Chironomids Coatings

[DonAndersen]

Stillwater guys,

 

Here are some 6 shots of the same chironomid. Only the body color is varied. The covering in the first 3 shots is vinyl, the next 3 use cereal box liner. The body is each case was Danville's 6/0, the rib was Monocord 3/0, head is herl, gills are Arizona Diamond Braid Pearl Blue color. Hooks used for the first 3 pictures are cruddy Talon stuff size 12. The next 3 pictures use Mustad C49S size 10.

Vinyl Over-body

 

Cereal Box Liner

 

 

 

 

More to come!!!

 

 

Don

[DonAndersen]

Here is the last 3 pictures of today's experiment. The over-body in this case was anti-static bag material. Thread body was Danville's 6/0, rib was Monocord 3/0 in black, the head was herl, the gills Arizona Diamond Braid Pearl Blue color. Hooks are Mustad C 49S size 10.

 

Anti-Static Bag

 

gray body

yellow body

brown body

 

Depending on the look you want, each of the materials is very different. The vinyl shows the colors well, the cereal box liner which is opaque, mutes the colors somewhat where as the anti-static bag virtually buries the colors. Darker colors under the anti-static bag would be >black.

 

Now back to something useful - like building rods.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

[Golfman09]

Those look really good! I was really impressed with the look of the vinyl.....where did you get the material and did you cut it thin and wrap it just like the others? the picture is clear and its still hard to see any definition on how the material was applied. You fooled me.... definitely fool a fish.

 

I'm gearing up to tie a bunch of chronies in the next few weeks and those look like really great ones to replicate. Thanks for the ideas.

[DonAndersen]

Golfman09,

 

To get vinyl you have to be old enough to remember Grannie's Doilies and their vinyl coverings. This is the vinyl to use. Cut it into strips using a straight ruler, sheet of glass and sharp knife. I use a Olfa rolling blade knife.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

[Inconnu]

Don I think I remember the doilies. That should be a similar vinyl to the rolls of picnic table covering? Sort of opaque?

[Brunsie]

Don

I'm not nearly as old as you and I remeber the vinyl stuff.

Question is, where do we get it?

BK

[dryfly]

I don't mean to be a smart ass, but why bother when you can paint on a clear coat with Sally's hard as nails?

 

Maybe I am just lazy. True enough.

 

[monger]

It appears that the other materials give greater "depth" to the bug over Hard as Nails. Perhaps multiple coats would provide the "look" Don is looking for.

[DonAndersen]

Clive,

 

Hard as nails suffers the same fate as brushable Loctite super glue - takes many coats to get any depth. I generally use 3>5 coats of Sally's stuff to get the effect I'm looking for. 'course - your mileage may vary.

 

 

Brunsie,

 

1] beat up granny and steal her vinyl

2] got the last piece @ the Coop in Rocky - used for table cloth protector

 

 

Inconnu,

 

The opaque stuff is cereal box liners. Typically vinyl is clear.

 

catch ya'

 

Don

 

 

[DonAndersen]

And some more:

 

This one is a gray thread body c/w black thread rib + 1 coat of Loctite + 4 coats of Hard and Nails.

 

 

Both have a black thread body c/w red Flashabou Accent c/w 1 coat of Loctite + 5 coats of Hard as Nails. With and w/o bead.

 

 

 

The black thread body seems to have more depth. Camera really doesn't show it well.

 

catch ya'

 

Don

[DonAndersen]

And this is the last one for a while - gotta do some rod work.

 

This one's overbody is Stretch Magic 0.5mm Bead and Jewelry Cord in clear [ try your local Craft Shop for a supply - failing that, swallow your distaste and head to Michaels]. The underbody is 4 strands of Bronze colored Flashabou. Gills are Stillwaters Gill Yarn, head is herl. Hook is a Mustad C49S size 10.

 

 

 

 

Don

 

 

[monger]

Looking good Don. How does the grey bug work? It appears that a white bead is not your first choice for these little Dipterans. I've had not bad success with a clear bead on a black/red bug.

 

Rob

[DonAndersen]

Rob,

 

Haven't tried many clear beads. Usually use white - mostly plastic or glass. Metal beads fall too fast for the way I like to fish the fly. The gray body c/w black rib either with a vinyl or Hard as Nails over-coat seems to work best of the bunch although each of them shown have had their days.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

[lozzamozza]

I like to use stillwater solutions clear midge flex for the overbody and either the c49s or tmc2488.

 

[Tungsten]

Ya the clear midge flex and some sharpies makes for some funky colors