I've noticed that there are alot more guides on Bamboo fly rods. Is this due to the amount of flex they have or aesthetics?

Also, do guides need wraps? Or can l hit melt a small amount of tip top glue to hold the guides and then epoxy for strength?

Bamboo is just like any other rod. Flex it & place the guides as you would on a fiberglas/graphite rod. Wrap the guides as you would on any rod. Hot melt / epoxy isn't going to hold up when the rod is flexed. If you want to go "conventional" on bamboo use OO or OOO silk thread. YLI silk is widely available.

PS - One reason that you will see more guides on a bamboo rod is because it is a parabolic blank (like high percentage fiberglas rods) and it will tend to flex over the entire length of the blank more so than a 'fast tip" graphite rod.

50 weight Size A on 100 meter spools


The 50 wt Size A thread is heavier than the 100 wt YLI silk thread. This thread is 100% Filament thread from Japan giving it superior strength and a smoother more vibrant finish than spun threads.

Excellent for rod wrapping classic bamboo fly rods. Japanese silks have long been recognized as the finest in the industry.

YLI winds many of the 50wt spools at their base in South Carolina. The other colors are directly sourced in Japan and known as Kanagawa silk, which is same thread, just different spool types.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2017 07:24AM by Ken Preston.

Bill

If you use silk, know it will color shift, sometimes dramatically, unless you use color preserver. Do some test wraps, with and without color preserver, and choose the look you like best.

Yes, you can use epoxy finish on the wraps. The traditional wrap finish is spar varnish, but the bamboo purist police will not arrest you for using epoxy.

If you are looking for the wraps to appear to have no thread wrap, use white Gossamer Silk thread and NO color preserver. The wrap will turn transparent with application of the epoxy. I usually thin a first coat with DNA so as to get very thorough penetration.

Bill, there are numerous bamboo fly rod tapers. Each is designed to accomplish the feel, power, and flex desired by the maker. In the case of the "Cascade" blank designed by Dennis Stone, the taper is a relatively fast taper. In order to protect the fine tip section, five guides are mounted on the tip section. There are four guides on the mid section. Only the stripping guide on the butt section. It's likely Dennis would also recommend ten guides on the eight foot version. I built on the 7'9" version blank.

Thank you everyone, I got some recommendations from Dennis on guide placement, and I'll use the white gossamer silk for transparent wraps, I'm just curious if the wraps add any real strength when using epoxy, or if i can keep the wraps to a minimum?

Thread wraps are what hold the guides in place. Epoxy or varnish secure thread wraps in position and protect the thread from abrasion.

I have used spar varnish, Epoxy, and Waterlox. I'm one who likes to have a good coating on the wraps, so I use the epoxy. I have not found that all color preservatives are the same. some work better than others so wrap some thread on a extra piece of boo and apply several types of color preservative. you will be amazed at how some do nothing.