Dyna-King Professional

[steeladdict 0]

I was thinking of purchashing this vise. I would need the C-clamp model. Does anyone out there have any comments or suggestions. I currently have the Dyna-King Kingfisher and have a set a midge jaws with it. I wanted to upgrade (Fathers Day coming up).

 

Or if someone has another suggestion, please let me know. Thanks.

[Guest]

I also have the Kingfisher and I love it. I don't know if buying the professional is really an upgrade as they do pretty much the same thing. IF you do keep those midge jaws as they should fit.

 

Now if you're going to upgrade, the price on the professional is $299 list, you can get the Barracuda Jr. TREKKER for around $209 and it's full rotary and costs about $90 less.

 

No matter what you do keep the kingfisher it's a great vise. Just my 2 cents.

 

Good Luck,

Fatman

[Sticky 0]

I just bought a Barracuda Jr. Trekker for $188.10, and I know of sponsor of another site selling the Barracuda for $248.00, that vise typically retails for $329.00.

 

 

[Guest]

Regarding change to a different style tool: make sure you're changing for reasons beyond money burning a hole in your pocket or instant gratification.

 

I'm no disciple of A.K. Best; in his book "Production Fly Tying" and elsewhere in his writings, he makes a strong argument for 'testing' or making sure the functions someone visualizes in a rotational bent-arm vise fit their tying styles and habits, as opposed to something like the DynaKing you have now. Is there any real benefit to changing? Perhaps not.

 

I don't own a bent-arm 'rotary' vise, though my head thinks I'd like to; however, I can't come up with more reasons I should own one than I can discount every reason I come up with. I've tied on what (style) I have now for all my time; I can adjust the plane so as to access the hook with materials, I can rest my hand on the body while stuff gets tied on, I only rarely find myself spinning the head; I might lay a hook over side to side to inspect material positioning, but it's rare I fully spin a pattern in the jaws. Truth is I can't recall the last time I SAW someone who owns a bent arm actually use the rotary function in production.

 

In my own experiences, even having tied full dress or Atlantic or fine-ribbed teeny trout stuff, I've always built more with my hand action than the actions of the vise.

 

Sounds like I'm trying to be a wet blanket- no; just make sure you're buying better service for yourself down the road.

[dontheo 0]

Dfix:

 

I guess I better ask but have to admit it's embarrasing. When one speaks of a rotary vise, are they referring to the vise rotating 360 degrees for inspection, or are you talking about actually winding on to the fly with the head rotating. My vise rotates, but I use it to check out the opposite side and often for cleaning up a few loose hairs.

 

Thanks

 

Ted

[Guest]

Wow Dfix, like to know which tyers you know. They really aren't using their vise to full capacity. I first bought mine at the end of my "commercial tying". It greatly speeds things up. Still kept them when I went down to only tying for clients (which is what I do now). Even when I'm screwing around at the bench and tying for myself, I still utilize the full rotary. It's just too nice of an option not to use. In fact all the students I mentor (I mentor some local kids who don't have fishing parents and/or are low income how to tie flies) have been taught with rotaries and their tying has improved greatly over using the old thompson knockoffs. I know I fell in love with my old cheap griffin after tying on my thompson knockoffs. Then when I upgraded to my Cuda, it was night and day (especially hook holding power when spinning deer hair flies). But the rotary feature is for building the bodies evenly and quickly. Not for spinning deer hair. Still do that the old fashioned way. I lock my rotary down when I do that. But I can say the opposite, every tyer I know (and who I've sold rotaries too) all use the rotary feature. Mostly because I teach them how to tie with it. I know of the few fly tying clinics I've put on, all the tyers either 1. wanted a rotary or 2. started using their rotaries to it's full advantage. But, like I had said, they are all tying larger salmon/steelhead flies. Not trout flies. Will say that all the production tyers I know here use a full rotary, and use it often.

