UV Resins

[jfh245]

Having used several diffenent resins while tying, my results have been somewhat spotty. Uneven coating, dull finishes, milky finishes, and finishes that have faded quickly. Any suggestions about brands that have produced your best high gloss, reflective coatings that haven't darkened, become milky, or dulled.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[silver creek]

I make two types of UV resin. They are new versions which are clearer and more impact resistant than other brands.

I was demo tying at the Badger Fly Fishers Spring opener and next to me was tyer using the UV resin starting with "S" for tying perdigon nymphs. I had not tested my resin side by side before with this brand so we put two thick drops side by side and the S had a slight yellow tint and my was clear. He bought a bottle of my resin.

PM me and I will give you the details.

 

[spm]

+1 for Silver Creek's resin.

s.

 

[ia_trouter]

+2, his stuff is the best I ever used.

 

[sparsegraystubble]

Thus far I have avoided using or buying the resins. That’s partially because I don’t know what to buy, but also because I figure I am likely to make a mess. Basically I use head cement and that’s it. I don’t use super glue in all its forms because I figure I will end up gluing my fingers together with a fly in the middle.

But I am seeing more and more videos where resin is used and I am beginning to weaken. So I ask you folks whether someone who ties trout flies is really missing that much by not using resins. And what do I need to get started other than a UV light of some sort (what sort?) and a bottle or two of Silver’s juice.

Thanks for any advice to go with that for the OP.

Don

 

[myt1]

Thus far I have avoided using or buying the resins. That’s partially because I don’t know what to buy, but also because I figure I am likely to make a mess. Basically I use head cement and that’s it. I don’t use super glue in all its forms because I figure I will end up gluing my fingers together with a fly in the middle.

But I am seeing more and more videos where resin is used and I am beginning to weaken. So I ask you folks whether someone who ties trout flies is really missing that much by not using resins. And what do I need to get started other than a UV light of some sort (what sort?) and a bottle or two of Silver’s juice.

Thanks for any advice to go with that for the OP.

Don

Wapsi Fly Tyers Z-Ment | J. Stockard Fly Fishing

This is the super glue I use. The brush applicator is the best method I've found so far to apply CA.

Trust me, if it would be possible to glue your fingers together using this stuff I would've done it by now.

 

[Ard]

Another vote for Silver Creek's resin, at one time he was selling through the forum and everyone loved the material. Maybe drop him a PM and solve your problem.

 

[ia_trouter]

Thus far I have avoided using or buying the resins. That’s partially because I don’t know what to buy, but also because I figure I am likely to make a mess. Basically I use head cement and that’s it. I don’t use super glue in all its forms because I figure I will end up gluing my fingers together with a fly in the middle.

But I am seeing more and more videos where resin is used and I am beginning to weaken. So I ask you folks whether someone who ties trout flies is really missing that much by not using resins. And what do I need to get started other than a UV light of some sort (what sort?) and a bottle or two of Silver’s juice.

Thanks for any advice to go with that for the OP.

Don

Since nobody else took a shot at your question....

As you well know you can survive without UV resin for most trout flies. There are some sinking trout patterns that just work better with UV resin for sure. My biggest attraction to it is medium to large warm water flies. It dries clear and bulletproof on the heads, in a matter of a few seconds. It looks very professional like the head on an expensive bass jig or spinnerbait a gear chucker would use. As far as UV lights, Silver Creek's large light is a torch. It looks and feels like a mini-tactical flashlight. A real quality piece. It's not nearly the same as some $5 light from a discount chain. I've used Loon brand resin. It works well enough, but it's not quite as good as SC's and it's more expensive.

 

[silver creek]

Since nobody else took a shot at your question....

As far as UV lights, Silver Creek's large light is a torch. It looks and feels like a mini-tactical flashlight. A real quality piece.

I use the same flashlight body as a "tactical" type of light. I keep one in each of my cars. Since I buy the flashlight bodies and bulbs separately, I just put in a white light bulb instead of a UV bulb.

 

[jfh245]

Just received Silver Creek's UV resin in the mail today after having posted about the difficulties encountered with various brands. This is not to be taken as an advertisement for the company, but it is absolutely the best product I've ever used...... crystal clear, no tacky finish, and excellent coverage. Thanks for the post recommendations.

