Chapmans to close down

[Hexagraffiti]

Hi Greentura. I am extremely sorry to hear of your negative/abusive comments. As a new member, I have found your posts and comments informative, inspirational and upbeat. It would be a great loss if you were to stop contributing as a down to earth, practical giver of information.
I hope your business is a success. It deserves to be, as does anybody's involved in keeping alive the traditional skills that our country is rapidly loosing.

My background is in Engineering maintenance both mechanical and electrical. Any assistance or advice I can give in setting up your workshop, feel free to PM me.

All the best,

Nick

[Greentura]

Addition to the last post, I am now able to supply high quality cork rings in several sizes, rod building materials and rod guides at competitive prices, I hope to iron all the niggles with the website and have them on there soon, and am starting to take orders for rods for delivery by June 2017, not yet in production for spare tip sections and blanks but not long now and if anyone needs anything I'm sure I can find something if I don't have it already. Floats are selling and my replica walker net in 36" and 24" is in production, all metalwork, cane and handles are made by me using my original walker 36" met as a pattern, with only slight changes to design to make it possible with the materials and equipment, but the original arms and handle are interchangeable with my new parts, and of course the net mesh is fish safe to comply with the rules and bylaws.

Andy, in conversation with another forum member we were discussing your new business and wondered, since you are going for an authentic vintage production finish rather than the deep high-gloss dipped varnish finish, if you might consider making impregnated cane rods. Although they need many days in the resin bath the actual finishing of the blanks might offer a cost effective solution since there is so little varnishing to be done. Recently I've been trying too buy a second Aberdeen built Sharpes Carp and through various conversations with a few folks it's quite clear that these rods are held in very high esteem and those who have them tend to want to hang onto them.

Yes, this is something I have thought about, and I hope to be trying it with a couple of my blanks to assess the changes in weight and action compared to standard rods. It’s slow going but still moving forward, making a limited run of Carp rods from the tapers of Walkers own record catching rod, to be called the ‘Walker Redmire’ also a twin tip carp/Avon rod with a part reverse taper butt section, the ‘Twinversa’, prototypes in string now with one being Resin inpregnated. This will be a 10’ 1 and 1 3/4lb Test curves, an 11’ version to follow. As to having an ‘Event’, sorry but no, I’d rather plough what little I have back into the workshop and materials. I’m here for the long run but not running before I can walk, and still needing to make a living with my main work as a plumber.

[Greentura]

Hi Greentura. I am extremely sorry to hear of your negative/abusive comments. As a new member, I have found your posts and comments informative, inspirational and upbeat. It would be a great loss if you were to stop contributing as a down to earth, practical giver of information.
I hope your business is a success. It deserves to be, as does anybody's involved in keeping alive the traditional skills that our country is rapidly loosing.

My background is in Engineering maintenance both mechanical and electrical. Any assistance or advice I can give in setting up your workshop, feel free to PM me.

All the best,

Nick

Thanks Nick, power issues at the property and working time constraints have both hindered the set up but I hope that will be sorted out soon. I invested heavily in switchgear and a 7.5kw 240-110v converter but the supply comes from the house where I have my workshop, their tennant had a key meter put in and I loose power or have no power at all, that has taken some negotiating between the tenant, our landlord and the suppliers but I’m having something sorted so the feed comes to me and I have a separate meter. I couldn’t even turn on the lights a week ago so the sooner this is done the quicker I can be making more blanks

The first Craftversa I first built is nearly three years old now, still straight as an arrow and landed carp to 12lb, as well as perch, chub, bream ,tench, grayling and many others. Trotting on rivers to deep gravel pits with slider, ponds, canals, drains, anywhere I could cast a float it’s been used, easy to see why it was Bernard Vensbles’s favorite rod. I have four more blanks in the making, and a pair stepped up a little to Avon strength, as with the Twinversa they are prototypes and one will be Inpregnated with resin and not varnished to test.

I’ve decided not to be swayed by the few that don’t like me or what I’m doing, some even unfriending me on Facebook for asking who was sending the hate messages and why, as well as their deformation of my character to a couple of fisheries and the charity I support, telling them I can not be trusted, the founde knows me and let me know that personally, not the actions of people I want anything to do with, but there are so many true friends here who know me, and support my work, that are members here, and of course Mark and Nigel. Thank you all and be patient, there will be more than floats soon, but don’t forget the floats

[Parabolic]

Has the re-located Chapmans now closed as well? I can't find a website.

I was hoping to buy some tonkin bamboo culms from him for rod making.

If it has closed has all the remaining stock been sold?

Anyone have a contact number?

Here's hoping someone can help me out.

[Tradlad]

I first met them as school boys, most likely around 1956. The next time I can remember would have been about 2010 when I called in the factory to buy and collect two rods, a mk4 Carp and a mk4 Avon, though of course Chapmans did not call then so as Dick Walker had given the titles to B James and son. I recollect the 500 was built and sold at a knockdown price to improve cash flow. This was the time that cane was loosing its popularity to glass. I recall that the handle/butt joint of the 500 was constructed on welded aluminium tube supplied by Elm Engineering who had a factory in Southern Road, Aylesbury.
I have three Chapman rods, the two mentioned that I made up myself and a factory built Quinette that I have hardly used.
Also a glass rod built by Jack Simpson. I must get it out of its hiding place and refresh my memory. I believe Jack called it The Brian Cotterill ”Chubel Rod”. I am Brian Cotterill. Tradlad and this is my first post

[Tengisgol]

I first met them as school boys, most likely around 1956. The next time I can remember would have been about 2010 when I called in the factory to buy and collect two rods, a mk4 Carp and a mk4 Avon, though of course Chapmans did not call then so as Dick Walker had given the titles to B James and son. I recollect the 500 was built and sold at a knockdown price to improve cash flow. This was the time that cane was loosing its popularity to glass. I recall that the handle/butt joint of the 500 was constructed on welded aluminium tube supplied by Elm Engineering who had a factory in Southern Road, Aylesbury.
I have three Chapman rods, the two mentioned that I made up myself and a factory built Quinette that I have hardly used.
Also a glass rod built by Jack Simpson. I must get it out of its hiding place and refresh my memory. I believe Jack called it The Brian Cotterill ”Chubel Rod”. I am Brian Cotterill. Tradlad and this is my first post

Welcome Brian and thanks for sharing your memories!

[PondLife]

Looks like they have closed down. Which i'm peeved about because i wanted to buy the Allcocks lucky strike tip section they had for sale and a couple of rod bags.

[BoltonBullfinch]

Looks like they have closed down. Which i'm peeved about because i wanted to buy the Allcocks lucky strike tip section they had for sale and a couple of rod bags.

Hi, John is still working although I believe not a full rod building service. The lady who makes the chapmans bags is not very well so there could be a shortage of certain bags (no 500 bags at the mo) for a time. I have spoken with him three times in the last month and he was still well at it. In fact I need to speak to him Monday so will check things are OK.

Thanks
BB

[PondLife]

I'd be grateful for any updates. Many thanks, Pondlife.

[BoltonBullfinch]

I spoke to John today, another day, another dollar.

Thanks
BB