Easy Dubbing

[conehead 0]

 

I have been talking about getting a coffee bean grinder for mixing my own dubbing. I have heard several guys talk about using one. Well my wife listens better than me and picked one up at wally world ($15 for Mr. Coffee) for me for Christmas. Truth be told, I think she was afraid I was going to use her bean grinder for my animal parts.

 

I am going crazy. I had a grab bag of rabbit fur scraps (all colors) that I purchased from my local fly shop2 years ago. I must have made 20 different shades of the best dubbing I have ever seen. I bought a mixed bag of fur parts from Carlin (the Alaskan rod maker) last year, and turned some of that into some great exotic dubbing.

 

1 sq. inch and you have a 35mm film canister full. Add just guard hairs and you get spikey dubbing, underfur gives you fine dubbing, and shear all the hair and you get a good mix. Add a little gray under fur and the whole batch lightens up. Only takes about 20 seconds a batch.

 

How many guys use a bean grinder?

 

Do you have any tips for dubbing makers?

 

Conehead

the Fuzz-Buster

 

[ashbourn 0]

I love me coffee grinder, just have to watch out for ones that have places that the dubbing can get caught on and make clumps.

 

Joe Fox

[wilcara 0]

Wouldn't be without mine. Little tip, if you are having trouble blending something put a little water in, blend, then dry it out.

 

Also it makes application of the dubbing about a million percent easier, just fluffier I guess.

[atroutbum2 0]

its great for making custom dubbing blends too. Beats the heck out of mixing it yourself.

 

 

[rscconrad 0]

Definatley a must have addition to your tying desk

 

Love Mine

 

Robert

[Guest]

The look on my wife's face that Thanksgiving morning when I absconded the bean grinder was priceless! Here was the recipe I cooked up (credit to Dave Whitlock!):

 

Absolute BEST Red Squirrel Nymph Dubbing:

ABDOMEN: 60:40 ratio (natural to synthetic) belly fur from fox squirrel skin blended with synthetic sparkle dubbing (I use orange antron). Abdomen should be 1/2 to 2/3 of the overall body length.

THORAX: 70:30 ratio (natural to synthetic) back fur from fox squirrel skin, may be blended with synthetic sparkle dubbing (I use gray antron). Thorax should be 1/2 to 1/3 of the overall body length.

 

Here's a quick link about dubbing:

 

http://globalflyfisher.com/tiebetter/dubbing/

 

 

John

 

 

 

[dontheo 0]

Love mine. The first batch I ever did (possum) I left in a little too long. It got a little dusty but you will figure this out. I had some sharp blades so I dulled them a bit. That seemed to help the end product.

 

Ted

[Lance Kekel 0]

I've got a Black and Decker grinder and love it! The only hitch I've run into so far is that on occasion when blending synthetic dubbing with natural, some of the synthetic will try to ball up a little or get krinkled a little like its getting stretched in the process or something.

 

:dunno:

[Crotalus 0]

I have been thinking of getting one for some experimenting too.

 

Dont forget to try adding antron, krystal flash and flashabou for some sparkly affects also

[conehead 0]

Thanks for the tips, ideas and recipes.

 

One thing I did notice: after an hour of blending dubbing, man it's all over the room. and I mean all over the room. This is a job for the patio on a no-wind day.

 

Joe, three of us hit the breeches on Christmas Eve; nice day, great temps, no fish, We still got to get together and wet a line.

 

Conehead

[Joe Hard 0]

Now you know what to do with all your scrap. Never mind the garbage grind it up for dubbing :yahoo:

[Guest]

I add my enthusiasm for the grinder and for adding some antron or other synthetic for sparkle. I find the trick to prevent it stringing into a rope is to snip the synthetic to the length I want with scissors before adding it to the grinder – the grinder doesn’t chop it just blends - and remember, a little goes a long way.

[Crotalus 0]

I have been thinking of heading down to Boiling Springs at least once before the end of the year and get one last use out of my 2005 license.

[Redfox 0]

Yeah it will be a great addition. I use lots of Rabbit strips and always have plently of material for dubbing. Comes in real handy. Just don't get to excited and put your fingers where they don't belong.

[flyfishtn 0]

It is a great way to get different blends and sparkle!