attaching eyes

[HammerCreek 0]

When tying deceivers and other patterns that I want to add holographic eyes I struggle getting them to attach. The adhesive on the stickers don't hold to the thread and don't bend to the contour of the head. Now I use zap-a-gap and when it dries cover with epoxy or head cement. Wondering if there is a better way. Thanks!

[flytire 0]

i dont know if this is a better way but its a different way

 

bend the eye into a vee shape and stick it onto thread head. then tie in mono thread and wrap over the eyes with 2-3 wraps

 

 

tie off mono and coat thread head and eyes with epoxy or uv resin

 

 

mono thread will virtually disappear

[Piker20 0]

That's a good tip.

[Peterjay 0]

I sometimes use Norm's method when I'm dealing with bigger eyes, but I coat most of my heads with epoxy (or whatever) anyway, so it doesn't really matter if smaller eyes adhere to the contours. If you're having trouble getting them to stick, just coat the head with cement and apply the eyes while it's still a bit sticky. They should stay put well enough for you to apply your final finish coat.

[BuzFly 0]

Encase Them In Epoxy

 

Mono Wrap

 

Tab Eye Tied In Then 3D Eye CA Glued To Tab

[Phish 0]

A good thing to do is a smooth jaw pliers and carefully flatten the spot where you want the eyes.

[Homer35805 0]

Clear Cure will do the job as well, if you have a rotary vise, just put the fly on one side or the other, a small dab of CCG, use a dubbing needle to place the eye in the CCG, hit it with the blue light, and poof, instant eye....one that won't move, and since the CCG is clear no worries there....and once you are done with one side, flip it over and do the other eye....

 

It's a little more problematic if you don't have a rotary vise, but it still can be done, you just don't have as much time between placing the CCG and sticking the eye to it, then getting the blue light...but it can be done with a little forethought and planning....

[HammerCreek 0]

Ahh mono wrap great idea. I do case them in epoxy but find if they aren't glued first they slide. Maybe waiting until tacky is the play. Thanks all!

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Everyone has a different method.. I've pretty much quit using those pretty holographic eyes since they're just not durable enough for my purposes. Instead I've gone back to the hard plastic doll eyes (the same that you'll see on Puglisi flies...). I"ve found that fletching cement used by arrow makers gives me the most durability (eyes will still be intact as the tail is chewed off...). Here's how I'm doing it....

I cut the stems off of the plastic doll eyes, then after the fly is completed, mount one eye at a time using a mini-clamp or clothes pin to hold it tightly until the glue sets (less than 10 minutes -then do the other side. The glue I'm using is called Fletch-Tite and it's available at any Bass Pro shot (or other shop that carries archery supplies). Each tube comes with a narrow dispenser that's perfect for applying a single dot of glue...

Here's a pic or two of the results... The second photo shows a holographic eye back when I was still using them. What I found was that those style of eyes just don't hold up (the backing would still be attached but the rest of the eye was just gone... This method works on almost any material by the way....

Tight Lines

Bob LeMay

(954) 4354-5666

[Phish 0]

Everyone has a different method.. I've pretty much quit using those pretty holographic eyes since they're just not durable enough for my purposes. Instead I've gone back to the hard plastic doll eyes (the same that you'll see on Puglisi flies...). I"ve found that fletching cement used by arrow makers gives me the most durability (eyes will still be intact as the tail is chewed off...). Here's how I'm doing it....

I cut the stems off of the plastic doll eyes, then after the fly is completed, mount one eye at a time using a mini-clamp or clothes pin to hold it tightly until the glue sets (less than 10 minutes -then do the other side. The glue I'm using is called Fletch-Tite and it's available at any Bass Pro shot (or other shop that carries archery supplies). Each tube comes with a narrow dispenser that's perfect for applying a single dot of glue...

Here's a pic or two of the results... The second photo shows a holographic eye back when I was still using them. What I found was that those style of eyes just don't hold up (the backing would still be attached but the rest of the eye was just gone... This method works on almost any material by the way....

Tight Lines

Bob LeMay

(954) 4354-5666

I came up with the same thing as this. Whenever I come across stemmed doll eyes, I buy them up. I haven't ordered any more holo eyes from my suppliers in long while. Plus the doll eyes looks friggin cool when you staring at it from the front.

[Crotalus 0]

I use loctite gel super glue to hold the eye in place then usually coat it with clear cure goo

[Piker20 0]

PM sent C.

[GdubyaSmith 0]

That's a good tip.

Agreed...Thanks!!!

[SilverCreek 0]

Here a method of easy placement by Curtis Fry

 

 

Bead Buddy sells two similar tools, a Rhinestone Positioner in the video and a Bead Positioner below

 

[Bryon Anderson 0]

I have avoided the stick-on eyes made for fly tying for years for this same reason - could never get them to stick and stay stuck.

So last night I'm finishing up a batch of bendback streamers for a swap, and I'm thinking how cool they would look with eyes, and I had an idea. I took some glitter nail polish that I normally use for painting foam bass poppers and put a small, circular dab of it on either side of the fly's head. I did the whole batch like that. By the time the glitter polish was dry (a few minutes per fly), I went back with a toothpick dabbed in Testor's black model paint and dabbed a shiny black pupil in the center of each glitter polish "eye". They look pretty cool, if I say so myself, and they're guaranteed not to fall off. I would post a picture but I'm at work now - will post one tonight when I get home if I think of it.

FWIW.