Norvise automatic bobbin

[JRG 0]

Brent does have a point. I think that's one of the main things that I don't like about the bobbin is that the thread enters the tube at an angle. Albeit I've never had one plug but I've never used 3/0 waxed in it. I will say it's better than the ekich though after using both and I wouldn't trade it for any other bobbin out there.

[RV Marine 0]

I just joined and I'm thinking about buying the nor bobbin, I've read most of the posts and the only criticism that I would post is how can you make a comment when you haven't used the product? I belong to a couple of different forums, some professional based some not in either case good reviews are posted by people who have used the product or services and will give you the pros and con's. From what I see the only drawback to this bobbin is the angle the thread goes into the ceramic tube, of course that can be said of most out there. I'll buy one, try it out for a couple of months and post the results! I think its worth a try at least.

[barrytheguide 0]

With the Erich bobbin you have to pull the spool of thread away from the spring assembly to feed more thread. With the Norvise bobbin it has a slipping clutch that does this automatically.

I've been using the Norvise bobbin for a very long time and would not be without it.

[SilverCreek 0]

I am a fan of the Norvise Automatic Bobbin. I must have 7 or 8 of them and about 50 spools. I buy the extra 10 spools and storage case. I don't need to swap out the spools since I can keep multiple bobbins spooled up. The storage cases are an easy way to organize the threads as to size and they are less bulky than the thread spools that regular bobbins use.

 

I personally have not had a wax plugging problem, but I do not use heavily waxed thread or add wax to my thread. Some threads are lightly waxed and I have not had a pugging problem with the major thread brands.

 

The older bobbin frames had a stronger spring. The revised bobbin have a lighter spring and I do wrap the thread around the frame to reduce slippage of the stronger spring.

[oldtrout58 0]

Honestly, it took awhile for me to get used to the Nor Auto-bobbin. Like about an hour. I love it.

[Bugsy 0]

I just joined and I'm thinking about buying the nor bobbin, I've read most of the posts and the only criticism that I would post is how can you make a comment when you haven't used the product? I belong to a couple of different forums, some professional based some not in either case good reviews are posted by people who have used the product or services and will give you the pros and con's. From what I see the only drawback to this bobbin is the angle the thread goes into the ceramic tube, of course that can be said of most out there. I'll buy one, try it out for a couple of months and post the results! I think its worth a try at least.

Good observation. The Norvise is particularly prone to attracting worthless comments from non-users. Almost every negative post comes from someone that has never used a Norvise let alone owned one,...and probably has never even seen one in person.

 

In my experience, wrapping the thread around the bobbin leg once is usually enough to suspend the bobbin...but just barely enough. I usually wrap twice, and the angle of the thread entering the tube isn't extreme. I suppose three turns around the leg would increase the angle and promote issues with heavily waxed thread, but that hasn't been my experience.

 

Aside from expense, the most common complaint I've heard about the auto bobbin is the time required to spool up the thread. Yes, it's a whole three minutes of your life, but (again) the complaint usually voiced by non-users.

[JoeBillingsley 0]

For those of you who use the automatic bobbin holder, do you also use the Nor-Vise or do you use another "traditional" (for lack of a better word) vise?

 

Joe

[flytire 0]

norvise bobbin holder users only: how is the bobbin holder when using the recent batch of fine threads like veevus 12/0 - 16/0 etc?

 

smooth operation? breaks thread? learning curve?

[ditz2 0]

I like the idea of the auto bobbins. Somebody above indicated that the bobbin must rest on the table top below the fly. Is that actually true? I tie with the vise jaws out over the edge of the table.

[Bugsy 0]

norvise bobbin holder users only: how is the bobbin holder when using the recent batch of fine threads like veevus 12/0 - 16/0 etc?

 

smooth operation? breaks thread? learning curve?

I've yet to try Veevus at all, but do occasionally use Uni 8/0 and Danville 6/0 "flymaster" on the Nor-bobbin. These are the finest and "weakest" threads I've been tempted to use on the auto bobbin. No issue with thread breakage. Based on stated breaking strength, even Veevus 16/0 is as strong or stronger than Uni 8/0 or Danville.

 

The coiled flat spring mechanism slowly builds tension as thread is extracted. About every 14", the spring slips like a clutch to release the excess tension to prevent thread breakage, and the tension buildup starts over again. In those last couple inches of thread extraction, before the "clutch" slips, the tension is noticeable and probably enough to stress or break the lightest threads. Think of it like a speed bump: Slightly annoying,..and something you want to anticipate. Most flies don't require more than 14" of thread to tie, so it's not something you deal with more than once per fly, on average.

 

Anything that operates decidedly different has a learning curve, and the auto bobbin is no exception. It's short, though; spend an hour with it and tie a few flies, and you're over it.

 

I like the idea of the auto bobbins. Somebody above indicated that the bobbin must rest on the table top below the fly. Is that actually true? I tie with the vise jaws out over the edge of the table.

