andresere 0 Report post Posted November 5, 2017 These are a couple of things that I have done with tools that have helped me out. Hopefully I can explain the picture well enough. The first thing, I find it much easier to have a flat white background on the surface of the tying table. it gives you contrast and your light reflects of off it and brightens the back side of the fly as well. I bought one of the wood 'benches' and I used it a lot, but not very many of them have a light colored background. The local hobby shop sells foam core poster board in various sizes, and it is cheap enough that once it gets too dirty it is very cheap to replace it (after you have flipped it over). You basically get two surfaces with one purchase. A hair stacker back when I started was a significant amount of money, money that could be used for other materials. So I used the tube that chapstick comes in. The key to that is find one that has a squared off head. These can be found at the local dollar store. It doesn't look that big next to the aluminum one in the picture, but it will actually hold more hair than the $20 one. Once you have it gutted, clean it well and run a dryer sheet through it to remove the static electricity. The dryer sheet trick works on any hair stacker as well. Much easier to get the hair out of it doesn't have cling. A very stiff toothbrush works for a dubbing brush, and it also works well to prep Coastal deer hair for Comparadun patterns. It is much finer than a typical hair comb. Use the side of it, not all of it - if that makes sense. The long green tube laying crossways is RC model airplane engine fuel line. If you buy a foot of it, you can use it as a covering on slick tools like the pliers and the whip finisher shown here. They are much easier to hold on to. Cut in shorter pieces, it slides over scissor tips to protect them when you put them away or transport them. Also keeps you from stabbing yourself with them when you reach into a box or bag. Flat jawed pliers to squish barbs down are very handy. Remember to always do this first - sometimes it can break the hook and it really sucks if you've already tied the fly. The whip finisher with the hippy colored handle was the first one that I ever had. i liked working with it, but the handle part was very narrow and it was hard to hold on to. I used a Bic pen that had that woven cover on it and it slipped over the handle and it fit. I still use it today. Hope someone gets some ideas and it helps out. Andy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest rich mc Report post Posted November 6, 2017 i do alot of furling so i made a furling tool. its just a pencil diameter dowel rod with an alligator clip on the end spins real easy between my thumb and forefinger.. i also just did the velcro tab trick on a toothbrush, it has the brush on one side and velcro on the opposite. great tool rich Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rocco 0 Report post Posted November 6, 2017 I use a magnetic sheet fro a craft store with a non glare yellow plastic surface under my vise to keep metal objects from going into space and absorbing some of the bright overhead light. You can also use shrink tubing on tools to get a better grip. Rocco Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted November 9, 2017 I tie a lot of streamer style fly patterns that require hackle feather fibers for tails and throats and may or may not use up the entire feather in 1 tying session. Rather than stuffing the individual feather back into it original zip lock bag, I simply gather them and use an electrical test clip to hold them together for future tying sessions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
islander727 0 Report post Posted November 9, 2017 Forgot the name of a local captain that came up with an idea for a chenille bobbin made from a squeeze bottle and a foam ear plug. Bottles can be found in craft stores. If you're a working stiff, ear plugs are very easy to come by! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike West 0 Report post Posted November 9, 2017 Forgot the name of a local captain that came up with an idea for a chenille bobbin made from a squeeze bottle and a foam ear plug. Bottles can be found in craft stores. If you're a working stiff, ear plugs are very easy to come by! 20171109_103957_HDR.jpg Thats a slick idea. I take it the foam ear plug supplies the friction? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted November 9, 2017 Islander, do you use that foam and bottle chenille dispenser? Seems like the ear plug would get pulled up into the nozzle until it would be too tight to pull chenille out. Do you have that problem? I like the idea, as Mike West says, it's pretty slick. I just have a concern about that plug. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites