mid section repair | #7 | ||
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Posts: 1 05/30/2009 09:58 |
Jim, The mid looks repairable; it's cetainly worth a shot before trying to find a matching section. It's not easy to see in the photos what the nature of
the break is, but the place to start is by mapping the section and then stripping it. Once you're down to the bare cane, it will be easier to see the
extent of the break. Flex the section and observe the break - is your prior repair solid or is it failing? If it's solid and just doesn't look good,
then you can scrape and sand it smooth and move right along to the finishing process. If it's failing. open the break up as far as possible without making
it worse than it originally was, hold the broken areas open with toothpicks and CAREFULLY scrape out the old glue. Take your time; care at this stage (and a
good magnifier) will control how good the finished repair looks.Try not to remove any cane from the edges of the breaks - you're trying to eliminate gaps
in the finished product. After you've cleaned up the area, you can use a good wood glue (Titebond II or III or equivalent) or a 30 minute epoxy to re-glue
(a longer set time on the epoxy gives you more time to get the adhesive thoroughly worked in). Using the toothpicks again, hold open the break(s) and work the
glue as deeply into them as possible - you want glue to moosh out along the entire series of crack lines when you're done. Take out the toothpicks, wipe
off the excess glue and wrap the entire broken area tightly with heavy thread. Give it at least 24 hours before you remove the thread, then take off the thread
and scrape off the excess glue, followed by 400 and 600 grit sanding of the flats. If you're worried about the repair being strong enough, you can tightly
overwrap the entire break area plus about 1/2 inch on either end with size 2/0 white thread, either silk or nylon ( I like nylon because it stretches a little
and compresses thngs) just as if you were wrapping a guide. Depending on the location of the break, you can even wrap the entire area between the two adjacent
guides - in the lower section of the mid it shouldn't change the action very much, and that way there aren't any lines where the repair wraps end -
they're right where the guide wraps start. Don't use color preserver on the thread, and it will flat disappear when you put on your finish (I would
suggest 3 or 4 coats of Permagloss, thoroughly cured, before you dip the section). If you use size A, it will be a little stronger, but also a little more
visible. Best of luck!
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OldCanerods |
#8 | |||
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Posts: 32 05/30/2009 14:24 |
If you have pinned ferrules, and one or more are loose, before you try to remove them just try gentle heating with a alcohol lamp. I've "reglued" a few loose ferrules that way. But agin if you plan on really fishing it then it would best to remove and reglue. |
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BambooJim1961 |
#9 | |||
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Posts: 14 05/30/2009 23:40 |
Thanks for All the Advice I am sure learning a lot from ALL of you here are some more pics I just took today of the break.
The Last pic is to show the location of the break It is 9&1/2 inches from the top of the Ferrule and 7 &1/2 ins from the bottom of the top Ferrule BTW the glue used was LocTite simular to Crasy Glue. How do I Loosen it to get it out without any more damage? Jim
Last Edited By: BambooJim1961 05/30/2009 23:46.
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Pete Appel.fiberglassflyro... |
#10 | |||
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Posts: 2 06/01/2009 06:47 |
Well Jim, you've certainly got yourself a challenge! The break is a fairly common type with fractures in some splits, but not all, plus some delamination.
The procedure outlined above is still in play; the only problem is the glue used. The solvent for most all of the CA type glues is acetone, but it takes a
while to work if the glue has already set up - anywhere up to an hour, depending on how hard it's cured. I'd start by wrapping the split in an acetone
saturated paper towel or rag, mostly to see how it affects the easily accessible glue on the outside of the break. This is outside work; acetone fumes can get
pretty heady in confined spaces! Be careful - actetone will eat most plastics and pretty much any varnish, and it's not good to inhale. It evaporates quite
quickly, so check it after a couple of minutes to see if the glue has softened at all. As it softens, scrape it off until you're down to the bare cane and
the glue in the breaks. This may take several tries. Flex the section repeatedly and fairly deeply- does the break come open at all or is it holding together
under flex? With luck, you'll find that the glue in the break didn't adhere well, and comes apart along the original fracture lines. When it separates,
you can keep it open with the toothpicks so you can scrape off the interior glue, using cotton swabs to apply the acetone in a more controlled manner. Patience
is key- you want to remove glue, not cane. When you've got it all out, you can proceed with the reglue, etc. Do not despair - you CAN do this!
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