logo for upon-bamboo-fly-fishing-rods-and-reels.com

Home
WHAT' S NEW? Calendar
Blog
News
BAMBOO Bamboo Rods
Rodmakers
Gatherings
DIY Rodbuilding
Conversion Tables
Intl. Glossary
VINTAGE Old Fishing Reels
Old Tackle
MODERN Tackle & Lures
Wholesale Tackle
Modern Reels
Reel Reviews
SURF FISHING Surf Rods & Reels
TECHNICAL Ready To Fish?
Tips and Techniques
RELATED TOPIC Flytying
Knots
MORE RELATED TOPIC vacations
Recipes
Fly Fishing  Art & co.
Fly Guide Jobs
LET'S GO GREEN! Portable Solar Panel
SHOPPING Our Shop
Posters
Leatherwork
INTERACT Contact
subscribe
Add A Site
About Us
Donate
Home Business
Your Bamboo Rod

 

Email

Name

Then

Don't worry -- your e-mail address is totally secure.
I promise to use it only to send you
The Bamboo Rods and Reels ezine.
 

 


 

Fishing rod blanks continued:
graphite fishing rods

 

 

Aldo Silva , owner and founder, produces graphite fly blanks in his factory in Canzo, Como province (Lombardy, Italy. The factory's name is Modern Fly (update January 2011, the link is broken. Will follow it up...IMPORTANT INFORMATION! I spoke with Aldo on 31 January 2011 and he told me he sold the company and went into another business. He is still acting as an independent consultant and you can reach him through his website) . Modern Fly, produces 170 models of fly rods and sells rodbuilding equipment and fly fishing rod blanks all over Europe and worldwide as well.

Contact (update January 2011,not in business anymore):

Mr. Aldo Silva
Modern Flies
, Via Tagliamento 5 22035 Canzo (Co) ITALY

Here is how Aldo make his fishing rod blanks.

1. Project development

Firstly, Aldo design a new rod according to his long experience. Millimeter paper and pencil are the instruments. But everything is in his head already, he simply put his ideas on paper.


2. Laying of the graphite sheet on a flat surface

The flat surface is actually a heated surface and the sheet is further heated with an iron for the following steps. Done by hand.

Fishing rod parts: fishing rod blanks making - step 1


3. Cutting the graphite sheet according to the project specifications



Fishing rod parts: fishing rod blanks making - step 2

Fishing rod parts: fishing rod blanks making - step 2b


4. Rolling up of the graphite sheet around a steel mandrel

A very delicate moment. Done by hand. The mandrel has got a conical shape (taper design, do you remember?) . A rod company has sevral of these mandrels, each for a different taper design.

Fishing rod parts: fishing rod blanks making - step 3


5. Pressing of the mandrel-graphite-sheet tube

The graphite rod starts to take shape.

Fishing rod parts: fishing rod blanks making - step 4


6. External Application of a Shrinking Film

A thin film of special material is now wrapped around the raw graphite rod. This film shrinks at high temperature. If the fishing rod blank does not go through this step you see "helicoidal" lines along the rod blank.


7. Tempering

The graphite sheet is still wrapped around the mandrel, a thin film of special material was laid on its surface. Now it's the time to put the whole in the oven (at about 125 °C I learned somewhere else...)

The high temperature has the effect to expand the graphite sheet while the special film on the outside shrinks, on the contrary. This opposite reactions create and big pressure on the graphite sheet which modifies its molecular structure also because of the action of the high temperature.

Fishing rod parts: fishing rod blanks making - step 6


8. Removing of the external film and of the steel mandrel

Done with the help of a special machine.

Fishing rod parts: fishing rod blanks making - step 7


9. Rectification

This is the most important part and it's done only by Aldo, and not by his employees. Done by hand on a special grind machine, it requires a lot of experience. Basically, the left-overs of the shrinking film are removed, but also some graphite material where necessary, that is after a quick shaking of the rod which is enough for Aldo to understand where he must apply corrections.

Fishing rod parts: fishing rod blanks making - step 3

Fishing rod parts: fishing rod blanks making - step 9

Fishing rod parts: fishing rod blanks making - step 10


10. Finishing of the Rod

The other fishing rod parts which are common knowledge for us rodbuilders are assembled in the highest possible accuracy (reel seat, rod handle, snake guides, stripping guides, tip-top).

Fishing rod parts: fishing rod blanks making - step 11

Fishing rod parts: fishing rod blanks making - step 12


Are you satisfied with the explanation? No? Good. In fact there is much more to know about blanks!

Wanna deepen your knowledge and learn about the suppliers to rod blank manufacturers?

See you there!



 

 

 

 

Rodbuilding | Contact Us | Interviews | Old Reels | Fishing Reels Supplies
Rods Supplies | Flytying | Gatherings|Techniques
Our Store |Gifts For Fishermen| Site Map
lynda.com video tutorials

advertise with us!

This website is

Made with Dreamweaver - Learn How to Build Websites with Dreamweaver!

footer for bamboo fly fishing rods page