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wr1nkles

tying station suggestions

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Hey all. I'm new to fly tying (got a Renzetti Traveler vise last week for my birthday). I'm already obsessed with tying and starting designing a little fly tying station to keep all my tools organized and in one place.

 

I am just looking for some suggestions on my design and if more experience tiers think it is functional. I took inspiration from the Oasis Pedestal Partner design. I plan on making the first one out of Birch Plywood, then make another one out of some nicer woods once I'm happy with it. I'm thinking it will be kind of set off just to the right of me and my vise.

 

I'm open to any comments or suggestions. Holes are not final size or placement, but roughed in for reference.

 

 

 

Looking forward to your feedback. Thanks!

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Looks like a very functional design; nice job! I especially like the built-in hackle gauge; that's a great idea.

 

I built a rotating tool caddy a few years back, and I have found it very useful. I've even built a few for other members on this forum; see pics below.

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Looks like a very functional design; nice job! I especially like the built-in hackle gauge; that's a great idea.

 

I built a rotating tool caddy a few years back, and I have found it very useful. I've even built a few for other members on this forum; see pics below.

 

 

Oooo, I like that too! Might have to play around with that style as well...

 

 

Did you find any specific size holes to be best? Or did you just do a bunch of various ones? That's one part I'm more worried about, is making holes too big or too small. And then quantity of big vs small, etc...

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Add some magnets, temporary holder for hooks and stuff.

tying station.jpg

 

As for the holes ... large holes where you have them will probably be fine. With the bodkin/bobbin holder rack on the right side, you'll use those large one, mostly, for bits and pieces.

If you have bottles of cement or UV resin, etc ... use them as gauges and drill the holes close to those sizes.

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Add some magnets, temporary holder for hooks and stuff.

 

Thanks for the ideas!

 

You probably can't tell, but the three little gray circles on the right side were suppose to be magnets. I only thought a razor would need to be held, but you make a good point, always good to have extra.

 

I only have one bottle of head cement, so I'll base it off that and maybe go a bit larger on some of the holes.

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I have arguably the ugliest tying station known to man. With that said I will add my two cents. I like your sketch up, the planning, the hackle gauge, your DIY nature and your overall design. I would get a bottle of Sally Hanson and make a spot for it. Head cement is on the verge of extinction.

 

what I like in a tying station is just that, it's what I like. It may not be what others like and a one size fits all unisex tying station has never been developed. I like lots and lots of bobbins so I would drill lots of holes for them. I also find little cups and different size holes a tremendous waste of space that never worked out as envisioned. I would put more thread spool poles and less cups, less different size holes and lose the fly foam. I just have a piece of foam loose on the desk to hold my finished flies while drying. Your thread, lead wire, wire, tinsel and the like will grow tremendously so plan for their expansion with lots of poles and lots of little holes for scissors, whip finishers, hackle pliers, bobbins and other tools. For some odd reason I have 4 or 5 , and if I looked around a bit, probably 6 pairs of scissors, a number of hemostats, about 16 bobbins and still adding, four hackle pliers, three whip finishers, pen barrels, exacto knives and god knows what else. I'm not even sure how I came to have all the stuff.

 

Also, the flat tool rest on the right over the curved side looks disjointed to me.

 

Again, this is just me. I am neither right or wrong and you will have to try different things until you figure out what you like. Experimentation is the only way to get it right for you. I am sure you will find this quest a most enjoyable process. Good luck, happy birthday and have fun with it.

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Looks like a very functional design; nice job! I especially like the built-in hackle gauge; that's a great idea.

 

I built a rotating tool caddy a few years back, and I have found it very useful. I've even built a few for other members on this forum; see pics below.

 

 

Oooo, I like that too! Might have to play around with that style as well...

 

 

Did you find any specific size holes to be best? Or did you just do a bunch of various ones? That's one part I'm more worried about, is making holes too big or too small. And then quantity of big vs small, etc...

 

I measured the diameter of all the tools that I knew I would want in the caddy, and then got Forstner bits as close to those sizes as I could find. Even trying to customize like that, I didn't end up with too many exact fits, but I got them close enough that everything stays "on board" as long as I don't spin it too fast. :)

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looks good, great idea with a plywood test bench, you need to tie with it to see if it meets your needs (I am a southpaw with large mits) and fits your body. leave room and design it for changes when you get to your hardwood final. I have played with my layout for years and changed it many times (maybe to many) all part of the diy tier and as much a part of tying as a vise choice. have fun with it.

