About the Gathering

Southern Rodmakers is an annual gathering of bamboo fly rod makers. Over 300 craftsmen from 39 states have gathered on the White river near Cotter Arkansas since 1998. If you're interested in making bamboo fly rods, join us at the gathering in October, or follow the links below to join the on-line gathering of bamboo rod makers. "The List" is a great place to start. The list is an old school e-mail server with hundreds of members around the world.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Taper Quest 2014

Marv Loopstra is coordinating the 2014 edition of Taper Quest.  Here's the note Marv sent out a few weeks ago:



Fellow SRG attendees,

Well, here we are with another upcoming SRG! As you probably recall, 
last year we had a fun and informative "TaperQuest" challenge where 25 
7'6" 5-6 wt.
rods of various tapers were made by 25 different makers and then evaluated.

Tapers were entered in a computer program developed by Bob Norwood to 
show the stress curves and stresses on each rod along with a personal 
evaluation of each rod.

At the end, there was a discussion of the various tapers in regard to 
the stress curves which sort of ended on a question mark.

This year Bob Norwood will be here to discuss those tapers and those 
stress curves and what, exactly, they mean.

SO.....I am asking that all those who brought a TaperQuest rod last year 
bring it again this year. Also, I would like to ask, at this late date, 
if you can make one of the missing rods from last year, please do so. I 
will list the rods remaining to be made at the end of this email.

Bob Norwood tentatively plans on doing a multiple part program on the 
workbook and then a second program after the evaluation process.
We hope to have new books published and issued and the evaluation 
process will be repeated.
Rods remaining to be made are: Baginski (taper source Baginski), 
Gould(taper source Gould), Harms (taper source Split and Glued), Orvis 
(taper source Baginski), and Winston (taper source Canerod). If you are 
interested in making one of these rods please contact me and I will put 
you on the list

Marv Loopstra