Doug Hall at John C. Campbell

[PapaDoc]

I was up in Brasstown, N.C. at the John C. Campbell Folk School Wednesday and visited the bamboo rod class that Doug Hall was conducting. A class of five was assembled for the week, including a weekend for finishing. Doug is a great builder and also an excellent teacher, which is not always the case. Doug is currently offering 6 classes per year. The classes fill up quickly so you need to register quickly. Go to www.folkschool.org.
PapaDoc

[Buck Henry]

Great info thanks. If I read the class description right, it is a rod finishing class and not a full rod building class. Is that correct?

PS: don't forget that Bill Oyster up in Gainsville, GA also teaches bamboo classes a couple of times a year. Bill too is an amazing builder and teacher. www.oysterbamboo.com

[jerry]

Doug Hall is a master rod maker and has been at it for years and years. He will always volunteer help and keeps no secrets. He will be sure everyone in the class is on board and "no student left behind". He will take the time required to teach you to make a blank from picking the culm to end and see that everyone has taken enough knowledge home that they can repeat the process from start to scratch. He is honest and the finishing class is a complete, yet generalization, because to finish the blank, have the guides/wrappings dry and then finish the rod and transport it is not realistic for most students, but you will have enough knowledge and have seen the differences and options to do the job when you get home.
The Folk School Classes are only in the $380 range plus materials, so he has about the best deal and as much knowledge as anyone in the south if not the US unless they are in their 80s and been making rods since their teens (there are a few of those guys still out there). The Folk school can provide room and meals also at more than reasonable rates.
Doug resides in Decatur and works at a well known hardeware store organizing their classes and schedules. I have pictures of him at rod gathering from many, many years ago with some of the best rod makers in America and even across the world, so he ain't no rookie and he promotes the tradition being spread amongst anyone who wants to try it. He is not in it for profit so much as a passion and is a great guy bar none. He would teach rod making every day if he had his preferences, but to make a living at it he would have to charge an individual too much. He has made many, many, many, presentation rods that are donated each year to promote fly-fishing and rod-making along with supporting JCC and other causes. Notice the word "donated". Take the JCC class and you walk away with a blank for less than you can buy it for and you did it yourself. It's like a plus plus, win win and you will learn as much from Doug as anyone bar none as far as a rod making class goes. Doug stays busy with his job and family but he is a rod maker that has paid his dues with the older established and current makers across the US. Well respected by them all that are involved with other makers on a first name bases. He spreads the tradition not the business and would do more if time allowed. He may venture into the guide business so times a wasting. Check out the JCC and if you live in certain North Ga or NC counties you might just be able to take the class for $25 plus materials, they have some specials on ocassions for certain training in certain counties to promote jobs. JCC is a part of the NC University System and not a second thought school. It is unique though and always a bargain.
MHO

[PapaDoc]

Jerry, that's an endorsement that I wish I had written! Very complete and compelling.
Buck, there are actually two classes, one in which you build the rod, beginning on Sunday running through Friday. The second class runs the weekend. There are some folks who do the classes back to back, some come back for the finishing.
By the way there are other classes at John C. Campbell. You can take a woodturning class and learn to make amazing reel seats, You can also take blacksmithing, painting, Windsor chairs, all kinds of music. Check out the website mentioned earlier.
Funny story. During the week, Doug heads up the education work at Highland Hardware providing the coordination for all the workshops. Doug was called up to the front to help a customer with Japanese waterstones. He was walking with the customer up stairs where the stones are displayed. He asked the customer why he needed waterstones. The customer said that he was a bamboo rodmaker. At that point, Doug allowed as to how he also made bamboo rods. The customer revealed that his name was Bill Oyster. Although the two had obviously heard of one another, they had never met. How cool was that....two masters together for the first time. Doug told me he thoroughly enjoyed Bill and what a nice guy he was. Great news that we have two excellent builders in our area.
PapaDoc

[jerry]

