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vicrider

If you sign for a swap...fulfill your obligation

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Of late there is a growing trend of waiting until last minute to send you swap flies and with slow mail and problems getting to PO or etc. swaps are dragging on weeks after they should be complete and we should be fishing the flies instead of wondering if we're ever getting them. It is time to be more serious about swaps and if you run a swap you take certain responsibilities and if you participate you have those same responsibilities. Timely  tying and shipping of flies helps everyone. Following rules listed thoroughly in stickies on this forum will help us as Swap Meisters get things turned around and back out faster. Good containers, good, small toe tags, proper return envelopes with sufficient stamped postage, and board name and real name on the container you ship flies in. If others get the same sheets of self-addressed labels I do they work well for this.

If persons do not get flies in by deadline or at least let SM know they are on the way then send me the name and they will need to explain what happened that they couldn't keep their commitment before they can sign up again. This forum has been one of the best on the internet for swaps and we need to work to keep it that way by doing our best to follow rules and meet deadlines.

Nick

 

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I'm very guilty of this ..... So sorry I will try to get better 

Steve-stabgnid

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Well put Nick!  So far I have found only 1 serious problem in all the fly swaps I have participated in so far.  AS a host I do appreciate when 1) the flies come in on time and 2) that the swappers name (AT LAEST their screen name) is on the flies, fly box and envelopes.  As hosts we use that name to cross reference all the materials and makes it much easier to make sure we are 100% accurate when we send your flies back to you.

I do appreciate the swaps run on this site - nice variety and quite a few fine Swapmeisters.  I will be happy to do anything to encourage this to continue.  I've seen other sites that run few swaps and one reason seems to be so many problems with past swaps - both swappers and, unfortunately, some hosts dropping off the face of the earth.  I hope we don't ever see that on this site.

Kim

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With getting ready to plant garden a few other things coming up I am stepping back from swaps as I try to get flies out within 2 weeks after I sign up.

 

Rick 

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Swapmeister Duties

1. Announce your intentions for the fly swap. Provide instructions on what type of flies to tie and a total on the number of tiers for the swap. I try to stick with a quantity of 12 tyers including myself. That seems to be a number that everyone is comfortable with. When you post your swap, also provide a signup deadline and a deadline for the flies to be in. Stick to the swap deadline! Don’t wait for PROCRASTINATORS! They spoil the swap for everybody!
 
2. Provide instructions for mailing in flies. I will post my mailing address in a private message (PM) after all swappers have signed up.  
 
3. When the swap is full post on the BB it is full so other tiers won't be wasting there time trying to join the swap.

4. When you receive flies from the tiers, let them know on the bulletin board/forum or send a PM to each swapper that you have received their swap flies.

5. Once you receive all flies from all tiers, its time to sort them, get them all packaged up and deliver them to the post office in a timely manner. Notify all tiers either on the bulletin board/forum or by PM that you have mailed out the flies to them.
 
6. This is an option – if the swapmeister has the time and resources, it is a nice gesture to photograph the swap flies individually and post them to the bulletin board/forum for anybody to view them.
 
7. It is important that swapmeisters and tyers communicate with each other thru a private message (PM) or in a bulletin board/forum posting. Swapmeisters it is a good idea to check your post at least once a day, to see if you have any more swappers that have signed up, or in case any of your swappers have questions.


Fly Swapper Duties

1. Understand what you are getting yourself into. When you join a swap, please read the guidelines the swapmeister has provided and adhere to those guidelines! If you feel that you cannot tie the type of fly the swapmeister has posted or if you find the quantity of flies to be tied too many don’t join the swap.
 
2. Post what fly pattern you will be tying. 
 
3. Tie your swap flies and let the swapmeister know you have finished.
 
4. Include with your flies a toe tag (small piece of paper) with the name of the fly, your name and/or bulletin board/forum user name and your email address so the other tiers can email you for the fly tying instructions. (Please see the end of this article regarding toe tags.)
 
