Tri-Hex Rods
"Tri-Hex" is a term I use to describe an alternative geometry in rod construction. The "standard" shape of a split bamboo rod is a hexagon, comprised of 6 equilateral triangles. There have been many other ways to make split bamboo rods, ranging from square quadrates (4 equal 45-45-90 triangles), pentagons (5 sides), octagons (8 sides), quadrate rectangles, to 2-strip squares (Commonly called PMQs, or "Poor Man's Quads"), among others.
This is the last in a series of tri-hex rods I've been working on - another 8013 Tri-hex, wrapped olive tipped royal blue. Very nice rod that is reported to be good casting tiny flies 55-60 ft to trout sipping midges on the Ausable.
The Tri-Hex still uses 6 strips, but 3 are twice as large as the small strips, The apexes of the 3 large triangles get shaved off, making them into trapezoids. The final cross-sectional shape of a Tri-Hex looks like a triangle with the corners cut off. Here's a diagram:
This geometry was invented by a Swiss rod-maker. Its initial configuration used 13 strips to make up the modified triangle. I saw a drawing of his 13-strip rod, and thought there should be a simpler way. That led to the idea of using only 6 strips, some large and some small. I wasn't in contact with the Swiss, but as it turns out (no surprise!) they had come to the same conclusion and were also making these 6-strips triangle rods. They call them EVO 1 and EVO 2. I had already started calling mine Tri-Hex rods, so that's the name for my page.
it's more trouble to make a Tri-Hex rod than a regular hex. First, the math has to be worked out, in order to convert a regular taper into the small-and-large triangles needed for a Tri-Hex. Different-size triangles mean setting planing forms twice instead of once, and then the inner apexes must be shaved off with some precision for the rod to fit together correctly. Tip strips for the small triangles get VERY small. In addition, ferrule fitting is more complicated, with the cylindrical ferrule needing to fit onto the asymmetrical bamboo blank. So why go to all the trouble?
Because so far, the Tri-hex geometry appears to make into rods that are lighter, smoother, more supple, and more powerful than their regular hex brethren. (At a bamboo get-together, a pretty famous Colorado fly-tyer and writer cast the prototype this summer, and I overheard him say "It's like having two rods in one." That's because it's got good feel in close, and yet lots of supple power for longer work.) They tend to cast in a very straight line, which helps a fisherman put his fly down in that little dinner-plate-sized eddy where the trout has been rising, rather than into the bank-side grass next to it. For example.
You can see the different-sized strips in this close-up:
Here's a nice Gunnison River rainbow caught on the original Tri-Hex 8013 this year. the rod has enough "punch" to put a fly out at the edge of the moss beds, even in Colorado wind, but it still has great "give" when casting in close, or playing a strong fish.
Here's another tri-hex, again an 8013. I'm very happy with the spalted ash reelseat, and the hardware that I blued to just-a-dark bronze.
The next taper to be converted to Tri-hex will be the Dickerson 8615 - I have a nice regular hex 8615, so it'll make a good comparison.
Here's the Tri-hex 8615. Replica Dickerson uplocking reelseat , cork from The Picky Bastard, flamed cane, bright yellow wraps tipped chinese red. The regular hex 8615 casts a tight loop with a WF6, whereas this rod seems to load just a little better with a DT6. I think it has a bit more power than the regular hex. Smooth casting rod, and it weighs 4.3 oz, which is a very good weight for a 6wt 8ft6 rod.
Here's a recent 8013 Tri-Hex. To me, it is one of the prettiest rods I've made, with a great piece of spalted ash with black veins running through it.
The latest Tri-Hex I made is unusual for me: a strong rod for the salt. 8ft6 3-piece 8-weight. I made it Tri-Hex in order to minimize weight, as that geometry seems more efficient. Based on a Gillum salmon taper, you know it will be a strong rod (every Gillum seems to be so). Single-foot guides aid in shooting, and the hand-made uplocking aluminum reelseat moves the reel weight up towards the hand a bit.