Papa Doc
That is a coincidence indeed. Both guys are very accomplished makers and lovers of the tradition of rod making and also the sport of fly fishing.
You would actually be surprised that there are several master makers within 300 miles or less of ATL and more than a few as close as a 120 mile radius. There are more private makers than one would think too. There are more people making rods today for their own use or to sell than there has ever been in the past. Late 70's, 80's it was tennis, then golf, now maybe we'll see a trout pond with a water chilling plant in every developement, no rod makers are too humble in most cases. Several makers never advertize or seek buyers they will only make a rod or help someone upon direct request. They do not want or need publicity, and they are years behind on requests. One of the most desired rods from a paticular maker can only be had if you make a rod he would like in exchange. He just had to stop taking request and his rods are truly a treasure. This guy is humble but has also designed a few tools that are copied and sold by the biggest resalers out there.
I will say Doug and Bill are both fine people and they each have some similiar motivations and some diferent motivations for teaching classes, but they both can and do teach great classes for anyone wanting to learn initial but complete rodmaking. Good thing to have both these guys making and teaching. I wouldn't cut either one of those guys or their classes short. They both can and will teach you to make a rod with your own hands.
Doug spends a lot of time showing changes in making over the decades and different methods and money saving tools/tool making tips, resources etc. He might show time saving steps but these are not cheater steps or quality sacraficing steps by any means. He has been around some of the best makers in the world under a sharing enviroment for decades on a yearly bases, so he shares all he has learned from the traditon's best. The JCC school sets the tuition not Doug, so you can see he isn't teaching to make a living or suppliment his income, he could do better staying in Atlanta or making another rod to sell. It is truly a love of "sharing" the tradition and growing the craft. It is just fortunate for him, the school, and his students that he takes his time to share his skills and knowledge as freely as he does.
I'll close by saying both Bill and Doug are great people, teachers, and makers. It is my pleasure to know them both.
Join the rodmakers list and you will see how many varied opinions and known good methods there can be. Makers mostly in the US and Canada but also from around the world share their views, results, test, experiences, methods and there are always several people to help anyone with a question or problem. Glues can be debated and compared for a week or two, so finishes can go on for several weeks. These are established makers as well as some newbies, but it is to share rodmaking and that only. Not to sell, show, boast, advertise, but to state facts, opinions, inquire, and share what works for you. If you want a rodmaking tool or have a rodmaking tool or material a post to offer or inquire would be okay, but the primary purpose is to share in rodmaking. This is not a forum but exchanges on a list-server.

[oyster]

papa doc

If you like that story, I've got another one for you. You may or may not be aware of another maker down here by the name of Gary Lacey. He is currently making rods full time after the completion of his former career. Anyway, one day he was down at Orvis Buckhead showing off one of his recent creations. Whoever was working there at the time (It was 8 or 10 years ago) said, "that's great, but you know if you like bamboo rods you need to talk to Bill Oyster." Neither of us knew much about each other at that time. The fellow at Orvis dialed me up right there in the store and handed the phone to Gary. He introduced himself and I immediately invited Gary to come up for a visit to my shop. He got out a pen and paper and began writing. About half way through my directions I noticed a strange tone on the other end of the phone. He began to chuckle nervously convinced that we were playing a trick on him. The punch line is, we both live about 10 miles west of Gainesville, off of the same road,...in the same neighborhood. In fact I could walk to his house in about 5 minutes! Although at the time we were both building rods more seriously than anyone in 500 miles, we had no idea we were just down the street from one another! For the record we still don't hang out together. That's one of the drawbacks of being a full time builder, there isn't much time for anything else!

Jerry, glad you had a good time up at Doug's class. You'll have to bring your rod to the next get-together in March for all of us to play with.

Bill O.


www.oysterbamboo.com

[jerry]

Bill,
I knew Gary was within a mile or less from you as a crow flys or the street winds but I didn't mention his name since he stays somewhat private as far as his work and busy with his "brand" GRANGER. I have you and him on the same mapquest page. There is a small profile on Gary and the Granger name someone posted on U-tube a long time ago but I checked and it is still there.
It is my understanding (somewhere I read this) that he used to be in Alpharetta with his shop before moving up your way. Unless you knew Gary or were buying Granger Rods you would never have known it. I had never heard of him.
Some of the TU people from Dahlonega (that's how I found him) know Gary pretty well as friends and one even worked in Gary's shop preparing strips for planing during a long job absence. The impression and numbers he gave me shows it is definitley a busy place with limited spare time available.
I actually was assisted in my rod making venture by a gentleman in Arkansas. I won't mention his name because he doesn't seek business in any manner, it has to come to him by request though others. Most accomplished makers know him from Maine to Florida to Texas to Washington state and a few out of the country. He is known around the world for his fly tying. He has several decades of rod making under his belt and used to teach group classes and then individual classes, but he hasn't taken in a student for a decade now. He just teaches/assists an individual if asked and depending on how he feels about the person and their desires and motivation. He does publicly share his skill, experiences, and knowledge in several areas though.
I've known Doug a while and he offered to come here and help me get setup in my shop with benches and tools and get me started plus provide any assistance with anything anytime. He may have offered this help because of who had us get together because we were both had the Atlanta area in common. Regardless I find Doug to be a great guy. I would have never asked him to come here to help me just because of the 285/400 traffic. I wouldn't have driven to Decatur in rush hour traffic either even though I have plenty of time. I much rather head north. Doug has an excellent design for a multiple student classroom/facility at his home, but he stays so busy with his work, new woodworking seminars, gatherings, donations of rods and his time, making, fishing, and family, I don't know if he'll ever get it setup or not. He's thinking of doing some guiding (I assume in NC) as another business/fun hobby and bought a drift boat last year so there is even less time in his days.
At least you guys are getting to do what you love and pass it along. My hat is off to both you guys "the same but different"!
You all need more fishing time though.
Jerry