cementing feathers

[xrayguy 0]

Hey guys, I'm just getting into creating some stone patterns. One of the patterns calls for cemented turkey quill. Now I've made several attempts at this already, using dave's flexcement. It's hit or miss whether the cement bonds the quill to my piece of film ( I use old xray film, clean smooth surface, works greats for lots of fly tying apps).

So half the time I don't get all the feather back in one piece.

The question is: How do you cement these feathers and keep them from cementing to whatever your working on?

thanx

rick

[Guest]

cenent them before you put them on the fly.

 

i use an acrylic type spray found at most craft stores (they use it to spray flowers with). just spray down the feather or feathers and let it air dry. it only takes about a day for it to air dry. after that you can tie all you want.

 

i have also just done the same with head cement. just "paint" the feather with cement and let it dry overnight and it will be good to go.

[Guest]

Head cement, Hard-As-Nails, Flexament, clear spray can from the paint aisle - all done off the quill in segments the size you need; really shouldn't take forever to dry.

[xrayguy 0]

Ya I gather to use flexcement. But when I'm cementing them they actually dry and bond to the film I use. How do I prevent the feather from bonding to the surface. As i'm trying to peel the feather/qull off, half of it gets ripped.

thanx

rick

[Guest]

i guess i dont understand why you are cementing to film?? never heard of that one before.

 

does it call for that in the recipie?

 

 

[Guest]

I do all of my gluing and cementing on a piece of waxed paper. Head cement won't stick to it.

[Bamboo 0]

 

I've cemented the feather to streched nylons using pvc cement. Stretch the nylon in an embroidary hoop and then glue the feather to the nylon. I'd guess you could put a 'film' in a hoop and get the same effect.

 

Bamboo

[Graham 0]

I take a whole turkey feather, hold it in my left hand and pour some fleament onto it, then smear it all over with my bodkin to make a thin smoother layer, Gotta do this quickly or the flexament gets gooey and globby. I often use a finger and thumb to speed up the process. Let it dry then flip the feather over and do the same to the other side and then stick it in a piece of foam to keep anything from touching the feather until it's dry. Then when I need a little slip of that feather for a fly I stick the tip of my bodkin into the stem and pull outwards to separte the fibers, then do the same 1/8" or 1/4" or whatever width needed to separate a section on both sides. Then I cut the piece off at the feather quill with scissors. The flexament or softex tears cleanly and you have a durable little piece to tie with. This works for me.

 

Graham