Living the Portable Life

[Kvnhaye 0]

I have an old AA vise that I learned to tie on. It is stuck away in a drawer and not getting used. My family and I love camping and there have been many times I wished I had a way of tying there stream side. 

Do any of you "live a portable life"? Wether it's a kit while on business or vacation or something you have stream side. If so what do these setups consist of and what do you bring with you? I am looking for ideas and inspiration to put my own together. 

[skeet3t 0]

A friend had a clamp-on vise, clamped on a short piece of board. He would lay it across the steering wheel and tie whatever he found in the spider webs along the river. Or what was stuck to the front of the car.

I have carried some basics in an old plastic box that held my mother's sewing things.

[Poopdeck 0]

I've spent a great deal of time pondering this myself. Not for stream side tying but I was in need of a way to take my stuff to a monthly fly tying group. I will assume it will work for camp side tying, not so sure about stream side. Got the idea from someone here. I wish I could remember who to give them the credit because it has worked beautifully for my needs. A simple old laptop bag. Holds my vice, base, lamp, extension cord and all the tying tools and material I need. I usually only carry what I'm tying that night but it will hold a surprisingly large amount of material if you were so inclined.

 

[Kvnhaye 0]

That's a cool idea. Never would have thought of using that. They are a dime a dozen at our local 2nd hand stores

[SilverCreek 0]

I have 3 portable kits.

The green Cordura nylon case is a one of a kind fly tying case made for me by Dan Baumgartner, the owner of DB Dun. It is a prototype that never made it into production.

The other two cases were also given to me by the manufacturers.

[mikechell 0]

plastic tool case ... tool long gone.

Plastic sheet (red) and 1" foam pieces from a surplus store.

Three layers.  One with the vise, base and pieces.

One with bobbin holders and other tools

One with hooks, beads and chenille.

I carry a separate, small soft bag with material in it.

[richmce 0]

mike, ive seen your travel kit when we tied at a mcdonalds a few years ago.     you just need a carry on bag for all the material i gave you

[mikechell 0]

Got one, Rich.  And yes, many of the materials you gave me are in there!

[cphubert 0]

I built it & it's heavy. would consider the lap top cases and a small tying bench (like oasis or similar). streamside is relative to light, & weather on truck tailgate, better for RV travel & shows/club events. I stock material to my destination expectations. carry half necks, bucktail & hair pieces, dubbing dispenser box,  loose materials in zip locks and hook assortment. 

[SilverCreek 0]

 ^^^^ That  looks great! 

[niveker 0]

Wow, some great ideas here. 

@mikechell, I really like that idea of using an old tool case or maybe a hard briefcase with foam the inserts.  

[cphubert 0]

8 hours ago, SilverCreek said:

That  looks great! 

Thanks Silver but now that I am retired I'm planning to rethink and rebuild. learned a lot of things about what works for me or what I want and top of the list is lighter weight. 

[Kvnhaye 0]

Thanks all for your advice. You have given me the inspiration and ideas to get the kit put together

 

[flytire 0]

ive used a cheap plastic bag in the past for tying lessons 😀 cuz i'm cheap 😀

on fishing trips i'd rather do fishing than tying. after all it a fishing trip not a tying trip. but that's just me

[DarrellP 0]

I have a rolling briefcase.  When I go visit the kids or whatever, I can take along a good bit.