Part 2: Cutting and Drying the Blank

Once you have decided on which sapling you want to use as a rod blank, cut it with a small hand saw and trim off any unusable sections at the base and tip. Small branches, knots, or bumps are also carefully trimmed off flush with the main stem using a sharp knife (avoid peeling too much bark at this stage). Once complete, the main stem should be fairly smooth with no bumps or bulges – slight bends in the blank will generally straighten out when the blank is clamped for drying.

Close up of a knot shaved down flush with the blank – this will eliminate high

spots that may interfere with clamping the blank straight

Most woods, if left on their own, tend to warp as they dry. Saskatoon berry will warp more than most due to the way the fibers twist as the tree grows. To keep the blank from warping, it needs to be securely clamped between several lengths of tubing to hold it perfectly straight as it dries. The best tubing to use for this is two 10’ lengths of ¾” electrical conduit and two 10’ lengths of ½” conduit. You will also need about 20 hose clamps big enough to go around all four lengths of tubing and the rod blank. The rod blank is placed between the tubing so that it runs down the groove formed by the two ¾” lengths, and the two ½” lengths are placed on top forming another groove to hold things straight. The whole thing is held together using hose clamps place every 6”.

The entire setup needs to be stored in a cool dry location for a full year before proceeding to the next phase (garage or basement rafters are ideal for this). There is no way to speed up the drying process, nor do you want to; a good slow dry with the bark still intact will minimize cracking and allow the blank to dry evenly through to the center. For the first month, check the hose clamps every few days – as the wood dries, it will shrink and the clamps will need to be tightened a little. After the first month, check the clamps every week or so. Avoid over tightening the clamps. Over tightening the clamps will result in the clamps stripping (they will need to be replaced if this happens), or flat spots in the blank where the wood is over compressed by the tubing – the clamps just need to be snugged down enough to hold the blank straight.

While you are waiting for the blank to dry you may want to spend some time thinking about what sort of rod you want to build. The dimensions of the blank you cut will ultimately dictate the limits within which you can work. Generally it is best to stick to lighter action rods from 3 to 6 weight. If your blank is short and on the skinny side a quick action 3 or 4 weight rod would probably be your best choice. If you are fortunate enough to find a longer blank (8 to 9 feet) you could consider  a 5 or 6 weight, or perhaps a longer 4 weight.

So that’s it – it now becomes a waiting game until the blank is dry. As spring 2013 approaches, I will continue with posts on the materials you will need to acquire to continue with the build process.