 

The big thing is WHAT are you tying. Small flies for trout, you're fine with what you have. But if you're tying bigger salmon/steelhead flies, you'll want the full rotary. A rotary is being able to spin 360 degrees with the fly hook sitting on a center axis. So as you spin, the hook appears to not move in the shank region. Makes the body (especially dubbed bodies) nice and even and also helps you lay your tinsel on nice and even. Can you do it on a standard vise? Of course. Just helps with your learning curve IMMENSELY! Had one older student whos tying jumped in leaps and bounds after switching out to a rotary. Actually shocked me. Mostly because he didn't have to stop and try looking at backside of fly, or unhook to look. You know it's perfect as you lay it on.

 

Case in point, look at my avatar. Using the rotary action of my Cuda.

[kschu 0]

I used a Thompson vise for my first tying class in Jan 2003. It was a one day thing taught by the ISA. I joined the club when I signed up for that class. For the first year, I tied mostly Woolly Buggers and a few Clousers.

 

This spring, I knew I was ready to get deeper into the tying. I signed up for a class through my local fly shop. It was Saturday mornings for four weeks. When I showed up the first week, I took out my Thompson. The store manager very politely suggested that I put it away and try my choice of several vises that they carry. I have to agree that there is a lot of value in trying a vise before you buy it. I tried two vises. I ended up buying the Renzetti Traveler. It is a full rotary vise on a pedistal mount. Three things made the difference for me. First I really like the way this vise holds the hook. It is easy to mount the hook and it just plain stays put. Second, I like the way the vise feels under my hands. I can rest my left hand on the vise while holding materials as I tie them in. It just felt so much better than the other vise I tried.

 

The third factor was that this vise is a full rotary. By the end of this beginner level 4 week class, I had already learned several situations where I used and really saw value in the rotary capability. I have since learned several other patterns. When I went into the fly shop to ask for advice on how to improve my Woolly Worm pattern, the store owner looked at me and said "Ken, it is a rotary vise, use it". He showed me how to use the rotary while wrapping the chennile around the leaded hook. I now do this fly much fast, with a much cleaner look to the wraps. I also find that using the rotary has helped me waste less lead while weighting hooks.

 

So there are two main points I'm trying to make. First, Try before you buy. It is very valuable time spent making an informed decision. Second is to try a full rotary, with someone who already uses a full rotary. That person will be able to really show you the value of this feature. Maybe the flies you tie would not benifit from a full rotary as much as what I tie, but you owe it to yourself to investigate this carefully before you make your decision.

 

This is of course one man's opinion. YMMV (Your Milage May Vary). Having this quality vise has greatly enhanced not only my ability to tie nice flies, but also my enjoyment of tying them.

 

More later,

Ken S.

 

[BusterWolfe 0]

I bought the Barracuda before there was a "Jr." and have never regretted it. There are very few vises that can hold a hook as well as it can.

 

I might have bought the Renzetti Traveler AFTER they went to the cam lock, but that was too late for my "itch." I bought a vise extension so I can use it as a C-clamp (with my old Regal clamp) or with a base.

[dontheo 0]

Ken:

 

Does the pedistal stand work well with the rotary? I would think it would move at times.

 

Ted

[kschu 0]

Ted,

 

I am very happy with the pedistal stand. My experiance with the Thompson was my only use of a C-clamp vise. I did not like the way the vise was right up at the edge of the table. I also felt somewhat restricted in that I had to work in an area where I could clamp to the table I was at. I am also a ham radio operator and I typically do my tying down in my ham shack. That space has the best lighting in the house. I built the bench/table before I had tried fly tying. There is no where on that bench to clamp a vise.

 

I have not had any problems with the pedistal being unstable. Well, I did learn that one does not want to put anything like a newspaper down to protect your work surface and then set the pedistal on that. The little rubber feet on the pedistal work best when they are directly on the table surface. I use the pedistal in the ham shack, at the kitchen table (nice light through the patio doors) and I've taken it in to my office and the fly shop. I know one other fly tyer at work and he and I have booked a conferance room over the lunch hour and tied flies together. It's fun and we have even had others stop by to watch what we are doing.

 

When I tie down at the local fly shop, I have seen other tiers use clamp and pedistal. I was talking with Eric (the new guy working at the shop) just yesterday. He prefers the clamp and said he likes that it puts the vise right up at the edge. Guess that must just be a matter of taste. Kyle ties lots of bass bugs and I can see the advantage of the clamp for him since he is often pulling hard on thread while spinning hair. I was taught how to spin hair on a muddler minnow. My pedistal mount worked fine for me and I was able to spin hair nicely. Well, as nicely as one can on your first spun hair fly.

