Measuring Dubbing

[HuckleB 0]

Hello!

 

Hoping I can get some help on how to measure dubbing. Right now i'm trying to achieve a blend of three dubbings at 70, 15 & 15%. Of course, you can eyeball the dubbing amounts and even the final color, but i figure there's probably a more precise way to do this. But, how?

 

Half the amount of a standard packet of dubbing would be plenty so i want to avoid buying in bulk to get some consistent measurements.

 

FYI - i did a search on this topic and didn't find anything.

 

Cheers,

Adrian

[Piker20 0]

I imagine weight is only way to be more accurate. If you're going to the effort of blending your own I guess you find it more successful than ready made brands, using more bulk amounts would be easier and cheaper in long run.

[HuckleB 0]

Thanks, Piker. The total amount i need (which isn't a lot) doesn't even register on the kitchen scale I have, I should have mentioned i tried weighing the dubbing.

 

Best,

Adrian

[AZWoolybugger 0]

You would need a gram scale for exact measurements, you can find one for around $10. Something like this

 

http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Weigh-SWS100-Digital-Pocket/dp/B00EPO9M2Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1412090710&sr=8-2&keywords=gram+scale

[Piker20 0]

I still think in the long run, if you want to be precise, bulk is the way forward. Then just add one packet of one to 3 packets of another etc.

[Prosopium w. 0]

What if the 70:15:15 is meant to refer to volume, not weight?

 

Seems like an unnecessary exercise in futility to me. Just eyeball it and call it good. Do you really think anyone would notice, let alone a FISH, if you were to mix it 66:14:20?

[HuckleB 0]

Thanks, AZWoolyBugger. For $10 I think I'll go with the scale you pointed out.

 

As for futile exercises, i think everyone who regularly visits this site or ties regularly has been guilty of that charge from time to time.

[mikechell 0]

Not that I know of any such thing, personally. But I've heard that certain shops sell measuring scales for small amounts of grass-like materials. These scales would probably measure the dubbing amounts you need.

[flytire 0]

not guilty here!

 

fly tying should be fun and shouldn't require quantum mechanics and string theory to mix a small batch of dubbing

[mikechell 0]

Maybe not "string theory" ... which I have mixed feelings about ... but definitely "fiber theory" is involved with dubbing.

[shoebop 0]

We are complicating things again. Take a deep breath, pour yourself some bourbon, then take a little of this and some of that and a pinch of that and take a drink. Then mix it all up.

[mikechell 0]

Shoe ... complicated? Never!!!

But you could be right. GO the basic route. Count out 75 pieces of one, 15 pieces each of the other two, then mix together. Repeat until you have the amount you want.

Guaranteed 75%+15%+15% mi ... WAIT !!!

That's 105% ... no such thing !!!

Okay, NOW it's getting complicated.

[flytire 0]

Fly tyers can be masters of making things complicated!

[Crackaig 0]

My folks once had a carpet fitted by a man who's 3' rule was so used there were no markings on it. He could still measure accurately to within 1/16th inch. At one time tobacco was weighed by hand, the loose tobacco was tipped onto a table around which workers sat. They each had a weight in one hand. With the other they picked up the same weight of tobacco. My point is don't under estimate how accurately you can judge quantities by eye.

 

I have been working on a project about dubbing recently, and have investigated measuring quantities for it. I do not believe that there is a convenient way to measure loose dubbing, except by eye; which can be a highly accurate way to measure it. If you are breaking up a yarn, like wool, to for dubbing then it is easy, simply measure the length before chopping it up. For loose dubbing it isn't so easy.

 

Some people have tried using the gram scales you mention for counting beads and hooks. Generally this has been unsuccessful, and they have resorted to counting them. If they are not able to weigh these relatively heavy objects with enough accuracy to replace counting, they will not be usable with small quantities of dubbing.

 

If you can find them the old plastic sheets used for storing slides are useful to store samples of your mixes. A sample with the recipe helps you in getting a new mix to match the colour.

 

Cheers,

C.

[cheech 0]

I bought a milligram scale on amazon for $20 and it will register the tiniest pinch of dubbing I put on it. I use it to measure out bruiser blend.