BarryTX

I have the 18 watt model and like it a lot. It is a big light. I found mine on sale online at www.dickblick.com, an art supply company; it was about half price if I remember right. I found the magnifier on ebay, missing the lock nut, for $15 - Ott sent me the nut for free. Great customer support! Bottom line: it pays to search. Barry

Most of what needs to be said already has, but I never cease to be amazed when people expect something of value for free. I have noticed, however, that usually isn't good friends that make such demands, but rather peripheral acquaintances. Real friends understand the value and generally offer to pay or trade when they make the request. I wouldn't worry too much about those whose nose gets out of joint when the fee is mentioned. My view is you should charge if desire, and as much as you would like at that. Your price should reflect the value of the skills you can teach and your level of desire to take the time out and do the teaching. If your price meets what the buyer is willing to pay, great, he learns new skills and you are fairly compensated for giving them your time. If he doesn't want to pay that much, great, he can go elsewhere or not learn it all, and there are no distractions for you. A great example of pure capitalism at its best! Barry

If I read all of the thread accurately, I guess I'm the only one here using a Peak vise. I started with an el cheapo tying kit model, had a chance to use a Renzetti Traveller and was quite impressed, started saving for one. Along the way I found the Peak vise, a very solid rotary vise built in Colorado by some engineers who happen to fly fish. They have a machine shop at their business, designed a vise and made a few for themselves, then friends wanted them, etc. so they began selling them. I find it sturdier than a Renzetti but it is also less expensive. I've been very happy with it, have had it about a year and a half I guess. Check them out at www.peakfishing.com if interested. Barry

I picked up an Ott Flex Arm Plus lamp (18 watt I believe) with magnifier. It is a big thing but I do like it. I don't need to use it all the time, but on smaller flies I can use the help. I like the Ott's 'natural light color', though I can't say that makes a huge difference. The magnifier is on it's own flexible arm, so you can choose to put light on the subject with the magnifier out of the way if desired. I first tried a cheap Home Depot magnifier light but wasn't satisfied with how loose the thing was - I would set it where I wanted but it would slip, no way to lock it completely in place. The Ott holds position perfectly. For what it's worth, if purchased in a craft store the light with magnifier will run some $280 or so - the magnifier attachment retails for $99. I found a cheaper route, however: I purchased the light from Dick Blick Art supply (you can find them online) on sale for about half price (they are higher right now) and I found a magnifier attachment on ebay for $15. When I received the magnifier it was missing the lock nut; a call to Ott and they sent one to me for free. Great customer service! I think I spent about $100 total for everything, so I feel like I got a good deal, but I did search for awhile first. Barry

Wow! This is a great surprise - thanks for hosting the raffle, and thanks to ridderbos3 for tying a great looking collection. I'm sure I'll be hollering with questions about the patterns after getting them in my hands. This is my lucky day, I think a lottery ticket is in order for me as well! Thanks, Barry

Just found this thread. Most of what I can offer has been said already, but I have been playing with the Dremel bug technique a little and wanted to add that the best sources of thick closed-cell foam that I've found have been 99 cent stores (for cheap flip-flop sandals) and children's resale shops (for foam puzzles and toys). These work well - just cut a plug out, turn it on the dremel tool, and voila, a cheap popper body. Beats gluing together a bunch of the thin foam sheets found in craft shops and fly shops. Barry

I've started making my own foam popper bodies usning foam on a Dremel tool (as a lathe). My first attempt to put the body on the hook was to use super glue and push the body on the hook over the eye. Since the "lathe" already created a hole in the foam body down the center this seemed to make sense, but I found the super glue hasn't done a great job of holding. Some of the fly bodies come loose when stripping fast. I was planning to try epoxy as the adhesive on the next go-around, but after reading this thread I think I'll also try the heating method and compare results. Barry

Here are some beetle patterns (hopefully the server is up): http://www.geocities.com/flyfishingtoday/blackfoambeetle.htm http://www.geocities.com/flyfishingtoday/flashbackbeetle.htm http://www.geocities.com/flyfishingtoday/y...wfoambeetle.htm Hope this helps. Barry

I also don't use a bobbin threader, but I seem to recall that AK Best recommends making a bobbin threader out of some 20# test (or thereabouts) line. I think he heated it and pinched it to create a fold so it would go in the bobbin. At any rate, the idea is that since it is non-metallic it won't score the bobbin tube and it will also remove wax buildup. I haven't gotten around to trying it but it sounds like a good approach if you do use a bobbin threader. Barry

Just to add one other point: because the razor foam is so thin, it is easy to make anything other than tiny flies too heavy to float. Don't assume it will float just because the razor foam is on the back. However, it definitely doesn't absorb water so if that is your only need then you are in good shape. Barry

Art, If you still have extra available I'd like to get in line for a handout. Let me know how to connect with you on the particulars if I'm not too late. Thanks, Barry

Celebrity Fly Fishers? I have to tell you my story.... Several years ago, my wife read an article in Southern Living magazine about a couple that ran a fly fishing school in Arkansas. Since I had mentioned a time or two that I would like to learn to fly fish 'someday' - it looked neat on TV - she thought it would be a nice Christmas gift. So on Christmas morning I opened a present that had the LL Bean Fly Fishing Handbook and a certificate to attend the school in early April. When I went up to Mountain Home, Arkansas from Houston I found I was the only complete novice - never having used a fly rod yet - in the whole group. Of course, I didn't realize that most people that go to a class put on by Dave and Emily Whitlock would be there for advanced schooling! Of course, neither my wife nor I had any idea who Dave Whitlock was at the time, it just sounded like a good place to go to. The Whitlocks were great and managed to teach me the basics while helping others as was appropriate for their skill level. I might be the only person who went to a real fly fishing guru to learn the absolute basics, but it was a great beginning - the 3-day school was so much fun that it led me to take up the fly rod and fly tying table as my hobby. Barry

I realize you are looking to spend less, but I recommend the Peak vise. For $120 you get a true rotary vise, built like a sherman tank by some fly fishermen that own Peak Instruments. They happen to have a machine shop for that business and began making vises for themselves; others saw them and wanted to buy them, and presto, a new business was born. Check them out at www.peakfishing.com. The vise has been reviewed very favorably by a number of people, the Peak website has a link to a recent rating. I've had mine about a year now and am very happy with it & glad I spent the extra $ to get this one. HTH, Barry