Question for the rodbuilders.

[Nol78]

After glue and letting it dry my tip sections they are taking sets with the slightest of bends.

The first i only driven the moisture out by flaming the inside of the culm, after the glue and drying part that one take a set. I thought it needed more heat and started over, i now flamed the half culm and then the inside again. Their was a lot of moisture coming out now, more then the first time. Bit exactly the same occured after glue and drying? Can you point out the problem?

I have no clue, but hoping to learn what i`m doing wrong before i mesh up another culm.
And even worse spend a whole lot of time and still get the same results.

Nol

[Nobby]

I think this is why many builders bake the cane in huge ovens controlled by thermostats and timers....to remove all the moisture. But other builders don't have faith in this idea...I remember Ted Oliver writing that the water had to be expelled in a manner that " stopped it getting back in again".

There's not too many rod builders on here I'm sorry to say, so you might not get much help.

There are a number of other forums, all in America I think, that might suit you better.

[Wallys-Cast]

Nol,
I have only ever built a couple of sections from scratch and found it so time consuming that it was simply not economically viable without a milling machine.
I have however separated, cleaned and reglued many delaminated sections and found that most glued up rod sections will take on a slight set when drying, in fact it's very difficult to get the section straight until the glue dries and the string is removed. It is then easy to remove any bends and kinks with heat from a hot air gun before the final clean up.

Wal.

[Nol78]

Nobby, Thank you for the tip.
I will go that way after trying a few others first.

Wal, the set you are talking about i don`t have any issues with. It`s the sets that are made when putting a bend in the rod after, the glue up and drying part.

This is happening with the tip only, i can bend the butt as much as i want and it will come back straight every time.

Nol

[Nol78]

Nobby the oven idea i know of just wanted to try the first few without it.

It can be done this way, but maybe i have to cut my losses and go for a oven indeed.

[CrayCane]

Hi Nol, Its worth looking through the bamboo tips site if you haven't already done so: http://www.bamboorodmaking.com/html/heat_treating.html

I've never relied purely on flaming to heat treat the bamboo and flamed or not I've always used an oven. I'm surprised that your tip sections are taking a set so easily though as I know some makers describe successfully making rods without oven treatment. Was the bamboo good quality to start with?

A simple 'hot air gun oven' is fairly easy to make and if you're going to make more rods is well worth the effort.

Pete

[Nol78]

Pete thank you for your reply, ive been advised to flame the cane longer. 40/50 minutes.
I only torch it till the moisture is out and their is nor more coming out, afraid that i will burn the cane if i do more.

I will make myself a oven indeed.

Thank you for your tips.

[Nobby]

I've no idea if this will help, but here are the culms from which a good friend made some blanks for me.....he certainly flamed the cane rather than baked:




I see Andrew bakes the strips for a second time:

http://www.ajdsplitcanerods.com/about-andrew-davis

[Nol78]

Nobby my cane looks much darker so maybe i burned it, and by that rendered the powerfibers brittle.

I will make a oven and use that, maybe that works better for me.
I will however first buy a rod and go fishing for a while. LOL

Nol

[Kingfisher]

Would a hair dryer drive out moisture better without so much burning Nol?