Fly Tying Tips

[SilverDoctor]

Thought I would post some tips occasionally about fly tying, This is one that is really handy. If you have access to pill containers, they make really great dubbing holders. they come in a variety of sizes. Just drill a hole in the bottom with an electric drill and you have a great storage unit. Fills easily through the cap. This one holds 3 packages of dubbing and I just peeled the label off the package and put it on the tube.

 

 

[jaymack]

How do these work once there is not enough dubbing left to reach the top?

[Flytyer]

How do these work once there is not enough dubbing left to reach the top?

 

You can stuff the cap end with cotton balls or add more dubbing to the container.

[Roast]

Thanks for the great tip, I like it:)

[jaymack]

 

You can stuff the cap end with cotton balls or add more dubbing to the container.

Well I feel silly now, I really like the idea of just putting the sticker on the container too. I've actually been looking for a way to organize all my dubbing

[SilverDoctor]

How do these work once there is not enough dubbing left to reach the top?

Actually never really had a problem with that. As long as there is some dubbing hanging out the front the rest of the stuff follows. Started using this many years ago when I wanted a way to store dubbing that I make, and hated the clutter those dubbing bag make.

[Darwin]

.... and hated the clutter those dubbing bag make.

I use shower curtain rings to hold dubbing bags together by type/brand. Keeps them together in one place to hopefully stop me from buying more of what I already have and losing them in plain site.

[DonAndersen]

Doc,

 

Would you mind if the tips section was expanded to a tips section that others may add to?

 

Don

[Flytyer]

Doc, Would you mind if the tips section was expanded to a tips section that others may add to? Don

 

 

Good idea Don add if you want to.

[murray]

There is no getting around it, fly tieing can create a lot of mess. To make cleanup easier, I take a strip of 2" wide masking tape, invert it so that the sticky side is face up. Bend the ends over and stick it to your desk. As you trim various bits of feather, thread etc. just stick it to the tape. At the end of your tieing session, just discard the tape.

 

Murray

[SilverDoctor]

Here's one I use quite a bit, especially on those material you lay down and can't find again. Use post it notes to hold Hackle tinsel and other materials. Low tack won't damage fine materials, and you don't have to scan you desk for it. I often use it in production tying to hold a dozen tails wings etc. You can also write info about the materials on the note.

[muha]

Great tip with post it notes. Always having issues with fine materials on laminate desktop.

[murray]

Great tip Lornce.

 

Murray

[BigFoamy]

Here's one I use quite a bit, especially on those material you lay down and can't find again. Use post it notes to hold Hackle tinsel and other materials. Low tack won't damage fine materials, and you don't have to scan you desk for it. I often use it in production tying to hold a dozen tails wings etc. You can also write info about the materials on the note.

So its not just me lol. That drives me nuts, I cant find anything i just put down thanks man, will have to try that one!!!

[SilverDoctor]

I actually have 4 or so post it's going at a time. I label them tinsel, tailing, wings etc. Nice for holding beads and eyes temperately too.

[SilverDoctor]

Keep a magnet around your tying area (I have one with a handle for picking up shop screws etc). I once spilled a box of over 200 #20 on the floor. It was a simple matter to find them and pick them up. run the magnet over the rug around my tying area and find hooks that I didn't know I dropped. A magnet has saved me form the grief of having the wife or Grand Rugrats from stepping on them.

[jreed2614]

Great tips! Thanks for sharing

[BigFoamy]

Keep a magnet around your tying area (I have one with a handle for picking up shop screws etc). I once spilled a box of over 200 #20 on the floor. It was a simple matter to find them and pick them up. run the magnet over the rug around my tying area and find hooks that I didn't know I dropped. A magnet has saved me form the grief of having the wife or Grand Rugrats from stepping on them.

lol, everyone in my family has had at least one hook in the foot my mom was telling me she went home from my place last week and couldnt figure out what was wrong with her toe, under further examination she found it was a fish hook lol!!!!

[SilverDoctor]

lol, everyone in my family has had at least one hook in the foot my mom was telling me she went home from my place last week and couldnt figure out what was wrong with her toe, under further examination she found it was a fish hook lol!!!!

I've got to teh point of counting my hooks as I tie, helps a lot.

[SilverDoctor]

Well sitting here with a broken toe and feeling sorry for myself so thought I would post some more tips. Trout, trees and bushes are safe from my flies.

 

A small container with a thin edge is great for holding flies as you tie.

[SilverDoctor]

More tips

 

Bronze Peacock herl is hard to find, an easy way to get bronze herl is just to spread it out in a window that has a lot of sunlight. Flip it to the opposite side each day and weeks later you will have a bunch of bronze herl, easy and a killer on most patterns straight up or mixed with the natural herl.

 

Properly fix you hook in the vice. Wrongly fixed hooks may damage the vise jaws (break off or deform their tip under pressure). I've also seen a hook pop out of a vice and fly across the room. Be sure a good portion of the curve of the hook is in the vice.

 

Keep all your under wraps perfectly uniform, any bumps or ridges will translate to the final body material. making it lumpy.

 

If you forget you tackle pliers home when you tie flies you can use split shot to hold hackle tips out of the way as you tie.

 

Bucktail and synthetic materials dull your scissors blades quickly making for a frustrating tying session. Ceramic sharpening sticks works great for honing your scissors. Years ago at a gardening centre,quickly I found a small set of sharpeners in different shapes. Diamon hones also work great but you must keep the angle the same when sharpening.

 

I am sometimes a fumble bunny, keep a magnet by your tying area, I spilled a box of 1,000 #18 hooks on the rug once. Got them all back with a magnet. I use a magnet on my tying area about once a month around the bench and floor. I find hooks I wasn't aware I dropped. Keeps the wife and dog happy too.

 

 

[professori]

A variation on SilverDoctor's pill bottle. These single bead boxes are found at Michael's for about $4 if I remember. Drill a hole and you're set. I have 15 of these sitting on my shelf sorted by colour and material.

 

 

I use a double-sided set to keep my beads all sorted.

 

[Conor]

I use the same double sided bead boxes for my hooks and beads. Unless you use hanging storage, I don't think these can be beat. If you are fussed about hook models or bead and hook sizes, the labeling would be a hassle.

[professori]

If you are fussed about hook models or bead and hook sizes, the labeling would be a hassle.

For my dubbing, I just peel the labels from the original packaging and apply it to the lid of the container (I trim it with a razor blade). Beads, I get labels from staples, print the bead size and type (tungsten, brass, glass, etc) either by hand or in the printer and apply. Trim if necessary.

[professori]

When trimming and shaping deer hair, nothing does the job like a razor blade. Best deal I have come across is:https://www.amazon.ca/Derby-Professional-Single-Razor-Blades/dp/B00DIW3VHG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1471902564&sr=8-2&keywords=derby+razor+blades 100 half blades (no need to cut yours in half) for only $8.00