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One year ago I decided that I wanted to try and make my own split cane rod. I bought the books and found this list and the rest is history. I'm hooked. One of my biggest ordeals was tool gathering and it took the majority of my time until I had it all gathered. I found my Record and Stanley Planes at a local Woodcraft and they sold for $57 and $45 respectively. It was the only place (brick and mortar store) that I could find these planes. Yesterday I was cruising around a newly opened Lowes and lo and behold they had the Stanley Plane for $29. This is a rather long winded way of advising beginners to check their local Lowes if they are looking for the Stanley Plane.  (Bill Bixler)

I am interested in staring to gather the tools. I have been very interested in Bamboo Rod building for a long time. But find everything overwhelming. (Give me a Computer and I have no problems, but Bamboo Rod building seams real foreign to me.)

I would like to stop by Lowes and pick up a Stanley Plane, could you direct/suggest which one(s) to buy?

I would also buy/build a form, does anyone have a suggestion? Making one sounds interesting, I do not have a lot of tools, and what it seams like is that I need a drill press in order to make one at home?  (Jim Forshey)

Just a word of advise. High priced equipment can come later on in rodmaking.

I have been using a plane I bought at Sears back in the 40's for all of my planning till I dropped it a few weeks ago. It shattered. Was using a 5.00 flea market plane till a kind list member sent me a replacement plane like the one I dropped. Dial indicators and dial calipers can be bought from Harbor Freight, they are on sale now for 7.00 and 13.00. The indicator block can be a piece of hardwood or a block of aluminum. Instead of high a priced scraper, I use cheap razor blades. I do have a high priced scraper that is collecting dust, I prefer the razor blade.

Heat treating can be done with a propane torch, get an oven later on. Binding can be done by hand, make a binder later on. Make a set of wood forms to get started, you can get by with a 40.00 drill press from Harbor Freight to do that.

You really don't really need a drill press, there are other ways to drill straight holes. To make the groove in the wood form you can use a 60 degree V router bit. Routers can be had for as low as 10.00 from Homier Truckload sales to 20.00 from Harbor Freight. The groove in wood forms can also be done with the plane. I can't see much sense in putting a load of money in tools and equipment if you are only going to make a few rods. If you plan on making a few to sell, make them with the tools you have and take the money from a rod sale to upgrade your tools.

I hope I am not stepping on anyone's toes with this reply, it is not meant to do that. To me the main thing is to make that first rod and see if you plan to continue making rods. I have known several that gave up after the first one or two. I will have to tell you this, not many do give up and it becomes a way of life.  (Tony Spezio)

Tony gives excellent advice above.  But to answer your question about the Stanley plane, you want the G12-020 block plane.  If you open the box and look, it's the plane with the adjustable throat in front of the blade.

As for forms, I don't think there are any really bad forms being sold.  Some are better than others, but every commercial form I've seen will make a decent rod.  Rush River's forms are the lowest priced ones I know about, at least in the US.  (Harry Boyd)

Does anyone have any experience with the Borg 9 1/2" block plane?  Retailers are selling it for $58.  It looks like a Lie-Nielsen knockoff.  (Ron Delesky)

It is a good plane made in China, copy of the Lie-Nielsen.  Also the blade is good and thick. We have made a series of practical test and we will use this planes for the next IBRA Rodmaking Course in November. For the price, it is excellent.  (Marco Giardina)