5. When mailing your flies, please send them in a strong enough and big enough box that will protect them and will hold all of the flies you will be receiving back. Obviously the size of the flies is going to dictate what size of container to mail them in. Mark the box with your name and address and your user name. It would be a nice gesture if you can mail your swap flies at least 10 days before the end of the swap so they will get to the swapmeister by the deadline date or earlier. (Please see the end of this article for more on containers/boxes.) 
 
6. Tyers must include a self addressed stamped envelope that is strong enough and big enough for the fly box/container you send in and will receive back. Include postage on your return envelope in the form of stamps. Here is what I do: insert you fly box/container in the return envelope (do not seal it at this time) and ask the postmaster for postage from the swapmeisters zip code. Affix the correct amount of stamps to the return envelope. Now you can insert that envelope into the larger mailing envelope and get the postmaster to get you the final postage. 
 
7. When you receive the swap flies back in the mail notify the Swapmeister on the BB or by PM that you have received them.
 
8. Don't procrastinate! It doesn't look good for you and can make the other swappers a little mad when they have done their best in tying their swap flies and getting them mailed in time.
 
9. Situations in life happens and if it does please contact the swapmeister as soon as possible if you need to drop out of the swap. This gives the swapmeister the option to find a new swapper or to just continue without you.

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Thanks for this posting.  Being an SM is fun and rewarding as long as everyone follows the rules.  It has been a tough and weird year and this is a fun outlet.   However, don't sign up if you aren't going to participate.   It is frustrating 😒 when people are late or take up a space someone else would have enjoyed. 

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I enjoy hosting swaps.  However, two big frustrations for me are:

1. when swappers send cash for postage which means I have to stand in line at the post office.

2.  When the boxes are tiny.  It makes it hard to not crush the flies.  Send a fairly large open box, maybe 3x4 or so.

It would be awesome if each person would photograph their fly and put it on the swap thread along with a recipe rather than type up the recipe and attach to the fly.  Just my 5 cents.  Sorry if this seems like a rant, but it is hard to get to the post office on my lunch break.

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1. Our local post office has a machine in the outer lobby where you pay with a credit card and print the stamps. Check with the grocery stores' customer service counter and pharmacies. Our CVS pharmacy has stamps. We are usually there once a week to pick up medications. Plus, it is on the way to just about a jillion restaurants and shopping areas. Haven't been on the post office in ages.

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But here's the thing skeet3t. It is the responsibility of the swapper to have the postage on the envelopes. In a pinch maybe sending money is the only option but it is definitely more trouble for the SM to get everything out on time. Depending on type of swap it doesn't hurt to have PM put an extra quarter on stamps since if you send dry flies and most of the rest of us send beadheads it ends up postage short for SM. If you want to do your own stamps, and I do often, get the sheet from your PO on how much postage is needed on packages, weigh them and put on proper stamps plus a bit.

Nick

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swapper-envelope.jpg

Swappers responsibility

Self Addressed Stamped Envelope

this is pretty simple to understand and do

this is an old photo but now it take 9 forever stamps (@55 cents) for return postage

or simply have your post master weigh the package and buy that amount of stamps

insert you fly box/container in the return envelope (do not seal it at this time) and ask the postmaster for postage from the swapmeisters zip code. Affix the correct amount of stamps to the return envelope. Now you can insert that envelope into the larger mailing envelope and get the postmaster to get you the final postage. 

do not use a metered stamp as it is only good for that day you purchased it

swapmeister-envelope.jpg

 

please note that envelope sizes are subject to change depending on the size of the fly box you are sending your flies in

 

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4 hours ago, flytire said:

typical swap shipping setup

typical-shipping-setup.jpg

And don't forget your flies! :) 

Kim

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Over the years I have found it helpful to send a reminder PM two weeks before the due date.  And another, one week before, to those I have not heard from by then.  No one knows better than me that life happens.  Just keep the SM informed, I'll wait for flies, just tell me why and when.

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