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Kirk Dietrich

Epoxy Fly Turner, Finally upgraded

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With motivation from Ninja's "Fly Turner" post last week, I asked some guys to keep a look out in their neighbor's trash for an appliance with a slow turning motor. Well, luck had it that a friend had a Gas Grill he had for ten years and only used the rotisserie twice and said I could have it.

 

Thanks for the motivating me Ninja.

 

Perch, I didn't see any of the foam you talked about so I just used balsa and the clips.

 

Kirk

 

The old, low tech, method I used for 25 years.

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DSC_1446-2.jpg

 

The new high tech, space saving, set up that holds 48 flies, well, once I get some more "O" rings and put the 6th disk on it will.

DSC_2930-2.jpg

DSC_2925-1.jpg

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That looks AWESOME!!!!!!! It makes me feel like building another one, and to actually take my time and make it look nice. I threw mine togethr in about an hour. Your's looks like you spent the whole weekend. I like the disks with the clips, they look really sharp. Of course, I have no need to make 48 flies. Now you can "Set It....and Forget It!" :lol: BRAVO!

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Kirk:

 

NICE!

 

I bet you could cut the slits in the balsa about as readily as in the foam. You might have to use an X-Acto saw to do it. You could probably have acquired a brand new full sheet of Blue Board from your favorite 'home-improvement' box store for less than you have invested in "roach clips"!

 

I am still trying to find the article on making a 'slip-clutch' for turners such as this.

 

Cheers!

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A note on the disks. I drilled and sanded the hole in the middle a little larger than the wooden dowel and put two plumbing "O" rings at four inch intervals on the wooden dowel, one set at a time. The wooden disks with the clips slide over the O rings to hold it in place (originally, I had one O ring but the disks were a little wobbly, two rings hold the disk nicely). That way if I do any streamer head and need more space between disks, I can re-position them. Also, like my balsa poppers, I put some super thin super glue around the inside circumference of the disc and around the outside perimeter; it soaked in and toughened up the balsa so it won't dent or chip.

 

Bluegill, Ninja, Curtis, and Bigfoot, thanks. I wasn't thinking about looks but functionality.

 

Perch, thanks. The clips are a buck for 6 at Harbor Freight, so, I guess for 8 bucks, I could have bought the foam board but then I wouldn't have the nastalgic feeling of my old set up.

I look forward to seeing about that slip clutch.

For the little batch pictured, it actuall goes slow enough where I didn't have to hit the on/off switch. Just opening the clip and slipping the hook in took a second and it moves slow enough that I was able to follow and not stop the rotation.

 

So far, I'm pretty happy.

 

Kirk

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Kirk that is an amazing setup. I also have been on the hunt for these devices. I now know how to set mine up. Members should be aware of Freecycle where I do see things like grills and microwaves offered for free all the time. http://www.freecycle.org/ They do have everything under the sun. Craigslist also has a FREE section as well.

 

Tim

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I really like the looks of your turner. I hope to build something similar. Two questions are: How is the dowel supported on the end that isn't pictured? My rotisserie motor only makes one RPM is that too slow or should I try to find something that turns faster?

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Thanks Jam and Tim. Tim, I love Freecycle; I have used it to get some pretty good stuff and have used it to get rid of stuff. When we put in an above-ground pool, I had a huge pile of grass that the guy dug out of the yard, put on freecycle - slabs of grass - within and hour of posting, I had three calls. A guy and his wife came and loaded it up from my backyard in to their trailer and hauled it off!

Anyway,thanks Riffle, works fine so far.

Fshrmanms, thanks too. Sorry about not including the stand in the pic - thought I did. The support for the other end is basically what you are looking at holding the motor up except without the motor, just a hole. I slid an O ring on the dowel so it doesn't walk out of the motor.

 

Kirk

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