steelie 0 Report post Posted November 16, 2005 A new addition to the fly pattern database has been submitted by steelie: Dysdera Crocata (click link for more info) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
harleyhunter 0 Report post Posted November 16, 2005 Man that looks so real it giving me the creeps. Sam Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steelie 0 Report post Posted November 16, 2005 Good Day, I have been taking a break from my octopuss II and doing a few other things like beetles and spiders. This one is in process and is based on the real thing. And yes, those are the jaws! They are immense! A pic of the real one follows... any suggestions? Steelie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Graham 0 Report post Posted November 16, 2005 Wow, Hey Steelie, I see two bad-ass spiders, yours and the real one. Nice tying! I have a feeling this will be a good winter for the production of realistics, and I very much look forward to seeing more of your stuff, especially Octopus II, and the beetles you mentioned Cheers, Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steelie 0 Report post Posted November 16, 2005 Good Day, Thanks Graham! I really have enjoyed this spider quite a bit! I have been using a technique similar to Paul Whillock in the sense that I have been planning the fly on paper with sketches and the like. I still cannot believe the horribly large size of the fangs/jaws on this breed of spider! The "fun" part will come in with further shaping or bending of the understructure of the palps and forming the "meat" of the legs. I have been toying with a few different approaches but as of yet have not decided on one. But I plan to play a bit more tomorrow and hopefully come up with a descision on how I will finalze the legs and palps. I also decided to position the legs as if the spider were in mid stride. (Some legs up some in contact with the ground.) Once complete I will make sure to include a side view so that this can be seen clearly. Steelie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
uffepuffe 0 Report post Posted November 16, 2005 Oh man! That looks very, very nice! I would realy like to know how you made those fantastic looking jaws! Can't wait to see the finished fly! /Ulf Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SullyTM 0 Report post Posted November 16, 2005 Steelie...Way cool! The body. What did you use to get that smooth look? Perhaps a bean shell of some kind? Splendid pattern. SullyTM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steelie 0 Report post Posted November 16, 2005 Good Day, Thaks guys for the kind words! Ulf - The jaws were a bit of a challenge. I played with several different materials and methods before what I currently have used. I wanted the points of the fangs to have a real three dimensional or "round" quality to them. I had played with heat tapering ultra-chenille, bending goose biots, etc. but none of them really struck me as what I wanted or as realistic enough. So I started to play with the technique Paul Whillock uses for his tails on his stoneflies. Unfortunately none of the monofilament that I have would crystalize so that I could whittle it to a point. Quite by accident, while attempting this technique, I had melted the end of the mono and it turned into the little burning ball of molten plastic. I had dropped in on my tying surface. I pulled it up and low and behold it stretched like hot taffy! Ding! Lightbulb! So I tried it several more times and was able to create a tapered point by pulling and rolling the molten mono at the same time. (Be careful not to burn yourself!) Viola! The point I was looking for! I then carefullty used a heated bodkin to bend the taper to the curve I wanted, colored it with a black marker and then coated it with nail polish. O.K.... point one complete! I have a point! Now how to build the body or meat of the upper jaw? For this I used technique that I sometimes use for forming abdomens, or more precisely, abdomen exoskeletons. I use a very small diameter knitting needle as the base of the form. I then dip the the end of the needle into Softex. I generally only use one coat. Let it dry and the roll it off like a sock! You now have a small diameter hollow closed point "exoskeleton". The shape is actually quite similar to the point of the feather shaft that is connected to the skin of the bird but much more flexible and pliable. Anyway... So I cut the non-tapered end of the mono at an angle so as to pierce through the tip of the softex tube. Place a tiny drop of super glue on the mono shaft to hold the tube in place once you get it into position. Then place a drop of super glue into the open end of the tube to further hold it in place. Color to suit and coat with nail polish. After dry, very carefully dab a bit of nail polish on the inside edge of the structure. Take an ostrich herl and pull the barbules off one side and lay it on top of the bead of polish leaving just a tiny bit in the inside corner of the structure to tie off. Use the thinest thread you have - preferably what you would use for size 22 or smaller flies - wrap twice, making sure to go over the thread (this takes time to practice) over the tip of the herl and whip finish. Ideally there should be no more than 4 wraps of thread including the whip finish! Do the same for the other end and you now have a jaw! Phew! Keeping the thread wraps minimal is crucial so as to really attain a realistic look. To many thread wraps will stick out like a sore thumb! SullyTM - Hehehehehe.... close but not quite. Materials used were a balloon, two small foam bass poppers, a nail file, makers and clear nail polish. I chose two small bass poppers and trimmed the "popping" end until I could place them face to face in the shape that I wanted. I then glued them together and to the shank of the hook at the same time and then let it dry. Once dry I used the nail file to clean up the junction of the two and get a smooth transition. I then took a white shaping ballon. You know, the type that is used to create balloon animals and the like. I cut the tip off the ballon and slid it up and over the popper body structure and carefully tied it off so as to try and not leave any folds or ceases in the balloon at the tie off point. This took a little time and patience to manipulate. I then tied off with a whip finish knot. I then started coloring in layers starting with the lightest color and building up to darker colors. Once I had the base color I added one layer of nail polish and let it dry. I then added the "streaks" of color over this as I have found that many markers leave this sort of effect when used over nail polish. Let the marker dry thoroughly before applying final over coats of polish as it is likely to streak more and you may pick up the color from the marker onto the nail brush. There you have it! Phew... Steelie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GlobalFisher 0 Report post Posted November 16, 2005 Man that looks extremely real, great job! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
uffepuffe 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2005 Steelie! Thanks a alot for that excelent explanation! I really appreciate it! Truly very. very creative thinking! /Ulf Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joe Hard 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2005 I cant wait to see the final product!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SullyTM 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2005 steelie, Oh what a tangled web we weave... You guys are killing me with your innovations. Thank you for the instructions. Later. SullyTM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
