Customer Reviews

Constructing Cane Rods: Secrets of the Bamboo Fly Rod

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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Well known split cane rod builder Ray Gould, has produced a comprehensive book encompassing several related bamboo fly rod sub topics. Ray walks the reader through the different commercial producers of bamboo fly rods, and tells you what to look for when placing a value on an older rod. Repairs to that old rod in the basement are dicussed. Diagrams and information to produce your own special rod making tools are here, as well as making your own rods from scratch. This is an excellent book for any serious rod builder, collector, restorer, or anyone who appreciates a fine hand made bamboo fly rod. I recommend this book as a companion to other rod buiding books. Ed Dickson

Let me get right to the point: Ray Gould's Constructing Cane Rods is a gem!

In a genre full of obtuse and lengthy tomes, this book provides a concise, clear, and easy to read review of bamboo fly rod technology, art, and practice. Gould calls upon his background as an engineer to cut through the alchemy, distilling essential elements into a series of refreshingly well organized chapters - each short and to the point.

Balancing this technical clarity, it is also evident that the author's heart lives on a trout stream. Full tribute is given to the traditions and craftsmanship of bamboo rodmaking, without any of the cloying syrup.

Just like an exquisite violin, a fine cane flyrod is both a joy to behold and a delight to play. Read this book, and you will pleasurably discover all you need to know to restore, care for, build, and enjoy the very best in bamboo fly rods.

John M Griffin (Feb '01)

You'll eventually read reviews from people who don't like this book - the book is poorly organized, too brief, has terrible references/bibliography, etc. I think these criticisms are missing the point. This book contains a lot of valuable information in the form of notes, asides, etc. that you will find nowhere else. This shouldn't be your first pirchase (that should be The Lovely Reed), but as a second purchase to fill in the gaps missing from The Lovely Reed it is worth it's weight in gold. It really is a must buy.

Again a must have for any maker. You will learn more from his two books than anywhere else and his analysis of stress curves and such will greatly aide you using programs like hexirod or roddna. I have been building for 13 years and still found much usefull and new information inside - particually ideas for different tools. Most notable is the rod tensioner/ de-twister.

Great reference section on used rods of higher quality from named builders that would be of good value and effort to refurbish and what to look out for problems. Excellent fundamentals sections to get started building.

This is a must for the library of a first time rod builder. The extra information it gives makes it a must. Wait to you buy for first couple of books but remember to buy it during the second round. It has little "snippets" of information that helps bring everything together for the first time builder.

This book has a wealth of information,I would recommend it to anyone instrested in building their own fly-rod.