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kimjensen

Profile plates.

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I can say without a doubt that they help me. The fly doesn't get lost in the clutter that is in the background of the fly. If you wear glasses, I know you will notice a difference. Your eyes don't get as tired because your focal point is on the fly all the time. Your focal point doesn't go back and forth from the fly to the stuff behind the fly. Especially if you tie small flies. I totally recommend them, but that's just me.

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This is what I see without a profile plate. See how the end of the vise is lost in the crap behind the vise?

post-19822-0-43117300-1421418096_thumb.jpg

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Okay, smartass (Kim) ... based on Silk's answer, I understand it to be a plate you hang behind the fly in the vise. I don't use one because my point of view on the fly is more downward. I have the dark table under my fly, which I suppose, is similar to a plate. I do tend to keep that area clean, so I would say I tend towards the clutter free view.

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Okay, smartass (Kim) ... based on Silk's answer, I understand it to be a plate you hang behind the fly in the vise. I don't use one because my point of view on the fly is more downward. I have the dark table under my fly, which I suppose, is similar to a plate. I do tend to keep that area clean, so I would say I tend towards the clutter free view.

Couldn't help it. I hope you know i was joking smile.png

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This is what I see without a profile plate. See how the end of the vise I lost in the crap behind the vise?

Good point.

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This is what you see with a profile plate. (Please ignore the fact that there is a huge piece of white cardboard behind the vise). As you can see the fly sticks out like a sore thumb. I swear it is better on the eyes. It will automatically focus your eyes on the fly and not the clutter behind the fly. I suppose if your table is white and the wall behind your vise is white and your area is spotless, you wouldn't notice the difference as much. P.S. A medium grey is the best color for a profile plate. NOT WHITE!! Why? Because both light and dark colors will be seen better. A white profile plate while tying a fly with (for example) white bucktail will be hard to see. I have several plates I use, depending on what I'm tying.

A simple bulldog clip and a few different shades of paper, and wala! Just clip a dark piece of paper on for light flies, or a light piece of paper for dark flies. It's not rocket science. I won't tie without one. I know it's better for my eyes.

post-19822-0-32007400-1421418216_thumb.jpg

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Exactly Mike. If your table or wall is behind your fly, you won't notice the difference as much. A noticeable difference will depend on your vise set-up and location. As you can see in my first pic, I have a lot of background clutter and I tend to tie with the vise at close to eye level so my neck doesn't get aching from looking down. Everyone is different.

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the profile plate does not make tying easier but makes it easier to see the fly I'm tying without having a ton of clutter to look at

 

I use a simple metal bookend with a gray or blue crafts paper clamped to it

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With bifocal glasses, I need to look down without tilting my head anyway. Since I have to have a clean table (can't leave anything out for the cats to get into) it's easy to keep the tying area clean.

 

I'll take a picture when I get home.

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I don't use one, as it would just be very difficult to locate with the position I have my vice in. I really didn't get on with the one for my vice with the mirror in the bottom third.

They do serve a purpose but it can be equally served with a piece of off white card placed in the right place.

 

Cheers,

C.

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I use to use a profile plate but now I have a matte grey self-healing
cutting mat on my table surface. At one time the mat had a grid and a scale.
I wiped it off with dope thinner and rubber cemented a 6" transparent rulerto it.

As mentioned above my view of the fly is a more downward angle and

the matte grey is really easy on the eyes.

mat.jpg

Kimo

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