No, I think what you read in an earlier post is that the auto bobbin will continue to slip under its own weight unless you wrap the thread around one leg of the bobbin at least once or twice. The coiled spring doesn't impose enough friction against the inner and outer surfaces of the spool arbor initially, so the wrapped thread adds just enough to suspend the bobbin under the hook. Even if you didn't follow the instructions and wrap the thread around the leg, I don't think there's any concern with the bobbin hitting the floor (or even your lap) since more tension does build up in the spring as noted above.

[FlaFly 0]

I don't understand what makes the norvise bobbin automatic. It looks to me just like a regular bobbin with a narrower spool. I even went to the Norvise web site, and found no useful info. Someone please explain.

I got some typical sewing machine bobbin spools and a regular fly bobbin, on which I left the spindle arms close together so they wouldn't be too loose. I filled the bobbin spools on our sewing machine. My reason for doing this was the different kind of Dacron thread I wanted to experiment with only came on 3 inch long spools, too long for a regular bobbin.

Anyway, my sewing machine spools on a bobbin look just like the norvise bobbin pictured on their web site.

[Crackaig 0]

Sorry this is not about the Nor Bobbin holder, I've never used one. I am thankful for the information you have all provided, as I am considering them.

 

FlaFly, Those are not the best kind of sewing machine spool. Beware, those will grind away at the lugs on your bobbin holder. Its the split in the centre tube of the bobbin that does it. Look for the spools that have no split or are plastic. If you don't prepare to have rings ground into the lugs of your bobbin holder. Eventually it will not grip the spool. Yes there speaks the voice of experience!

 

Cheers,

C.

[Bugsy 0]

I don't understand what makes the norvise bobbin automatic. It looks to me just like a regular bobbin with a narrower spool. I even went to the Norvise web site, and found no useful info. Someone please explain.

I got some typical sewing machine bobbin spools and a regular fly bobbin, on which I left the spindle arms close together so they wouldn't be too loose. I filled the bobbin spools on our sewing machine. My reason for doing this was the different kind of Dacron thread I wanted to experiment with only came on 3 inch long spools, too long for a regular bobbin.

Anyway, my sewing machine spools on a bobbin look just like the norvise bobbin pictured on their web site.

During normal tying, the auto bobbin acts just like any other bobbin holder. Thread continues to be dispensed as you wrap turns under tension. When you want to shorten the distance between the bobbin tube and the hook for any reason, you simply move the bobbin closer to the fly, and it automatically retracts the thread and winds it back onto the spool. You can do this manually with a standard bobbin, but that's less convenient during some tying procedures...particularly when tying with a spinning vise like the Norvise.

 

Your standard bobbin with the narrow sewing spool looks like a Nor-bobbin about like a '72 Opel GT looks like a '72 Stingray.

[SilverCreek 0]

I don't understand what makes the norvise bobbin automatic. It looks to me just like a regular bobbin with a narrower spool. I even went to the Norvise web site, and found no useful info. Someone please explain.

 

I got some typical sewing machine bobbin spools and a regular fly bobbin, on which I left the spindle arms close together so they wouldn't be too loose. I filled the bobbin spools on our sewing machine. My reason for doing this was the different kind of Dacron thread I wanted to experiment with only came on 3 inch long spools, too long for a regular bobbin.

Anyway, my sewing machine spools on a bobbin look just like the norvise bobbin pictured on their web site.

 

 

 

When you use a rotary vise, there is a "bobbin rest" (#4 in the photo below). You pull out thread and hook the thread on the bobbin rest. It keeps the thread and bobbin out of the way while you rotate the fly to wind materials on the fly. For example, palmering hackle onto a wooly bugger or winding reinforcing wire over the hackle on a wooly bugger.

 

After you take the bobbin off of the rest, the "automatic" Nor Bobbin automatically retracts and winds the extra thread back onto the bobbin spool. With a regular bobbin, you would have to spin the thread spool to rewind the thread to get it back to tying length.

 

When you use the rating feature of a rotary vise, you will "get" why an automatic bobbin saves so much time.

 

 

 

 

 

The spools in the Norvise Automatic Bobbin fit onto the center bobbin hub (black) that has a clutch mechanism that releases thread when a certain amount of tension is applied. Notice the arrow on the hub that shows the way the tread should be mounted.

 

The leg inserts on your thread bobbin probably ride at an angle in the side holes of the sewing machine bobbins.

 

 

I agree with the poster who said that you should use plastic sewing machine bobbins. These sewing machine bobbins should be used with the Matarelli mini-bobbins ( on the right in the photo below). The angle of the bobbin struts are designed to meet the narrower sewing machine bobbin holes at a right angle.

 

 

 

 

Here is my Matarelli mini-bobbin with a preloaded nymo thread mini-spool. Notice the proper fit.

 

 

[flytire 0]

the spools are not the same as sewing machine spools

 

just watch the video on the norvise website

 

http://norvise.com/videos/fly-tying-part-4-automatic-bobbin/