Tying Tool Modifications And Inventions

[DonAndersen]

Guys/Gals,

 

After the post by Flytyer, it got me to thinking that there might be lot of tools and inventions that tiers have made, modified or invented to do some technique or another.

So, what are yours?

Here are some of the things that I've made over the past while.

 

I own a Dyna King Barracuda and really didn't like the balance of the head so I made up a counter-balance of 7/8" ni-silver, that I bored to 1/4 and hot glued onto the handle. The handle set screw was loosened and rotated 180 degrees. Now with very light pressure on the rotating brake screw, the head stays anywhere in a 360 circle. The bobbin holder that came with the vise was a pain as it took effort to hit the little groove every time so I built another out of a slice of UMHW that I carved to the shape I wanted. The rod is a stainless steel 1/8" welding rod with the flux removed. No more looking for the little groove in the bobbin holder.

 

 

 

More later after I get the pictures resized.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

[DonAndersen]

And another for turning epoxy flies. The base and ends are 6" wide oak, the shafting is 1/2" rod, the white foam material is where the flies are stuck into. It was salvaged from a motor shipment packing. The motor is from a barbeque rotisserie. The bearings in the left side is a piece of UMHW bored to 1/2" and screwed to the side plate. The shaft into the rotisserie motor was milled to 3/8" square and slack fit. It runs quiet. Cost was about $30.00.

 

catch ya'

 

Don

 

[DonAndersen]

And a third

 

This tool is used to twist dubbing or herl. I always use a thread loop to reinforce herl ropes. This twister makes the job quite easy. Further, I've used it for twisting various combinations like:

* golden pheasant tail fibers + gold wire

* ringneck pheasant and red wire

* various types of dubbing + flashabou

* dubbing + flashabou + wire of various colors

* antron carpet yarns + wire

 

The handle is the remains of a Matarelli Rotating Hackle Plier that the jaw broke off. Spread the handle loop enough to get broken part off and reinstall the Sunrise Hackle Plier.

 

This twister + a rotary vise gets lots of interesting effects. Some that occasionally catch fish.

 

 

The heat shrink tubing I got somewhere. Needs replacement every now and then. For those w/o a heat gun to shrink the tubing- your wife/girl friend/boy friend generally has a hair blower that works just fine to shrink the tubing.

 

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

 

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

when i got my set up i got a funny toll. I dont know what it is or what its for but it is a "M" shaped bent rod on a handle.

 

if i know what the heck it was i might be able to mod it lol

 

i have seen a few older guys who put a blade on their whip finisher for cutting the final thread.

[Tungsten]

Thanks Don i've got those same s#tty hackle plyers ,will give your idear a try.

[Flytyer]

when i got my set up i got a funny toll. I dont know what it is or what its for but it is a "M" shaped bent rod on a handle.

 

if i know what the heck it was i might be able to mod it lol

 

i have seen a few older guys who put a blade on their whip finisher for cutting the final thread.

 

 

Your M shaped tool is a type of dubbing loop twister, not the best design for one of these in my opinion.

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

i was reverting to every beginner fly fishing book i could find with no avail.

 

thanks

[bulltrout]

when i got my set up i got a funny toll. I dont know what it is or what its for but it is a "M" shaped bent rod on a handle.

 

if i know what the heck it was i might be able to mod it lol

 

i have seen a few older guys who put a blade on their whip finisher for cutting the final thread.

 

 

[Flytyer]

I made this a long time ago after seeing one being used by an Aussie I fished with when I was stationed down under. It's for folding hackle; find I'm using it more and more these days.

 

[Flytyer]

Here's a bobbin cradle I find very useful and faster to set than the commercial types.

 

[Flytyer]

Here's a gallows tool made a long time ago as well, my brother chromed it last year.

 

[SanJuanWorm]

This is all I need when im tying.

 

[DonAndersen]

Some more,

 

Something we all share is scissors. I started with embroidery scissors [#1] some 50 years ago. They were cheap and readily available. About 20 years later when I was tying commercially, I found that picking up and laying down of scissors was a real pain/time waster and modified the thumb hole of the scissor by cutting off the thumb section and brazing it higher on the scissor shaft. [#2] Worked like a hot damn. When they needed replacement, I went to silver soldering for a "cleaner" finish. [#3]. Then I tried curved blade scissor and epoxied the thumb section on. [#4]. They worked OK but I really didn't like the curved blade so I bought a set of Iris Scissors from a Medical supply store. Costly - about $40 or so 20 years ago. The thumb was again silver soldered on [ #5]. Somebody was looking over my shoulder and decided to produce just the scissors I needed. [#6]This were sold by Griffin Tying Tool Company but a brief look at their web site doesn't show them. [ I'm not sure that they were Griffin tools but may have been Anvil Scissors]. Finally I found a supplier of scissors that really does the job.[#7] Anvil Products sells a great line of scissors. See http://anvilusa.com/fly.htm. I use the Bio-tech long reach type and the best part is that Anvil sell scissors for us left handed types.

So there ya' go - a 50 year evolution of scissors.

 

catch ya'

 

Don

 

[cheeler]

http://flyfishcalgary.com/board/index.php?...ic=3586&hl=

 

Powered dubbing block I made, very useful for quick leeches/buggers, etc, especially when using a coffee grinder to mix dubbing.

[DonAndersen]

Guys/Gals,

 

Well I like to experiment. One thing I like to do is vary the colours of Scud Back by dying. Scud back is really bra elastic that is available in larger sewing shops. It comes in 1/4 & 3/8" widths. Well I needed to cut it to smaller widths. The tool below does just that. Cut about 1 1/2" into the end of the elastic and slip over the razor blade. Hold both ends with equal pressure and pull them past the blade controlling the width of cut with your other hand. I cut about 10 yards in 5 minutes. The angle material is aluminum c/w with light bolts to hold razor blade @ the right angle.

NOTE: BUY GOOD RAZOR BLADES. THE CHINESE STUFF WON'T CUT IT!!!

 

catch ya'

 

Don

 

[DonAndersen]

Needed a finished fly and hook holder. made this up of 3/4" plywood, a couple of 3/4" wood dowels cemented into place. The grey stuff is water pipe insulation available from most decent hardware stores @ a couple of bucks for 3' lengths. The insulation is foam and wears out so I hold it into place with elastic bands. Replace when needed.

 

Don

 

[DonAndersen]

Years ago in a section of Field and Stream magazine there was a column call Tapply's Tips. This bobbin holder was one of the "tips". Bobbins freely swinging were a pain. This bobbin holder resolved the irritation. The holder is made from a wire clothes hanger. Grab one end and roll around your 3/8" shaft vise. The turns have to be slack fit so that the bobbin holder will rotate when you have to get to the head of the fly. The other end was bent into a rough square with the open end lashed tight to the wire with string. A couple of coats of varnish on the lashings held the thing together for over 30 years. The top picture shows general layout, the bottom, the bobbin rest.

 

Don

 

 

[maxwell]

jeebus don those are some cool tools.. need too spend a little time and creat a few of these modifications! thanks for all the info!

 

cheeler that is a cool idea.. bin meaning too make something like that for a little while now.. my idea was a little more crude but that is sweeeeeet!

[HAMMERTIME]

You guys are giving me too many ideas, went through my wood scraps and made 3 of these in 20 minutes.

 

Cheeler, bring your dubbing block to the next meeting, I have to see it in action.