Any fishing rod builders or fly tyers?

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

My brother got into vintage fishing gear and uses some of it. I would like to make a few vintage style bobbers for him. The kind with the dowel piercing through the float ball. These had a brass loop crimped to the end of the dowel and then were wrapped, like the guides on a rod. They were then coated with something to protect the wrapping from wetness. What do they use?

[Ron Citerone]

I would use fly head cement.

[Ron Citerone]

Rod builders use thread wrapping liquids. A rod building supply co would have some.

[Ron Citerone]

Flex coat is what I used last time I built a rod. Back then they may have used rod varnish on those bobbers. Not sure if the 2 part thread coatings were being used during that era.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I use head cement which is very similar to clear fingernail polish.

[fritz eng]

Head cement purchased at fly shops are a ripoff. $5-8 for an ounce of the stuff. Buy a can of lacquer and make a 50% mixture with lacquer thinner. I saw someone on YOUTUBE cut a circle of wax paper the same diameter as the can and laid it on top of the liquid to prevent/decrease evaporation. This can be done with liquid wood finishes too. Be sure its wax paper so it doesn't dissolve in the mix.

[David Dockstader]

Of the four you have pictured, at least three of those "dowels" are not dowels, but porcupine quills. That's what they used about 100 years ago. Don't think a dowel will perform the same. On the other hand, harvesting porcupine quills can be a "touchy" process (pun intended).

[Malcolm McLeod]

I needed parts for fly rod repair recently and so discovered "Mud Hole". I can't answer 'what did they use?', short of reading thru the site, but I'd bet you can find it there. (...tho' not sure about the porcupines, whole OR in parts)

[roger wiegand]

Last time I built a rod (a long time ago) epoxy was the recommendation. I don't think I'd use it on a good bamboo rod, it being relatively irreversible. Most of my rods suffer some other unfortunate incident before the guides need replacing. (or the inevitable lure of some wonder new technology that is suddenly going to improve my casting-- yet another case of being one tool away from greatness)

[Ron Citerone]

Last time I built a rod (a long time ago) epoxy was the recommendation. I don't think I'd use it on a good bamboo rod, it being relatively irreversible. Most of my rods suffer some other unfortunate incident before the guides need replacing. (or the inevitable lure of some wonder new technology that is suddenly going to improve my casting-- yet another case of being one tool away from greatness)

Nothing hurts quite like closing your trunk door on a Lami that you just built. Don’t ask me how I know. 😫

[Jamie Buxton]

Of the four you have pictured, at least three of those "dowels" are not dowels, but porcupine quills. That's what they used about 100 years ago. Don't think a dowel will perform the same. On the other hand, harvesting porcupine quills can be a "touchy" process (pun intended).

Amazingly enough, google yields many sources with porcupine quills for sale. Who'da thunk that?

[Stephen L King]

Two part epoxy with the rod turning on a dryer for 24 hours is what most builders use for thread wraps. For the small amounts you would need that would not be feasible. I have been toying with making some bobbers for the kids on the lathe and was thinking of using wood turners super glue finish with actuator.