Adhesive For Hopper Wings

[Patriot 0]

Greetings,

I am looking for an inexpensive adhesive - or method - to coat turkey feather for creating grasshopper wings.  IMO, Solarez's FLEX is ridiculously overpriced.

I am fully aware of other wing alternative's to using turkey feather, but I like the look of these feather's for hopper's.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Patriot 0]

I have been searching for Dave's Flexament adhesive without luck but just found it listed as 'Rainy's Dave Flexament'.  Who'da thought?

Am not certain that this will work, but it's a LOT less expensive than FLEX.

I cannot find this locally so will have to order it

Thanks!

[flytire 0]

i dont bother coating wings anymore

they look pretty in the vise, but they eventually come apart anyway after a couple of fish

 

[SilverCreek 0]

You can make your own Dave's Flexament using Aquaseal thinned with Toluene or Toluol.

If you don't care whether it is clear, use Shoo Goo or Goop. Since Hopper wings are tannish, using Shoo Goo or Goop won't matter,

Form a square container out of folded aluminum foil. Squeeze in Aquaseal or Shoe Goo or Goop. 

Add Toluene or Toluol as a thinner to Shoe Goo. Mix with a popsicle stick. Adjust the mix until you get a consistency similar to thick motor oil.

Toluene or Toluol is sold as a paint thinner. Check you local hardware store for thinner with Toluene or Toluol as the main ingredient. Once you have the Toluene or Toluol, you can make a Flexament whenever you need it.

Store the tube of Aquaseal, Shoo Goo or Goop in your freezer and it will keep forever and won't dry out.

The thinner that is sold for Aquaseal is Cotol 240. Here is the MSDS for Cotol 240.

Note that the  main ingredient is Toluene. There is a minute amount of Dibutyltin Dilaurate which is the catalyst to speed up cure time. You really don't need the  Dibutyltin Dilaurate.

https://www.nrs.com/assets/downloads/msds/cotol-ghs.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

[niveker 0]

I'm of the same opinion as @flytire, but once in a while I'll follow Jack Gartside's original recipe and use spar varnish to coat the feathers for pheasant hopper pattern. 

  

As for Dave's Flexament, you can get it for really cheap by mixing Toluene with Shoe Goop (or so I've heard) until you get the right consistency.  

[Patriot 0]

24 minutes ago, flytire said:

i dont bother coating wings anymore

they look pretty in the vise, but they eventually come apart anyway after a couple of fish

 

I think you are absolutely correct.  It's the silhouette - or what the fish sees - that really matters.

Thanks.

[Patriot 0]

@SilverCreek

Thank you so much for your in-depth response to my query.  

I can concoct that once I get a can of Toluene or Toluol.

I appreciate your help.

[Patriot 0]

@niveker

Spar Varnish!!  I'm a woodworker and I just happen to have a can (or two ...) of that.

I will give that a go and see how it works.  I will report back when done.

Thanks for that.

[SilverCreek 0]

If you can find a very small bottle with a screw top cap, you can store it and it will last longer.

[Patriot 0]

1 minute ago, SilverCreek said:

If you can find a very small bottle with a screw top cap, you can store it and it will last longer.

Ah, you must be a mind reader.  I was wondering about that exact thing.

As a woodworker, I use what used to be called 'Bloxogen' (sp?), but now I use Finish Preserve from Lee Valley.  

When sprayed into a bottle it lays down an heavier than aid layer of inert gas that, in effect, seals off the surface of the container product thereby preventing it from skimming over.  It is a great product, but spraying into a small container should be done very carefully.

Thanks again for your help.

[niveker 0]

58 minutes ago, Patriot said:

@niveker

Spar Varnish!!  I'm a woodworker and I just happen to have a can (or two ...) of that.

I will give that a go and see how it works.  I will report back when done.

Thanks for that.

👍

From the Master: http://www.jackgartside.com/step_pheasant_hopper.htm

[SilverCreek 0]

It would be of interest to tie the same hopper pattern with wings coated with spar varnish vs flexament and see which wings hold up better.

Here's a thread discussing spar varnish. Apparently it takes a long time to dry.

http://classicflyrodforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=73892

Apparently Gartside suggests letting it dry for up to 12 hrs before tying in the wings.

Of course, Flexament also takes time to dry but not 12 hours.

http://www.jackgartside.com/step_pheasant_hopper.htm

"To prepare a feather, strip away all unnecessary fluff from the base of the feather and then dip the feather into spar varnish (natural or polyurethane). Now, drawing the feather through your thumb and forefinger, remove any excess varnish while at the same time stroking the feather to shape so that you have a natural v-shape at the tips. See illustration of varnished feather. Lay the feather(s) aside to dry. This drying process may take up to twelve hours, so plan ahead. With your pheasant feathers prepared, you’re ready to begin tying."

[cebe 0]

I use head cement Fly-tite which is more like a thinned rubber compound. Not sure how cost effective vs Shoe Goop but it does hold turkey tail feathers together ok for hoppers. 

[Poopdeck 0]

I like the look of turkey for hopper wings as well. I have used sally hansons  but normally nothing. It just doesn’t bring anything to the fish catching table so I won’t waste my time, effort or money.  I know I wouldn’t use spar varnish. Smells to much and can take days to dry. 

[flytire 0]

try silicone

should work for turkey slips