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Another idea ... which was brought to mind by the comments above. (about each person having a different style/requirement)

 

If you're going to have a tying bench/table top where you'll be doing all your tying ... you aren't going to use a station like we've been discussing as much. You'll be more likely to use the whole table. Individual racks that can be moved around the desk top will be MUCH more utile than a single place for everything.

 

A rack for tying thread spools.

A rack for quick use tools, scissors, whip finisher, bodkins, etc.

A rack fro cements and paints.

 

Each rack with a heavy enough base, or non-sliding feet. You'll be able to move forward those items needed for the current fly, and "recede" the items not necessary. Don't limit your tying area by making a station that blocks access to the rest of the table top.

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Another idea ... which was brought to mind by the comments above. (about each person having a different style/requirement)

 

If you're going to have a tying bench/table top where you'll be doing all your tying ... you aren't going to use a station like we've been discussing as much. You'll be more likely to use the whole table. Individual racks that can be moved around the desk top will be MUCH more utile than a single place for everything.

 

A rack for tying thread spools.

A rack for quick use tools, scissors, whip finisher, bodkins, etc.

A rack fro cements and paints.

 

Each rack with a heavy enough base, or non-sliding feet. You'll be able to move forward those items needed for the current fly, and "recede" the items not necessary. Don't limit your tying area by making a station that blocks access to the rest of the table top.

 

Yeah, I've thought about this approach too. I will eventually have a desk for my computer and tying things once I complete the renovation I'm doing on a sunporch, but that's probably not going to be done until next spring/summer.

 

The idea is that I'm going to build two dining room table/desks for my wife and I that we could use ask desks out there, or put them together for big family dinners. So that's the reason I was trying to make everything into one unit. So I could move everything in one trip (maybe two).

 

I'm sure no matter what I build, I will outgrow it. Especially since I seem to be placing orders for new materials and tools once a week...

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Also, the flat tool rest on the right over the curved side looks disjointed to me.

 

 

I appreciate your input Poopdeck. That's exactly what I was looking for, real life experience on the tying desk.

I knew when I started this post I'd probably get a few people saying "to each his own", and I totally get that too. I find that refreshing. Everyone can have their own way to do something and not have someone else say it's wrong. Something that I encounter too much in everyday life.

 

Anyway...

 

How about this for the tool rest area? I thought about making that piece more slanted so accessing scissors would be easier (at least in theory)

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I would suggest laying out your tying bench the way you tie.
For instance, I am right-handed and have all of my tying tools
on the right side such bobbins, bodkins, scissors, hackle pliers and
dubbing brushes on the right side.
On the left side I have all of my materials. Magnets for hooks, UV Resin bottles,
UV Light, and so on... The materials I tie with all of the time are on the left side
such as ostrich herl, feathers, D-Rib, tubing and so on... I keep things like spools of thread,
tinsel and wire in front because I don't need access all of the time but periodically.
If you will remember that old movie from the 50's "Cheaper by the Dozen". He was an efficiency

expert and when he went into the factory he would look for the laziest guy on the floor.
He figured this guy knew how to do his job with the least amount of effort. AK Best stresses the same
thing in his book "Production Tying".
For me I could never tie from a static bench. My work station is constantly evolving as I add new tools and techniques.
I am fortunate because I have set aside specifically for tying and product photography.

Kimo

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At first I was going to vote for the modular approach, but after seeing what you're doing yhere I actually do like what you've got.

 

But it's not really what you'd call a tying station. It's more of a portable holding station for the stuff you might use while tying. When tying I assume you'll just move the stuff you want from your holder to your flat tying area. That'll work nicely to keep everything in one place. Until you acquire more stuff than will fit in the holder..

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i wouldnt get too hung up on hole sizes

 

1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 1, 1 1/4 inch should cover most tools and bottles/containers

 

i would delete the 2 springy things in back of the 2 pockets on the left. i would also elongate the pocket from left to right and get rid of the 2 circular pockets. youre already using the router to make the long pocket might as well go full width. then line the bottom of the pocket with a magnetic strip

 

there arent many square bottles these days so i would replace that pocket with a round one

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