Guest Report post Posted August 13, 2003 I've heard Jim Hester talk about his homemade vise, and I was curious how many out there use homemade tools for tying. I'm not that crafty, but you hear alot of people say "catching a fish on a fly you tied is so rewarding" well how about "catching a fish on a fly you tied with the tools that you designed and crafted yourself is extra rewarding". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted August 13, 2003 SmallieHunter I think you have seen my Ink pen - glo bug yarn - bobbin tool, right? OSD. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted August 13, 2003 Oh yea I did see that, that was one of the coolest tricks I've seen for tying glo-bugs. I'm gonna use that idea this weekend to tie up some for the PM. Hey if you could post that in the tying bench I'm sure alot of people would love to know that trick! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted September 8, 2003 I have dubbing pickers made from a small steel brush; threaders made from old piano wire; a bodkin made from a deer antler and some bailing wire; drying racks made from old beer coasters; and a hair packer made from a recycled surgical hemostat...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted September 10, 2003 I've made a few tools or adapted some other items to my fly tying over the years. I made a vise from a pair of vise grip pliers. I've used diamond coated finger nail files for hook sharpening. I've made several bobbin threaders just as Big Daddy had described, just epoxy a thin piece of stainless or music wire into any large bead & you have a nice custom threader. I have some made from large glass beads of various shapes that look real nice & work very well! I've adapted some crochet needles as dubbing twisters or picks for picking out dubbing. I've made a few bodkins & threaders from large needles. A big needle makes a great threader/cleaner for bobbins. Flatten the sharp end for cleaning wax & other dirt from the bobbin tube. I found one in a sewing store that was about 6 inches long. Another dubbing twister can be made from a dowel & a small screw type hang hook, drill a small guide hole in the end of the dowel & put a little epoxy in the hole, then screw in the hook. This works great for twisting rope type dubbing. Years ago when I first started my business I found an artists caddy in a art supply store, and have used it ever since to keep many of my tools. It's a "Lazy Susan" type so it spins, and keeps everything together within easy reach. I keep it handy to one side of my tying bench. It does gather a lot of dust from materials down in the holes, but is easy to clean. That's all I can think of for now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted September 10, 2003 Jim, the atrist's caddy is a great idea!!! Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fxp 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2008 I make my own bobbin holders. Partly because I'm cheap but mostly because I like to have all my threads, flosses, wire, mono,etc threaded and lined up and ready to use on a whim. Changing spools and rethreading would be a pain and the cost of 20-30 bobbin holders would add up. After much experimentation I devised a fairly simple means of fabrication using "music wire" and small diameter brass tubing from the hobby store with small diameter wood balls from the craft store. I came up with what I call a ceramic equivalent by superglueing glass beads (also craft store) to the ends of the tubing. A little solder and shrink wrap to finish off and the total cost per unit is about $1.80. Attached is an example. They work every bit as well as a good quality ceramic bobbin holder. They simply don't cut thread and the tension is easily adjusted. They can also be made to suit your hand size. I can provide details of the process if anyone is interested. If anyone else has done this I would greatly appreciate knowing your method. Thanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Faster Fish 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2008 can provide details of the process if anyone is interested. If anyone else has done this I would greatly appreciate knowing your method. Thanks. I was thinking along this same line although I was pondering how I could flar the end of the brass tube a bit on both ends. I have also made my own fur zonker strip cutter, cuts about 8 1/4" strips out of any fur hide. I have made my own bodkins, ofcoarse who hasn't. The cool thing about bodkins is you can make them to fit your hand. Randy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fred H. 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2008 I have made and given away many martineli style whip finishers.As I bend stainless steel wire into clasps for partials or retainers making a whip finisher is almost second nature. But the tool I like most a Friend ,David Stewart made for me was a fly drying wheel made from a used fans ocilating motor. It also doubles as a rod turner for a smooth even coat on my rod wraps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chase Creek 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2008 I've made bodkins from buffalo teeth, deer antler tips, broken rod tips. Hackle guards from those plastic tube things that cover thermometors. Bobbin rest from a wood clothespin and dowell. Combination half-hitch tool and velcro dubbing fuzzer from the bottom of a ball point pen. I'm amazed at some of the homemade vises and other tools I've seen, wish I had the machining skills involved. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fxp 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2008 can provide details of the process if anyone is interested. If anyone else has done this I would greatly appreciate knowing your method. Thanks. I was thinking along this same line although I was pondering how I could flar the end of the brass tube a bit on both ends. I have also made my own fur zonker strip cutter, cuts about 8 1/4" strips out of any fur hide. I have made my own bodkins, ofcoarse who hasn't. The cool thing about bodkins is you can make them to fit your hand. Randy To flare the tube: place it in the chuck of an electric drill and tighten. Method 1 is to put the tip of an ice pick in the end and turn the drill on. While spinning the tube, gradually skew the ice pick and the tip will flare. Careful, it will be hot. Method 2 is to use a nail punch. Easier if you fix the punch in a vise then "drill" the tube down over the punch. You will learn not to go so far as to split the tube. When you have it to just the right amount of flare, mark the depth on the punch so you can whip thru a bunch at a time without having to constantly stop and check. You need just enough flare to let the bead seat down about half way. That way when you tie the lateral force from the thread won't pull the bead off. You can flare both ends using this technique. Don't glue the bead on till after you solder the tube to the frame or the heat might melt the glue. I found that a length of 2 in. is just right. Any longer and the drilling technique can bend the tube. I will be anxious to hear if you come up with any improvements. Thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riffleriversteelheadslayer 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2008 I use a flarring tool for brake lines to flare the tubes and for those that don't solder well JB weld works great to hold it together I also make traveling bases out of wood parachute post holder out of a piece of refridgerator rack a spring and an alligator clip Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fxp 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2008 I use a flarring tool for brake lines to flare the tubes and for those that don't solder well JB weld works great to hold it together I also make traveling bases out of wood parachute post holder out of a piece of refridgerator rack a spring and an alligator clip i'd love to see your end result and even exchange "products" with you or anyone with interesting homemade tools. I have also made a stand for multiple bobbin holders, great threading tool with some very fine wire and a wooden ball. I even made a version of a RiteBobbin but i find it easier to adjust thread tension using my palm. i cant get to my scanner now but later i'll add some pictures. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JSzymczyk 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2008 might be a dumb question, but what is a good source of supply for the spring wire for the bobbin holder arms? I need to make a few of these! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Faster Fish 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2008 might be a dumb question, but what is a good source of supply for the spring wire for the bobbin holder arms? I need to make a few of these! Most hobby stores have spring wire. They also sell piano wire. You can also get some from www.mcmastercarr.com Randy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