 

More later,

Ken S.

 

P.S. The materials arrived fine and I am quite pleased with this, my first Ebay purchase. Thanks.

[kschu 0]

QUOTE (dontheo @ May 13 2004, 05:28 PM)

When one speaks of a rotary vise, are they referring to the vise rotating 360 degrees for inspection, or are you talking about actually winding on to the fly with the head rotating.  My vise rotates, but I use it to check out the opposite side and often for cleaning up a few loose hairs.

 

Ted,

 

For me, rotary means that one can rotate the fly around the axis of the hook. I use this to roll the hook over and over while applying the body, wether it is a dubbing loop or chennile. Once you have someone demonstrate this to you, it makes all good sense. It is not for everyone. I do not believe it makes a significant difference in how fast I can tye a fly. I do think that my flies come out with a better looking body when I use the rotary then if I wrap a length of chennile around and around a stationary hook.

 

There is a section on FlyAngler's Online called Tying Tips. There was one posted by Steven H. McGarthwaite called "What Does a Rotary Vise Really Do?". It is a short discussion well worth the read.

 

In the 2003 Buyers Guide issue from "Fly Fish America" offered an article called "Buyers Guide to Rotary Vises". This link is to a PDF file (you need Adobe to view it). Regretably, they got all their advertisements into the PDF along with the article. There is not a whole lot of meat to the article, but you may find it helpful.

 

I've seen some rotary vises that include a book or video specifically on how to use the rotary features. I have not reviewed any of those. Since all of the guys at my fly shop use a rotary vise, I would rather talk to them then watch a video or read a book.

 

Hope this helps.

 

More later,

Ken S.

 

[dontheo 0]

Ken:

 

That's great. I have an old desk that has a fold down leaf from the top. I think it's called a secretarial desk? I have to close it when I am done or leave the room to keep the dogs from getting into it. They usually lay by my feet when I tie acting like they are slleeping but ready to snatch a hackle or deer pelt in a heartbeat. The last time I did some dying I left it out on some newspaper to dyr and when I came back to check on it, it was gone. Now they have that memory in their samll minds.

 

The pedistal base makes it a lot easier to put everything up when I need to take a break.

 

Ted

[Odessa 0]

If I were you, I would also but the barracuda vise rather than the professional. If you are looking for an upgrade this would be the way to go. I recieved the same advice a few weeks ago, and it was good advise at that. I have not had any problems with the pedistal base, but I generally do not tye anything above a number 10. I would like to know where Sticky saw this vise for $248?

[Guest]

Yes, I'd like to know too. Only reason I ask. I buy wholesale from Dynaking. I have an account with them. Alot of my customers end up buying dynakings (eventhough I get griffins and the likes cheap too). They are making virtually NO money selling them at that cost. If they are selling like that, would explain the delay in getting vises in recently. Alot of the vises have been out two weeks or more. Wonder if Dynaking knows about it?

[Guest]

Getting back to this after a particularly lousy weekend- not sure if I have a permanently damaged left wing.

 

SH69- you've seen these words before, elsewhere, but for the sake of the subject, here they are again.

 

I actually started learning how to tie without the benefit of a vise- no kidding. Later on I got a Thompson 'A', then and 'Ultra', and tied on those exclusively, right up until about mid-Nineties or later, when a buddy gave me a Regal pedestal as a gift. I think it's great, I like it and all, but I rarely rotate the head. I also bought a couple Apex Anvil models; I don't even spin the heads of those! So, I'm not sure I would, based on habits and so forth, use a bent arm rotary to its fullest potential.

 

SH- That's the point I was making when I said I know other guys I know who own them don't "spin" or "rotate" them- kinda 'cuz they're ancient and set in their ways like ME!

 

However- when I talk myself into 'needing' one, it will be a DynaKing, and I'll expect to get it from you for the very best price in the world- RIGHT???

 

P.S.- Watching people who DO USE the rotational feature, like the Venerable Striblue, I appreciate all its' worth and admire their dexterity.