Homemade Hardware?

[Mr. Steelhead 0]

I know it may not sound like a big deal but it sure is a time saver. I modified my whip finisher with a thread cutter so that after I finish the whip finish it is just a matter of trimming the thread with the tool in my hand. I have never gotten used to holding my Scissors all the time like some do so this was a faster way for me to finish a fly easily and cleanly.

 

[mwtroubum 0]

My first vise was a deer antler with a slot sawed into the tip and a small bolt and wing nut....yes the one in the Curtis Creek Manifesto. It worked ok, nothing compared to the Dyna King I have now...lol.

 

I also remember tying my first Purple Prince in that vise and catching a steelhead on it... :yahoo:

 

As a history buff I am constantly trying things different ways, especially tying in hand occasionally, etc.

 

That vise now sits in a buddies tying room, now you guys are making me want to make another one...lol

[fxp 0]

 

\"music wire" is available at hobby stores. also online at Tower Hobbies. same sources for the tubing. details and pictures available on request. didn't want to burden the board with too many uninvited details.

[fxp 0]

detailed instructions and pictures on request but i can't seem to attach the pictures to this post. i'll email them to anyone interested, just let me know the address

[tyrite 0]

Hi to all! I have a few thing From when I started to Ty that I made because I didn't want to spend to much money an then. They are a large whip finisher I us for tying jigs and big flies that a normal one won't work,

Then to Ty Muskie lures and some trouble hooks I made a 15" whip finisher, I also made three sizes of dubbing twist tools, For my vice I made a thread rest, dubbing rake I made out of a 22 brush, and one out of velcro And lately a gentlemen that I know gave me a hand made vice that I customized to work for me that is the vice I us to Ty Muskie lures.

 

tyrite

[fxp 0]

I make my own bobbin holders. Partly because I'm cheap but mostly because I like to have all my threads, flosses, wire, mono,etc threaded and lined up and ready to use on a whim. Changing spools and rethreading would be a pain and the cost of 20-30 bobbin holders would add up. After much experimentation I devised a fairly simple means of fabrication using "music wire" and small diameter brass tubing from the hobby store with small diameter wood balls from the craft store. I came up with what I call a ceramic equivalent by superglueing glass beads (also craft store) to the ends of the tubing. A little solder and shrink wrap to finish off and the total cost per unit is about $1.80. Attached is an example. They work every bit as well as a good quality ceramic bobbin holder. They simply don't cut thread and the tension is easily adjusted. They can also be made to suit your hand size. I can provide details of the process if anyone is interested -- i have placed, below, a link to the full instructions with sample pictures -- If anyone else has done this I would greatly appreciate knowing your method. Thanks.

 

HERE IS THE LINK

 

http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/board/...mp;postcount=36

[Dzura 0]

I make my own bobbin holders. Partly because I'm cheap but mostly because I like to have all my threads, flosses, wire, mono,etc threaded and lined up and ready to use on a whim. Changing spools and rethreading would be a pain and the cost of 20-30 bobbin holders would add up. After much experimentation I devised a fairly simple means of fabrication using "music wire" and small diameter brass tubing from the hobby store with small diameter wood balls from the craft store. I came up with what I call a ceramic equivalent by superglueing glass beads (also craft store) to the ends of the tubing. A little solder and shrink wrap to finish off and the total cost per unit is about $1.80. Attached is an example. They work every bit as well as a good quality ceramic bobbin holder. They simply don't cut thread and the tension is easily adjusted. They can also be made to suit your hand size. I can provide details of the process if anyone is interested. If anyone else has done this I would greatly appreciate knowing your method. Thanks.

What gauge wire was it that you used for the bobbin arms?

[FlaFly 0]

I made my own bobbin cradle out of the bottom half of a CD container, a dowel, and some stiff wire. Works great, and the case bottom is a good place to catch clippings, scraps, etc.

[FlaFly 0]

I also use a frog (thing that flower arrangers use) to store all my tools.

[tidewaterfly 0]

Hey Dzura, that member has not been on here since 2008 when he made that post. I doubt you'll get a reply to your question.

[FlaFly 0]

Dzura

 

...unless you try to PM them. Maybe they'll still get an email from the FTF.

[Crackaig 0]

Does someone else's garden shed count?

 

I've made the usual selection of tools in my time. If anyone has access to a large bullet cartridge, you can cut it in half lengthways and round the end to make a hair stacker.

 

Here is a photo sequence of making hackle pliers from coat hanger wire. The same wire is also useful for making a parachute (gallows) tool. Wrap it around your vice stem 3 times in a coil then curve it over the top of your vice. Bend an open U in the end and all you need do is position it and hook your hackle pliers onto it. The wire form a spring so there is no need to add one.

 

When tying a lot of flies from one saddle hackle do you ever loose the hackle part way through? How about a long tightly coiled spring with both ends set in a wooden base? Just put your spare hackle in between the coils of the spring like you would the material spring on your vice.

 

Recently I made a tool to make the fold in a duck feather for Wally Wings.

 

Most waste containers are cloth, which can be a pain to clean out. The top that comes with a spindle of blank Cds or DVDs makes a great waste container if you can rig an attachment for your vice stem. Or of you have a dedicated tying desk drill a large hole in it and place a couple of runners underneath to take the lid. Then you can sweep the bits from your desk into it.

 

And if the garden shed does count, I tie on a home made vice

 

Cheers,

C.

[Stevester 0]

I have done a bodkin and dubbing twister but my best was an adjustable clamp to hold my vise on various thickness table tops. Of course that was a number of years ago when the department I was working in needed to rebuild and modify stuff for the experiments we were running. It was the only time I had unlimited access to a machine shop with a lathe and milling machine. Not that I had any training in how to use the stuff but I had lot fun making piles of brass shavings.

 

Steve

[Al Beatty 0]

We use two dubbing pickers, 1) a 9mm gun cleaning wire brush and 2) two short sections of 14 gage multi-stranded wire (like for lamp cords) with about a half-inch of the strands exposed. Then we tape the two sections together (to form the handle) to make a larger wire picking brush (our favorite dubbing picker). Take care & ...