CHAPTER XVII. 

 BOD-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 make 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, 



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