Jeremy Gubbins

Good Morning List,

I wasn't going to add my info because as yet I've not
sliced one single bit of cane. So, I'm so not worthy...

After reading some I thought I should do an intro. I
have just (JUST - a couple days ago!) left my job of 30
yrs. I'm 59 yrs. old, live just north of Mpls., MN. and
have been happily married for 30 yrs. We have two sons,
both presently in college and...running a constant drain
on my dwindling accounts. Wonderful kids, wonderful
wife. I'm very fortunate.

I have a couple of ther hobbies that have interferred
with the rodmaking start-up just yet. One being a
newfound acoustic blues guitar interest that's taking a
lot of my time and interests. I think it always will but
I'll try not to let it stifle the cane-cutting.

Another longtime hobby is furnituremaking and I've had
that craze since getting out of high school! That
branched out (no pun) to buying trees "on the stump",
walnuts, cherry, butternuts and cutting them down,
hauling them to a friend w/a bandsaw mill and subsequent
kiln and air drying interests. I have many,many board
feet of each at home and made all my household
furniture. Then this flyfishing thing took hold
and...you know the rest of the story!

I've read Clarks enough to garner myself a handful of
rods, enough to get sucked into the wonderful world of
bamboo via the pictures of the rods everyone sends in.
It's because of the furnituremaking thing that the
interest in canes began. Rodmaking is more "jewelry
making" than my furniture and it's those pictures that
just get to me! Many of you guys do some really
outstanding pieces of craftsmanship.

I've bought some culms, a used form, getting a binder
shipped which will arrive in a few days. While also
enjoying a woodworking hobby, I indulged a bit in
(cough, cough) some plane purchases. Got a few L/N
(grooved) and a few Stanley 9 1/2's from _bay back when
I had some ready cash. I'll see which I prefer in time.
I also found a huge HUGE (5/8" x 5 x 17") hard Arkansas
stone that I bought and sent to the folks who mine
Novaculite in Arkansas. They took the stone in and
lapped it flat on both sides for me for a minimal price.
I hope to use it to sharpen. It's an incredible rock!!!

Speaking of sharpening, I thought I knew how to sharpen
before I met you rodmakers. Another lesson in humility! I
have much to learn.

I hope to begin soon. I keep putting off. I think I'm a
bit afraid to start! Right now this guitar has me and I'm
trying to break away from that. I will, soon.

This list has been a fine, fine read and we have such a
varied bunch of readers from all over the world. I
consider myself lucky to be here. I also agree with
Stephen Dugmore from Africa, it doesn't hurt to enjoy
other topics of everyones interest as this is a sharing
community, as long as it's within reason. There's more to
life than my favorite 5 wt...

I'd love to shake some hands in the future.

Cheers,

--Jeremy......who loves fly fishing better'n a fat kid
likes cake!!