 

[ia_trouter]

Just received Silver Creek's UV resin in the mail today after having posted about the difficulties encountered with various brands. This is not to be taken as an advertisement for the company, but it is absolutely the best product I've ever used...... crystal clear, no tacky finish, and excellent coverage. Thanks for the post recommendations.

It's OK to advertise a little. Most of us have used high end brands. They work well enough for twice the price. His stuff is just better for the reasons you stated. Silver has posted a few thousand pages assisting forum members. I doubt anyone has a problem with him making a few bucks on his side gig. It's not like he is spamming the forum. He's never done that. Frankly I didn't even know he was still selling UV. I bought two bottles and it is getting really old so time for a new order soon. Still working last I checked and I am quite sure I am way past the intended shelf life.

 

[silver creek]

Maybe a few of you will be interested in how I came to make UV resins. Even I think it is an unlikely occurrence.

I got into UV resins by serendipity.

I bought a UV resin kit when they first came out but the resin did not cure and was tacky. I emailed the owner and he said to use a coat of Sally Hansens. I was kind of p*ssed over this response. I had wasted $65 on a resin kit that did not work as advertised.

When this happened I had been retired for well over 10 years. Since my undergrad major was chemistry, I was curious as to why the resin did not cure. So I did some online research into why the resin did not cure. The internet is a wonderful thing. You can get access to all kinds of technical articles and I learned what was wrong with the first versions of the UV resins. Then I was curious about if there was a way to make UV resin that did cure with low power flashlight rather than with commercial UV curing “ovens.” From there, it was more research into if it was possible to order the materials at a low enough cost and in small enough quantities to make my own version of a UV resin. Then it was experimentation with different photo activators until I found a formula that seemed to cure all the way.

I then made up a few bottles of UV resin that cured without any tack and I gave to Gary Borger to try out and some of my TU fly tying friends. The resin was only for giving away to supply my group of local friends who tied.

Fast forward a couple of months and it was February and the lows were -20 degrees over night the evening before I was manning a TU booth at a local sports show. Lund's Fly Shop was right next to the TU booth and he was tying musky flies that used a coating of UV resin and I was tying with my UV resin. The owner of Lund's found that his UV resin would not even cure. He had left his tying stuff in his truck and the -20 degrees had ruined his Clear Cure Goo. So he asked for a bottle of my resin. After he tied a few flies, he asked me where I got the resin because he wanted some for his fly shop. I told him I made it for my myself and friends and I didn't have enough to supply him.

Over the next few weeks he kept telling me that he wanted to buy some so I made up another batch and supplied him and from there other tiers that I met at fly tying demos wanted to buy my resin. I then learned that over time that first version of resin was not totally clear and over time gradually yellowed. It was also hard and more brittle than I wanted. So over the years I experimented with different formulas and I have sold at least 7 different formulas.

Sometimes, I find a formula that is better than the one I am selling. Then I use the new formula. I know I have at least 30 bottles of the last formula that I am not selling and maybe 50 bottles of even older versions in my basement.

Some of the formulas I liked, I can no longer make because I can no longer get the materials in small quantities at a low enough cost.

 

[ia_trouter]

I actually was curious how you got into this. I was pretty sure you are not a starving trout bum. I have looked into a few small business endeavors over the years. It's a little tough to get started when you wish to buy QTY 100 or a quart, but the price break is at QTY 10,000 or 50 gallons.

 

[Sdotjee]

I make two types of UV resin. They are new versions which are clearer and more impact resistant than other brands.

I was demo tying at the Badger Fly Fishers Spring opener and next to me was tyer using the UV resin starting with "S" for tying perdigon nymphs. I had not tested my resin side by side before with this brand so we put two thick drops side by side and the S had a slight yellow tint and my was clear. He bought a bottle of my resin.

PM me and I will give you the details.

@silvercreek...I can’t PM you yet, I’m not really a big poster...I want to try your clear resin if you still have any

 

[silver creek]

I pm'd you with my email address and instructions.

 

[garroyo2]

I pm'd you with my email address and instructions.

Reviving a dead post. If you're still selling resin, I'm interested. Unable to send PM due to being new.

 

[silver creek]

Pm sent to garroyo2