I haven't fished this rod in the salt yet (a bit of a jaunt from Nebraska) but I did test it on the North Platte in WYO - nice rod, good with weight and wind.
This is the last in a series of tri-hex rods I've been working on - another 8013 Tri-hex, wrapped olive tipped royal blue. Very nice rod that is reported to be good casting tiny flies 55-60 ft to trout sipping midges on the Ausable.
The Tri-Hex still uses 6 strips, but 3 are twice as large as the small strips, The apexes of the 3 large triangles get shaved off, making them into trapezoids. The final cross-sectional shape of a Tri-Hex looks like a triangle with the corners cut off. Here's a diagram:
This geometry was invented by a Swiss rod-maker. Its initial configuration used 13 strips to make up the modified triangle. I saw a drawing of his 13-strip rod, and thought there should be a simpler way. That led to the idea of using only 6 strips, some large and some small. I wasn't in contact with the Swiss, but as it turns out (no surprise!) they had come to the same conclusion and were also making these 6-strips triangle rods. They call them EVO 1 and EVO 2. I had already started calling mine Tri-Hex rods, so that's the name for my page.
it's more trouble to make a Tri-Hex rod than a regular hex. First, the math has to be worked out, in order to convert a regular taper into the small-and-large triangles needed for a Tri-Hex. Different-size triangles mean setting planing forms twice instead of once, and then the inner apexes must be shaved off with some precision for the rod to fit together correctly. Tip strips for the small triangles get VERY small. In addition, ferrule fitting is more complicated, with the cylindrical ferrule needing to fit onto the asymmetrical bamboo blank. So why go to all the trouble?
Because so far, the Tri-hex geometry appears to make into rods that are lighter, smoother, more supple, and more powerful than their regular hex brethren. (At a bamboo get-together, a pretty famous Colorado fly-tyer and writer cast the prototype this summer, and I overheard him say "It's like having two rods in one." That's because it's got good feel in close, and yet lots of supple power for longer work.) They tend to cast in a very straight line, which helps a fisherman put his fly down in that little dinner-plate-sized eddy where the trout has been rising, rather than into the bank-side grass next to it. For example.
You can see the different-sized strips in this close-up:
Here's a nice Gunnison River rainbow caught on the original Tri-Hex 8013 this year. the rod has enough "punch" to put a fly out at the edge of the moss beds, even in Colorado wind, but it still has great "give" when casting in close, or playing a strong fish.
Here's another tri-hex, again an 8013. I'm very happy with the spalted ash reelseat, and the hardware that I blued to just-a-dark bronze.
The next taper to be converted to Tri-hex will be the Dickerson 8615 - I have a nice regular hex 8615, so it'll make a good comparison.
Here's the Tri-hex 8615. Replica Dickerson uplocking reelseat , cork from The Picky Bastard, flamed cane, bright yellow wraps tipped chinese red. The regular hex 8615 casts a tight loop with a WF6, whereas this rod seems to load just a little better with a DT6. I think it has a bit more power than the regular hex. Smooth casting rod, and it weighs 4.3 oz, which is a very good weight for a 6wt 8ft6 rod.
Here's a recent 8013 Tri-Hex. To me, it is one of the prettiest rods I've made, with a great piece of spalted ash with black veins running through it.
The latest Tri-Hex I made is unusual for me: a strong rod for the salt. 8ft6 3-piece 8-weight. I made it Tri-Hex in order to minimize weight, as that geometry seems more efficient. Based on a Gillum salmon taper, you know it will be a strong rod (every Gillum seems to be so). Single-foot guides aid in shooting, and the hand-made uplocking aluminum reelseat moves the reel weight up towards the hand a bit.
I haven't fished this rod in the salt yet (a bit of a jaunt from Nebraska) but I did test it on the North Platte in WYO - nice rod, good with weight and wind.
