Rodbuilding Workshop near Cedar Rapids, IA Nov. 14

Nov 14 – Saturday – Tri-state Rod Builders Workshop
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center

Come and learn about rodbuilding with many masters of the art form from throughout the Midwest at a beautiful Nature Center outside of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. We are arranging a variety of topics including the following: Rattan Handles plus Trim Rings of Wood and Corian by Sam Fox, Playing with Polyester Casting Resin by Mark Blabaum, A Roundtable Discussion of Fundraising to Support Rodbuilding in the Tri-state Area, What the Rod Guild Can Do for You and Sharing the Wealth with Al Hutchison and others, Angle Wraps – Chuck Making for Wrapping Wineglass Stems – and Ice Rod Design by Steve Cox, Turning Banksia Nut Handles by Bob Hasbrook, and perhaps more. The meeting is free to anyone interested in rodbuilding from beginners to professionals and all should leave with new thoughts and ideas on how to build better fishing rods. We will take a good will donation to cover food expenses, any proceeds are donated to youth rodbuilding initiatives. We will be drawing for a limited number of door prizes during the day.

For more information or to RSVP so we can plan an appropriate amount of food please contact Chuck at (319) 892-6485 or at [email protected] .

For those who have built custom rods before – please bring a few along to display your work, we’ll have racks set up to display all the works of art – it is always a learning experience to see what other folks have designed. Last year we had visitors here from 6 or 7 states. Hope to see you there.

For directions to Wickiup Hill at 10260 Morris Hills Rd. Toddville, IA 52341 go to:
http://www.linncounty.org/files/down…de=view&I=5110

Hopefully we can draw folks from 6 or 7 states once again for this event – it sure was a great time last fall – and I make my venison chili for the day… and if I do say so myself, it’s exceptionally good – and always draws rave reviews.

Pretty good numbers starting to be signed up now – close to 30 so far. FYI

I have to ask, what is a “Banksia Nut Handle?”

Sounds like a neat event.

I have to ask, what is a “Banksia Nut Handle?”

It’s a hard nut that is full of voids for seeds. They turn like wood and are a very attactive grip. I have a link to one from Terry Henson if you want to look at a finished grip http://www.rodbuilding.org/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/9139/cat/500/page/1 .

I like to use wood for grips myself and hope to bring 4-5 rods along. The gathering last year was a great time and it runs the gamit from novice to expert. If you get a chance you should really try to make it.

Folks – Mark is a master at building some very beautiful and innovative handles and is sharing with us some of his expertise once again. The rodbuilding community is very giving when it comes to how to build customs – and that makes these events great places to network with lots of innovative folks. We hope you can join us!
If you wish to see a way that Banksia nut handles look – see this…
http://www.rodbuilding.org/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/9139/limit/all/cat/507/page/1
Beautiful – and have seen them unfilled and it creates a very cool look too. Enjoy!

Some AWESUM looking works of art! Now if I could find the time to make it to one of the workshops. A new found interest could be found ,amongst the other fishing addictions I have. Nothing like a 1 of a kind hand made stick. Some great masterpieces.

And they can be some serious fish catching tools too. Getting down to show time – I need to know if folks are coming to plan for enough food – so if you plan to make it let me know with a call or e-mail – hope to see many folks there…