A fly to introduce myself

[flyangler 0]

 

 

Do you think I should thin the hairs on the legs? Seriously. I only ask because I think you understand obsessive/compulsive behavior

[Graham 0]

What a beautiful fly. I would possibly consider trimming the leg fibers, but the nice tapered ends would be squared off, so, the more I look at your fly, the more I think I'd leave just as it is. It really does look great.

 

I'm curious to know exactly what type of feather you used on the legs? I've been struggling trying to find a feather for damsel and dragon legs, that have short fibers, and most important, spacing between the fibers, like the ones you used.

 

Cheers,

Graham

[flyangler 0]

Thanks Graham. Your help and good review mean a lot. I posted these photos on a local web site and one of the other tyers sent me a link to your site as further inspiration. Small world.

 

I'm thinking of cutting off every other one or two fibers from the leg feathers, so that won't affect the taper of the individual fibers that remain, just make the leg more sparsely feathered. The taper that remains results from the difference in diameter between the webby portion of the feather and the hard, shiny portion.

 

The feathers I used came from a hat band! So I have no idea what bird they came from. I did have to pick and choose among them for the less webby ones. Then I pulled the fibers off one side of the feather and trimmed the fibers at an angle on the other side before gluing the stem onto the maxima "femur". I re-used a pair of the pulled-off fibers for each "foot" utilizing the curl for those hooked "toes" this damselfly has.

 

The head looked funny with the peacock herl, so I razored that all off and replaced it with razor foam trimmed to shape. A couple of eyelashes make up the stubby little antennae. Due to my pitiful photograpy skills, you can't see what an adorable face this little guy has.

 

I feel that the body, originally a porcupine quill, is done. I just added another coat of metallic blue nail polish over the olive and green coats.

[flyangler 0]

I'm starting a female. Here is her skeleton:

 

[flyangler 0]

Here is how the porcupine quill looks mounted on the needle in my vise. It has a layer of thread with extra at the segment points. Each segment line is painted with black nail polish. The whole thing gets a clear coat. Then it's painted with green metallic polish, more thickly at the ends of the segments and none at the beginning of the segment. Later, the quill will fit right over the piece of maxima that extends from the back of the hook. It was a pleasant surprise to me that I had maxima that fit like a key into the lock of the quill!

 

[Hammer Jammer 0]

Hello flyangler,

Your work is striking and very inspirational

[Hammer Jammer 0]

They make a fastet, med & slowset ,also some thicker gels and the instaset spray Iget it at the hobbie shop as well...for building airplains..

Looking forward to seeing more of your work..

[flyangler 0]

Thanks HJ. PM the names of your favorite steelhead flies. The Lake Superior tribs open soon.

[flyangler 0]

:bugeyes: my cat chewed the wings of that second damsel!!!!!! She also bit the head and the thorax, but I was able to patch the puncture wounds with polish. The wings, however, remain ruffled like potato chips!!!!

 

Cursed feline!

 

Today I happened to find a product called Scat Mat that gives satan's spawn a small zap if she sets paw onto a covered surface. I plan to put it on my tying area when I'm out of the room.

[Graham 0]

Oh no! Thats too bad! I was looking at buying a rolltop desk to keep my cat out of my stuff, but the coyotes got her first. It was sad.

[Green Acres 0]

Just a thought, but if CA is moisture activated

 

could not one just put some distilled water in a spritzer bottle and give it a bit of a spray

 

I am not claiming to know anything about chemistry, just what occured to me

 

oh and that is one lovely damsel fly

 

Pauly

[flyangler 0]

The evil beast showed up on our doorstep the last day of the trout season last fall. Caught us when we were all mournful and empty and weaseled her way into our hearts and home. She'd better do something awwwwww inspiring very soon or she's out on the stoop by the opener!

 

Seriously, though, I may just trim the edge of the wings she chewed and finish the legs today. I'll post when it's done and you can tell me if it's a complete loss or not. She's got some kitten mischief left in her, that's for sure!

[flyangler 0]

I still haven't fixed the one she mangled, but here's the demon and the first jewelwing in a display box.

 

 

Here is a top view:

 

[Vickie Eagle Elk 0]

Hey flyangler

Very nice ! I'm starting to tie Atlantic Salmon flies so

my time for realixtics is limited..But I wanted to tell you

how awsome this one is! To bad the cat got a hold of one...

I also have to cover up my area because of our cat

VEE

[Ronn Lucas 0]

Very nice so far. Welcome to the forum too!!!