Remnzetti Traveler - Small & Curved Hook Advice

[chugbug27 0]

Anyone else struggle with acessing small & curved hook flies on Renzetti Traveler? I end up tying a lot of small and curved hook fly parts (especially the parts closer to hook bend) with the hook rotated sideways or even upside down, to get better access. I also wrap a lot of thread even on larger curved hooks with the hook rotated sideways. I don't see a lot of video tyers doing that. Rotating the vise does manage to get the job done without spoiling the fly, but I do wonder, is it me, or is it the vise? Would midge jaws on the Traveler help solve that?

[flytire 0]

hook rotated sideways?

 

post a photo?

[chugbug27 0]

Thanks Flytire, I can post pic tomorrow evening...

Sideways = hook lies flat on the horizontal plane, instead of on the vertical plane. I.e., using rotary to turn fly 90 degrees from normal position. (By upside down I mean rotating it 180 degrees from normal.)

[flytire 0]

 

thats a size 20 in a renzetti traveler

 

i set the hook as high as i can to expose more of the bend of the hook

 

when wrapping the thread from the hook eye to the bend, you start wrapping vertically and as you approach the bend your wrapping begins to be more angular to the shank until you reach that point in the bend where you are wrapping in a horizontal plain

 

to me, i see no reason to rotate the vise to a horizontal position or upside down

 

i tried wrapping thread onto the hook with the vise jaws rotated toward me but couldnt really see where i was wrapping the thread

[McFlyLures 0]

I tie down to size 26 regularly at work, on a renzetti that is about 15 years old. I tie also with one at home. Never had trouble with tiny hooks. The jaws are pretty pointy, good for holding those small hooks.

[chugbug27 0]

Maybe it's my angle of vision when tying... I tie looking at a downward angle from above, roughly 20 degrees short of straight down. The fly is not at eye level on the horizontal, so not like is seen in Flytire's pic. I only get that view of the hook by rotating the vise clockwise.

[whatfly 0]

Anyone else struggle with acessing small & curved hook flies on Renzetti Traveler?[snip] Would midge jaws on the Traveler help solve that?

Never really had a problem with hooks down to #24 on the standard jaws and I've always found it curious how many Renzetti owners I know without the midge jaws. I tend to rotate the jaws a bit when tying smaller flies 20-30 degrees towards me so I can get more access to the hook, especially with smaller curved hook.

[phg 0]

Have you set the jaws at maximum height? That should make the back of the hook more accessible. Conversely, if the jaws are at minimum height, that would make it hard to tie on a small hook. A picture would be helpful....

[chugbug27 0]

Thanks for the help... here are pics on a simple zebra midge size 22, just to show angles of view issue on Renzetti Traveler. First pics show what I see when tying at various stages of the tie with the vise in normal straight up & down position. Next set shows the same tie at various stages with the vise tilted at 30 degrees clockwise off center, next set shows stages with vise rotated clockwise to 210 degrees off center. Last pics show me at the vise and show the vise at 30 and 210 degree rotation. I find it hard to see what I'm doing unless it's rotated to 30 or 210 degrees, and that my best visibility is in the upside down 210 degree position, in order to get the jaws out of my field of view. With more complicated ties I also find I get better finger access to the bend at 210 degree position here are the pics

First set (view without rotation):

[chugbug27 0]

Second set (30 degree clockwise rotation)

[chugbug27 0]

Third set (210 degree clockwise) this one gives me the best visibility as I wrap thread, but is awkward to tie upside down.

[chugbug27 0]

Last set. These show my position at the vise and show the vise, all with the camera at verticals. (The other sets of pics were with camera at my eyes)

[mikechell 0]

MY suggestion ... quit trying to tie flies that small !!!

[chugbug27 0]

[tjm 0]

Change the visual angle by scooting the chair back, getting a shorter chair, getting a taller table, setting the vice base on top of a thick dictionary or some thing else of that nature. Move things around til you find a comfortable setup.

For me the view you show as 30* clockwise is the norm, with the hook in the vertical. I have tied on tables too tall and tables too low, It makes a difference.