What type of varnish for the body of the fly?

[leifjohn 0]

I am looking for a good way to give a clear hard body finish like these pellet flies:

 

 

Which apparently use Cyanoacrylate or varnish finish. But what type of varnish and where do you get this? I have tried Hard As Nails and I do not like it because the smell never goes away. I am looking for some type of varnish, not epoxy, that does not smell once it dries. I have tied flies and coated them with Hard As Nails, letting them sit to air out for months and I can still smell them, which leads me to believe that trout would be able to as well.

 

I would love to hear what other guys are using for this kind of application.

[Stippled Popper 0]

You might try a water based polyurethane product such as Loon Hard Head or Delta Ceramcoat Gloss Exterior/Interior Varnish.

When they start to thicken in the bottle, thin with a slight amount of water. In my experience the slight cloudy appearance the material sometimes

developes in the bottle doesn't remain once dry on a fly.

[flytire 0]

i have no idea on what adhesive product doesnt off gas an odor of some king.

 

have you looked into any water based adhesives/head cements?

 

http://www.google.com/search?aq=f&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=water+based+head+cement

[rockworm 0]

You might give a try to one of the UV-catalyzed products like Bug-Bond or Clear Cure Goo. But IMHO epoxy and Sally Hanson's work fine.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

For decades before water based coatings were invented, tiers of old used lacquers and varnishes that had as much or more smell than Sally's and they never had problems catching trout. If the smell bothers you, try the above mentioned water based products or the old trick of smudging the fly around in the mud at the stream. Those bullet solid glue flies would not be damaged by such treatment and the mud even after washed off should mask the smell sufficiently until you get some fish slime smell on it. Now, I wouldn't do that with a dry fly, but that little ball of glue on a hook should be just fine.

 

Kirk

[flytire 0]

unless there is empirical data supporting the idea that trout are turned of by the smell of sally hansens hard as nails or any other head cements/varnish/adhesive, then i wouldnt worry too much about trout not taking a fly

 

maybe they dont like the smell of of dubbing or chicken hackles or even the food scent left on your fingers

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

just spray them with WD40 while out on the river

[morfrost 0]

Why don't you try spraying the Sally Hansen finished fly with a sparay lacquer or spray polyurethane finish to encapsulate the odour? I know what you mean about the smell from the SH nail polish, but I don't seem to notice it after I've left the flies out for a few days. The spray lacquer should keep it in.

[Jolly Red 0]

I've started using Fabric Fusion for the final coat on my poppers, seems to dry to a tough finish. Haven't noticed any smell while using, and no smell when dry. You can find it in the fabric department, since it is used to glue cloth together for sewing.

[Stippled Popper 0]

Why don't you try spraying the Sally Hansen finished fly with a sparay lacquer or spray polyurethane finish to encapsulate the odour? I know what you mean about the smell from the SH nail polish, but I don't seem to notice it after I've left the flies out for a few days. The spray lacquer should keep it in.

 

Wouldn't adding this extra step be redundant since the lacquer/polyurethane and Sally Hansen's both serve the same protective function in this application?

[Al Beatty 0]

I am looking for a good way to give a clear hard body finish like these pellet flies:

 

 

Which apparently use Cyanoacrylate or varnish finish. But what type of varnish and where do you get this? I have tried Hard As Nails and I do not like it because the smell never goes away. I am looking for some type of varnish, not epoxy, that does not smell once it dries. I have tied flies and coated them with Hard As Nails, letting them sit to air out for months and I can still smell them, which leads me to believe that trout would be able to as well.

 

I would love to hear what other guys are using for this kind of application.

 

Hi leifjohn,

 

I also make a vote for Clear Cure Good (a UV light product). We like and use it AND only endorse it as happy customers; it is not part of our product line. Take care & ...