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SpokaneDude

Questions regarding the Pettijean bobbin

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Hello..,. I am new to fly tying, accumulating equipment as I have funds; I just purchased a Marc Petitjean bobbin, and am having a hell-of-a-time with it. I have no problem loading the thread, but when I'm doing a wrap of any kind, I hear this clicking and the thread pops out of the "channel".

 

Is there a specific way to hold this bobbin? (channel up or channel down, where do I put my index finger, on the 'triangle'?). Any suggestions would be appreciated.. :-}

 

SpokaneDude

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Return it. 60 bucks for a thread holder is a huge waste of limited resources. Return it and use the money to buy five normal standard regular Joe bobbins. Your problem will be solved and you will have five spools of thread on deck. No need to overly complicate or fancy up something that does nothing but hold thread. Just my humble opinion.

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My first reaction when I saw the title of this thread was "DON'T!". Then I saw that you already have. I haven't used one of his bobbins... yet. I have heard about them from many sources. Some people get on with it many don't. It is a tool that is designed to do more than just hold the thread. If you are using the techniques this bobbin is designed for, you are not a beginner.

There are no techniques that this bobbin incorporates that can not be done without it. Are they easier or harder to do with this bobbin? I don't know yet. When I see Marc next I'll extract one from him and find out. What it does strike me as is the fly tiers equivalent of an adjustable spanner (sorry "wrench" to those who use less specific English) No engineer would use one to replace a full set of wrenches spanners (Sorry I can't be that unspecific, wrenches are used on pipework, nuts bolts and set screws are tightened with spanners), They are fine in an emergency, but don't replace the correct tool. (Just as an aside the adjustable spanner was invented by Edwin Beard Budding, who was also the inventor of the lawn mower).

If you can return the bobbin holder, as Poopdeck suggests, I think, you should do so. I have used Tiemco bobbin holders for 25 years, on and off. They last, they do what a bobbin holder should. They are, also, what Marc used before bringing out his own design. For a beginner they are everything you will need. You should be able to get three for the price of Marc's bobbin holder; if you shop around.

There is another point. If you bought it from a shop that knows you; who are aware that you are a beginner, then I would be careful in that shop. The good fly shop keepers I know would not have sold you that bobbin holder. They would have looked first at your best interests, not their bottom line for the day.

Cheers,

C.

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Thanks for all of the replies; I have no intention at this point in returning the bobbin, I just wanted to know if I was doing something wrong in the way I held it... I bought it because I was getting tired of using pliers to adjust the tension of the spool... I have tried the Rite bobbin but didn't like the fact that there is only one leg that holds everything. I think Petitjean's bobbin is exactly what I was looking for, just need to figure out how to hold it correctly. (And I did look at the suggested video, but if you notice, he does not show how to hold it)... :-{

 

SpokaneDude

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I looked at his site that has some pictures of it. If yours has that hook at the tip that can be used as a dubbing twister, that might be whats causing the thread to make the snapping sound and popping it out of the groove. A tool is supposed to make things easier all the way around. You shouldn't have to have a learning curve to be able to use something so simple as a bobbin holder for tying fly's. Here's the link that I was looking at. Good luck.

 

http://www.petitjean.com/presse/?p=825

 

Regards,

Mark

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I noticed in reading the thread you stated you went with the Pettijean because you didn't like having to adjust the tension with pliers.

 

Presently I have 12 bobbins on my bench loaded with various colors and sizes of thread. A couple are Tiemco, 1 or 2 Griffin, and an Anglerhaus. But most of them I bought a show in Chicago a number of years ago for $1 apiece. They are all ceramic and do an excellent job. The metal tubes I have get used for wire.

 

I have the tension on every one of them loose. The spool is in the palm of my hand and if I need more tension I just squeeze a little more. That is how I was taught and after a while you don't even realize what you are doing.

 

Point is, get what you like but you don't have to spend a boat load of money to have effective equipment.

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you should hold any bobbin in a way that is most comfortable to you

 

in the video it looks like marc is holding the bobbin at the junction of the arms

 

holding%20bobbin_zpseqsl12iy.jpg

 

holding%20bobbin%202_zpsphc1vzue.jpg

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I have a selection of bobbin holders from normal steel tubed cheepo's, Smhaen, Norvise, C&F and Petitjean amongst others, I prefer the Norvise to use, probably because I tie more flies on the norvise but the Petitjean are a lot easier to load, especially with my old eyes, if I find they click I just turn it round in my hand and that seems to stop it clicking not that it really bothers me, the hook for the dubbing loop I have never used as I tend to prefer splitting the thread instead.

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