petelangevin

I just joined google+ could not find your group. But i am up for anything fly tying related

Lots of storage, and the fact that you can actually see inside is a bonus! Looks like a well laid out setup.

I bought a renzetti applicator when i was single and had money. It sits on my desk unused 15 years later. Today i thought of filling it with laquer or shellac. After all these years it was a waste of money. Considering i have never spilled a bottle of sally hansens or softex.

Now i know it was user error, after years of tying large sw flies my hand has been too heavy. Now i have had glass beads splitting after the flies have sat for a while. I guess i could go a little lighter on the thread wrap pressure.

Pete i didnt see a price on jays website for the tilt head pivot modification. How much more was that ? Makes that vise even more appealing. May have to start saving !!

I may have had it a bit tight. I had a few hooks slip out earlier combined with being tired. Most likely user error. If i could post pics from my iphone you could see the two that came out well.

Was tying zebra midges in black and red. Sz 18 mustad 9671 nymph hooks and managed to snap off points back past the barb on 3 straight flies. All in my norvise fine point jaws. Am i using wrong hooks or just too much torque while wrapping thread bodies.

Perplexed.

Is there a single go to type feather for soft hackle flies? I see partridge and pheasant rump and other varities called for but if you only tied them occasionally what would you get as a generic all around feather for soft hackle tying.

I have not had the chance to use any. But you should be able to find the same foam for a fair amount cheaper. That seems pretty cheap. Dense eva foam should be fairly easy to come by.

Thank you, I am learning more coming back into fw tying. I have focused on salt for the last 10-12 years. I appreciate all the great advice here.

I wanted to pick up some grizzly saddle feathers for buggers and other patterns , but is it worth it now or should i look for a half saddle. I looked at the 100 packs but they only focus on a few sizes. I tie all over the range but i am not sure what to buy. I have a full olive grizzly patch but i can only tie so many Olive flies. I had looked on ebay but its tough to tell from the pics if they are good or not.

Governor winthrop desks make great tying stations. Very nice. Enjoy.

Adirondak sport shop has it on their site now for 24.95.

I made a fly dryer out of an old paint tint mix motor. Probably cost me more than some of the cheap ones out today but i can adjust it from 3 rpm to about 12. Solid state sealed motor that will run forever. I also made a hook bender out of plate aluminum with a steel pin set in the middle. Various other things used for bodkins. Plan on building a dubbing brush machine eventually. I have a sewing machine motor that i salvaged for that project.

Another shop carries gordon griffiths in 14/0 they said its all they use for their midge patterns.

I know that i can get the tiemco thread at bearsden here in mass. I will have to take a ride and get some. The orvis here in boston carries very little in real fly tying stuff.

Especially as of late with glass bead headed flies. My question , what size thread should i be using as i move further down in size. I have primarily been using danvilles 6/0 ( not the flat waxed.). I think its fine for most as i have been tying 10-18, but i think i may go smaller. You have to forgive my lack of knowledge when it comes to trout flies as i have primarily been tying for salt and larger fw species.

Also i found some really cool glass beads made in japan, made by miyuki bead company. Some really cool colors and they really look great. Just wondering if anyone else was using these. They had similar colors to the killer caddis beads that wapsi sells. Only not as expensive.

Take a look at great lakes spey shop. They carry the off the hook tube vise. Its 140 and is more versatile than either of the other two . It not only rotates. But the head can also be rotated to a verticle position if you want to make woven body tubes. Etc.

I have ez mini clips, similar to the test clips but grip differently. I would love a set of petitjean hackle pliers

Look up a material called Stretch magic. That may be what you are looking for.

What about trying koolaid, i know it has been used to dye other natural fibers.

My mistake. I have never run in to their product. Thanks.

I was reading their web page, and they sell something called a compleat saddle which has a wider cut down to the legs, said to include soft webby feathers good for soft hackle flies. My Question is why dont domestic feather dealers offer a similar cut? Seems like you get more for your $$ across the pond. Are domestic producers just throwing the extras away or are they selling them as another product?

1/4 x 20. Not sure on screw head height.

I have not done any modificatiins to mine. I did buy the fine point jaws and use them primarily now as they give me more room to work behind the hook. His bobbin makes using the vise a lot easier. Loading the spools only takes a second or two , dont let that deter you. You can get two of norms bobbins for the price of one ekich. The only thing i did was mount mine to a scrap piece of granite countertop to make it even more solid. I have never thought of changing out the bearings as mine spins fast enough as it is. Only maintence is an occasional oil to keep them spinning smoothly. Get norms video or watch them on youtube, that will help you get past the learning curve more quickly. There are a lot of happy users on here and feel free to ask questions. Plus norm is always an email away as well,