beads

[dreamcaster4639 0]

How important is the countersink of the beads you get at fly shops. I found a nice selection of brass beads in various colors at the craft store but are not countersunk on the one side. Want some feed back before I buy. They are 1/8" or 3.3mm 200 for $3.

[bluegill576 0]

by countersink do you mean one end of the bead is larger than the other. If so it is not necessary but it helps a lot, but you could probably get away with it if you are using a barbless hook. Also are they metal?

[dreamcaster4639 0]

by countersink do you mean one end of the bead is larger than the other. If so it is not necessary but it helps a lot, but you could probably get away with it if you are using a barbless hook. Also are they metal?

Yes they are metal they are made of brass

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Even with a barbless hook, it is sometimes impossible to get a non-countersunk bead around the hookbend especially the Limerick and other specialty bend hooks in smaller sizes.

I have been using the plastic craft store beads, which float, on neutral buoyancy baitfish flies. When I have that problem on some hooks as mentioned above, I take my tungsten, dremel, bit that is cone shaped but comes to a point and use it to countersink the bead by twisting/spinning the bit back and forth with my fingers, the plastic is soft enough to do this. Then the bead just slips right around the bend. I'd imagine with a metal bead, I could do the same thing except would have to chuck the bit and use the motor.

 

Kirk

 

Not sure if it is clear in the pic or not but you can at least see what kind of bit I'm talking about.

[KPitt 0]

I would definitely agree with Kirk, the bevel allows your hook to go around hook bends. Believe me I have tried the others as well, beads always seem so expensive,I was always looking for a way to save money .

[Chase Creek 0]

Great idea, Kirk. I've had the same problem with plastic beads before, I'll try that.

[dreamcaster4639 0]

That seems like alot of work drilling each bead I think I will just keep buying the ones that are made for tying. Thanks for all of the input I appreciate it

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Dream, I buy the metal ones for fly tying too. For plastic though, it is pretty quick.

 

Kirk

[dreamcaster4639 0]

Dream, I buy the metal ones for fly tying too. For plastic though, it is pretty quick.

 

Kirk

For the plastics it is simple I had to try it

[cameron 0]

Dream, I buy the metal ones for fly tying too. For plastic though, it is pretty quick.

 

Kirk

For the plastics it is simple I had to try it

For $3, maybe just try it. If they work, score. If they don't, try returning them. Otherwise, you are out three bucks.

[primitivepete 0]

I use a lot of metal and glass beads I get at craft stores for tying. they don't all work, but you can do something with most of them. Sometimes you can get glass ones with mixed sizes in one package. I'll bet I've tied a thousand flies with one pack I got for $2.

[flytire 0]

if the beads you got at the craft shop fits around the bend of the hooks you are installing them on, then the countersink is irrelevant.

 

the countersink does help the bead get around really tight bends in smaller hooks.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

if the beads you got at the craft shop fits around the bend of the hooks you are installing them on, then the countersink is irrelevant.

 

the countersink does help the bead get around really tight bends in smaller hooks.

 

Exactly, good point, I should have said that. I only countersink those plastic beads when they won't fit around the bend. With a metal bead, you can sometimes force it as the metal bead is strong and if it isn't to tight, will open the bend enough to slip around but I've cracked apart plastic beads forcing them.

 

Kirk

[BamBudday 0]

I really like the glass beads I get from the craft store a lot, but I have had them shatter on rocks every now and then.

 

Anyone else have this happen?

 

Also...how does the glass affect the sink rate compared to brass or tungsten?

[JSzymczyk 0]

Glass beads break occasionally. They are, after all, made out of glass.

 

for a given size, glass is less than a third as "heavy" as brass, and much less than tungsten:

 

in lbs per cubic foot (wow that would be a BIG bead):

 

glass 161

brass 534

tungsten 1200

 

that's ASSuming common silica window glass. some types could be more dense, but not by that much.