CHAPTER XVII. 

 ROD-MAKING. 



Woods used in making rods. — Wood and Malacca cane for fly-rods. — 

 Materials used by amateur rod-makers. — To make a fly-rod of three 

 pieces. — To ma^e a tip. — To stain a rod. — Oiling and varnishing. — 

 Wrapping splices and putting on rings. — To make a " rent and glued," 

 or quarter- sectioned tip. — Draw-plate and V tool illustrated and ex- 

 plained. — Manner of splitting cane and joining the pieces of a quarter- 

 sectioned tip described by diagram. — Making middle pieces and tips 

 without splices. — Manner of making a fly-rod to be adjusted to light or 

 heavy fishing. — Ferule-making. 



Anglers are apt to become fastidious as to the spring 

 and taper of their rods, especially those used in fly-fishing, 

 and are frequently considered by persons of less experience, 

 "more nice than wise." If the former have leisure and a 

 mechanical turn, they can make rods for different kinds of 

 angling, and whether for bottom or fly-fishing, can adopt any 

 fancy they may have as to proportions or materials. Thus 

 rod-making, like tying flies, becomes not only an amusement, 

 but may be ranked among the useful as well as the orna- 

 mental requisites in the education of a complete angler. 



The early attempts of the writer were in reducing the joints 

 of his fly-rods, which he thought over stiff"; then in making 

 an occasional new joint, or tip, wrapping on rings, &;c., and so 

 on to making ferules, which at first was done without the 

 help of a lathe. Having learned the art of brazing and 

 rounding them over a mandrel from a neighboring jeweller, 



(441) 



