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deaddrifter

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About deaddrifter

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  • Favorite Species
    Anything that looks like a fish
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    22
  1. The only real difference between the pro and the bronze grades is the numbers of flies you can tie per feather/cape. That's per a quote I heard from Whiting Farms. The High and Dry is a different line of birds than the red label but I've found it very comparable to the red label bronze grade. You won't be sorry with any Whiting cape you buy.
  2. I really like the Loon razor scissors. I've found I've transitioning to them being my go-to set.
  3. A little dated but... https://www.hatchmag.com/articles/best-fishing-sunglasses-2015-2016/7712725 I have a pair of Smith Chromapop and really like them. As far as what color to choose, I would suggest you go to a knowledgeable dealer of whatever brand you decide you like and ask for their opinion. I wanted a general all-person so I went with amber and it's worked well.
  4. Agree heat gun would probably work better but I don't do much powder coating so use what I have!
  5. I've done both and IMO I don't think a hair dryer is enough for powder coating. I actually heat up the jig heads in a flame (hand torch) and then dip in the powder coating. I know the oven is also an option and most temps are in the 325 range. That being said I don't claim to be an expert in powder coating so perhaps someone else will have more thoughts.
  6. I've had the opportunity to tie on both the Dyna King Excalibur and the Renzetti Master and wanted to provide my thoughts on the differences. I can't speak to other brands but hope this helps someone trying to do research on the flagship models of these two companies. Small hooks (18 and smaller): Dyna King with midge jaws - I find the angle of the jaws on the Dyna King offer more room to work with smaller hooks. The adjustment abilities on the jaws also provide me with access options that the Renzetti just doesn't have. Not to say the Renzetti is bad when it comes to working with smaller hooks but the Dyna King just makes the experience a little more pleasant. If I only had the normal Dyna King jaws then I'd have to give the advantage to Renzetti here. Spinning Deer Hair: Dyna King with normal jaws - The Dyna King is a tank of a vise. I have the pedestal version of both and I find the Dyna King offers more stability when I'm having to exert a lot of pressure on a hook. Ease of jaw adjustment: Renzetti - Adjusting the jaws on the Renzetti to accommodate different hook sizes is incredibly fast and easy. The Dyna King takes a little more fiddling to find the sweet spot for the jaw adjusment. Hook range with a singe set of jaws: Renzetti - I've tried everything from 6/0 down to a 24 and the Renzetti jaws can hold them all. I can achieve the same with my Dyna King but need to switch between normal and midge jaws. Yes, the normal Dyna King jaws will hold small hooks but the midge jaws make tying a lot more pleasant. Size 8-10 hooks: Renzetti - This requires a special mention because I've found this size range to be where the Dyna King jaws struggle the most. Yes, the Dyna King will hold these hooks but not without spending more time than it should to find the sweet spot on the jaw adjustment. In my mind this is really the only drawback of their jaw design. Large hooks (1/0+): Draw (with bias towards Dyna King) - I've experienced zero difference in the ability of the Renzetti to hold large hooks compared to the Dyna King. However, my personal preference is for the Dyna King for no other reason than it's a larger vise and I find it more comfortable to use on the really big stuff. Material Clip: Renzetti - The Renzetti's built-in material clip is fantastic. It easily flips out the way when not in use. It's one of those options that you don't realize how nice it is until you use it. Angle adjustment options: Dyna-King - The angles you can achieve on the Dyna King jaws are incredible. You can adjust the the jaws so you can almost tie a fly from almost any angle you desire. This offers some really fun methods for doing parachute posts and opens up a lot of options when photographing a fly. Overall build quality: Draw - Both are fantastic vises that are well built. Yes, both have a few plastic parts as well but this doesn't bother me. I can see myself continuing to use both vises and it's hard for me to pick a clear favorite. I can see myself using the Dyna King for the big stuff, deer hair bugs, and the really small flies along with the times where I want the ability for maximum adjustment options. The Renzetti will come out for the rest as it's just a pleasure to use.
  7. That just shows up like this for me... 1_F392_D73_BD36_4_B6_F_847_A_047_A59_F96
  8. Maybe my links/images are working correctly but what book are you referring to?
  9. I really like the Copic system. It allows you to airbrush with a marker. You will need to do a clearcoat over top once the marker fully dries. Their "canned air" does get a little expensive so if you go this route I would suggest picking up an inexpensive small air compressor from Northern Tools or a similar hardware store.
  10. I use one and yes, you can use it for making larger dubbing brushes. It's not a bad setup and does the job. What's nice is the tray drops out so you can spin the material freely. It's certainly not as solid of a platform as some the homemade wooden machines but it's a lot less expensive if you're like myself and don't have the tools to construct your own. It's 10x better than the method I was using, which involved a drill and the top of a shoebox. There are a couple things you should be aware of. First, unless you have a Stonfo vise you will need the Stonfo Turbo Spinner as well. You need something to actually spin the wire as the table itself doesn't do that. Second (and this is a big one), MOST vices will work but if the head of your vise is a long distance from the shaft this table may not work for you. The support arm is of finite length and I'm honestly not sure if it would work on something like a regal. With my direct experience, Renzetti is no problem and my Dyna-King works only when I adjust the jaws into a funky angle. Once I have it set up it's not a problem at all but IMO this is something where you'll want to crank out a number of brushes once you get it set up as it does take a couple minutes. Beyond the more expensive, handmade dubbing brush tables I've seen I think this is the best alternative option out there.
  11. It soaks in well for baitfish heads. It doesn't exactly dry clear but mostly translucent (i.e. looks fine on baitfish heads). Gunnar Brammer has pretty good video on making heads with TearMender.
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