Our glued and bound sections have been in the drying cabinet for 24 hours to allow for proper curing. Now it time to remove the cotton binding and sand our sections to remove surface glue and the bamboo enamel. For me, this piece of the puzzle is as close as it comes to that excitment we all felt as a kid unwrapping a present at Christmas. Soon this mess of bamboo, cotton string, and glue will look like a fly rod. The grain or "power fibers" will be exposed and the beauty of the cane will be revealed. I'll also be able to check my measurements for accuracy.
<img src="http://flyfishinginmaine.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=10090&g2_serialNumber=1">

Care must be taken (read "leather gloves should be worn"; do as I say, not as I do) when removing the binding string because the dried glue is extremely sharp. Using a block plane, I cut the half-hitch knots from the tip of my section:
<img src="http://flyfishinginmaine.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=10087&g2_serialNumber=1">

The binding then unravels quite easily:
<img src="http://flyfishinginmaine.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=10102&g2_serialNumber=1">

One of the hallmarks of a well-made cane rod is well defined and sharp (as opposed to round) edges. To achieve this look, I remove the felt padding from my sanding block. Starting with 220 grit sand paper, I work each flat until the enamel is removed. At this point in the process the partially sanded enamel takes on a "purplish haze", which is often referred to by makers as "hazing". The usually takes about 10-15 passes on each area of the flat to remove the 0.002" deep enamel. Sandpaper is changed often, on the butt section that means after every flat is sanded. It's important not to sand into the precious power fibers any more than absolutely necessary to remove all enamel.:
<img src="http://flyfishinginmaine.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=10114&g2_serialNumber=1">

This process is followed by a few passes with 400 grit sand paper and finally a few passes with 0000 steel wool to finish the blank.

I can now check the flat to flat measurements at each station to see how close we came to the original taper. If we did things right, these flat to flat measurements should easily be +/- 0.002" of the original taper:
<img src="http://flyfishinginmaine.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=10131&g2_serialNumber=1">

The sections are then closely inspected, preferably in daylight, to find any remnants of the the enamel that needs to be sanded. Everything looks good, so far. I can already tell this rod is going to be something truly special.
<img src="http://flyfishinginmaine.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=10123&g2_serialNumber=1">

Fondled that almost completed rod at Mike's Tie & Lie.
Very nice!

A bit off subject but last night...

Sensing the timing was right, I selected a culm for a small rod intended for a little girl. After picking a 6'3" taper, I cut the culm to rough length and filed the nodal ridges. As I plan on flaming this rod and didn't have a torch handy, I took a break and taught myself how to tie bombers and went to bed early. This morning I awoke to find a picture & text message on my phone. My niece, Maeve, was delivered just before 11 last night. 7lbs, 20".

My sister asked a while back that, being a good uncle, I teach Maeve to fly fish. I was contemplating the reach of stream where I hope to one day put her onto a native speckled trout using her own bamboo rod when Dar Williams & Jason Spooner came on the radio covering Bob Dylan's "Girl From the North Country". Looking forward to the day we get to hike into that northern spot and chase those native brookies, I suspect there will be Bob Dylan lyrics stuck in my head.

Congratulations, Uncle Dave! One day into it and you're already a better uncle than most. The 6'3", a Paul Young "Midge", right? If so, excellent choice. I'm sure it will serve Maeve well for many years.

joel

Thanks Joel. No on the Paul Young taper. This one is going to be a two piece Wayne Cattanach "Sir D" taper. The PY "Midge"s that I've cast have never really felt all that comfortable in my hands.

David and I heard that song, same time, same station

Congrats! She'll love the rod.

Joel, thanks for the sneak peek of the rod at Mike and Linda's - hope we get to cast it at SuperBoo.

This sanding part was hard on me. I knew some of the glues contained walnut, but avoided them since I have a nut allergy. Then, I was sanding the glue off and my eyes swelled closed, so David to the rescue. You guessed it, some nut dust in that glue too!

Kat

Kathy

One word for you.....Epi-pen.

Hunter

One word for you.....congratulations


Joel

Two words for you.....keep working.

Neal-

Thank you. Now hurry up and get better so I can have two words for you- "Keep rowing"