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Adding legs to spun hair flys

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I also use the large sewing needle. I coat the bottom of my bugs with liquid fusion. I feel enough soaks up into the deerhair to also cement the rubber legs in place. I've never had them pull back out.

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Thanks Mike. I have heard from others about CA glue damaging rubber legs over time, good to know. Fabric Fusion would probably work well here

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Another good hair for spinning is antelope, caribou and mountain goat but that is a bit hard to acquire. I just happen to have some that was given to me by a friend. Thanks Mike for info about super glue affecting the chemical structure of the rubber leg materials.

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I tie tightly packed deer hair bugs everyday. I use the leg puller tool. It works great.

 

Same for me. If you get the bug dense enough, pulling the legs through works great and they won't go anywhere.

 

One exception for me on this is tiny bugs. I tie deer hair down to size 10 poppers. On the small ones, I usually tie them in because there isn't a lot of real estate to pull them through easily. Make no bones about it, tying them in works. But, it's also a colossal bi__h of an issue to shave around them with a razor blade.

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I also use the large sewing needle. I coat the bottom of my bugs with liquid fusion. I feel enough soaks up into the deerhair to also cement the rubber legs in place. I've never had them pull back out.

 

I do the same with LF, I love how the stuff "sucks in" and self levels. Makes a nice smooth underbelly that will float high and dry all day long.

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I also use the large sewing needle. I coat the bottom of my bugs with liquid fusion. I feel enough soaks up into the deerhair to also cement the rubber legs in place. I've never had them pull back out.

I do the same with LF, I love how the stuff "sucks in" and self levels. Makes a nice smooth underbelly that will float high and dry all day long.

how do you apply it?

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Cream ... your bugs are so densely packed, I don't know how you CAN cut around legs tied in. You certainly can't pull the rubber back through the hair, as suggested by Bob H.

 

Doesn't matter, your deer hair work is superlative.

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I also use the large sewing needle. I coat the bottom of my bugs with liquid fusion. I feel enough soaks up into the deerhair to also cement the rubber legs in place. I've never had them pull back out.

I do the same with LF, I love how the stuff "sucks in" and self levels. Makes a nice smooth underbelly that will float high and dry all day long.

how do you apply it?

 

 

Squirt a bunch of it on the belly (that sounds bad), spread it evenly with a bodkin, then let it dry. I put them on a rotary dryer if I am doing several.

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Chris Helm videos show him adding the legs as he ties the fly. Spin the hair to the point where you want the legs and then tie in the leg strand with an over-hand knot at that point; glue if you like. Pull the uncut legs back to a material holder. This will keep them buried in the hair when you go to trim and shape the hair. Add more deer hair and then keep adding legs at the places that you want them.

 

Thanks, Bob H

That's what I do, but I don't use an overhand knot, just several x wraps, and I just hold the legs back with my fingers while I trim near them.

 

Got used to it quickly and don't clip legs anymore.

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