Im 21 years old and have been tying since I was about 11, using the same vise, It has since been modified slightly to ensure its working as I have discovered vises do wear out!! I am looking to upgrade to a rotary vise!! I am on a slight budget because I am in school, thats why Im hoping for some help from you fellow fly tiers. Any info on internet sites or even used vises would be appreciated. Thanks
Looking For Rotary Vise
- Thread starter madfly
- Start date
mcnerney
Administrator
Madfly: Take a look at this thread, it has a pretty good discussion on the major brands of rotary vises: http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/f...discussions/41591-new-tying-looking-vise.html
Larry
Larry
Fly2Fish
Well-known member
Hi Madfly, welcome to the Forum.
I guess the first two questions that come to mind are just what your budget limitations are and what size flies you will be tying (makes a difference if you'll need auxiliary optional jaws & whether they're available for a particular vise).
I think a good place to start is to look at the best online vise review by various price ranges ($150 max) I'm aware of: Fly Tying Vises In-Depth Review by Fly Fish Ohio! (Fly Fisherman had a good one also, but their link has been dead lately).
Larry has a good recommendation of the most-recent Forum thread on vises, but it concentrates on higher-end Peak and Renzetti Traveler to the exclusion of a number of other good vises, which you can familiarize yourself with in a couple additional Forum threads: http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/general-fly-tying-discussions/11951-whats-your-vise.html and http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/f...ng-discussions/13080-first-vice-question.html are two that come to mind (one of which has an excellent comprehensive review by Moderator Peregrines), but there are many more; do a search for "vises" to find them.
Like Larry, I currently tie on a Peak full rotary and love it, but I previously tied on a Danvise for a lot less ($144 v. $80) and liked it about as well. I upgraded because the Peak offered optional midge jaws better suited for the tiny #24-32 flies I tie for the tailwaters I mostly fly-fish & the Danvise didn't (tying smaller than #22 on the Danvise was possible but cumbersome). Not so coincidentally, in the FlyFish Ohio comparative review recommended above, of the 20 vises reviewed, the $144 Peak ranked highest overall and in class ($100-150) and the $80 Danvise highest in class ($50-100) and third overall, missing second by a paltry .04 to the $145 Griffin Blackfoot Mongoose (4.13 v. 4.17 score). It's important to note that this test was limited to vises no more expensive than $150, and there are plenty of vises more expensive than that, including the member-highly-recommended Renzetti Traveler (& it's also important to consider when comparing different models that some include accessories that others charge for as optionals).
Vise discussions on this Forum often start out focusing on "value" vises for the beginning tier but typically then escalate to much more expensive vises better suited to professional &/or tiers with a lot of "loose change", so keep this in mind as the recommendations come trickling in. I know plenty of professional tiers who tie on the Danvise - Delrin plastic, perhaps, in its unstressed parts, but state-of-the-art in its design features (true full rotary, ball-bearing construction, included bobbin hanger, D-Arm, material clip, etc.).
I guess the first two questions that come to mind are just what your budget limitations are and what size flies you will be tying (makes a difference if you'll need auxiliary optional jaws & whether they're available for a particular vise).
I think a good place to start is to look at the best online vise review by various price ranges ($150 max) I'm aware of: Fly Tying Vises In-Depth Review by Fly Fish Ohio! (Fly Fisherman had a good one also, but their link has been dead lately).
Larry has a good recommendation of the most-recent Forum thread on vises, but it concentrates on higher-end Peak and Renzetti Traveler to the exclusion of a number of other good vises, which you can familiarize yourself with in a couple additional Forum threads: http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/general-fly-tying-discussions/11951-whats-your-vise.html and http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/f...ng-discussions/13080-first-vice-question.html are two that come to mind (one of which has an excellent comprehensive review by Moderator Peregrines), but there are many more; do a search for "vises" to find them.
Like Larry, I currently tie on a Peak full rotary and love it, but I previously tied on a Danvise for a lot less ($144 v. $80) and liked it about as well. I upgraded because the Peak offered optional midge jaws better suited for the tiny #24-32 flies I tie for the tailwaters I mostly fly-fish & the Danvise didn't (tying smaller than #22 on the Danvise was possible but cumbersome). Not so coincidentally, in the FlyFish Ohio comparative review recommended above, of the 20 vises reviewed, the $144 Peak ranked highest overall and in class ($100-150) and the $80 Danvise highest in class ($50-100) and third overall, missing second by a paltry .04 to the $145 Griffin Blackfoot Mongoose (4.13 v. 4.17 score). It's important to note that this test was limited to vises no more expensive than $150, and there are plenty of vises more expensive than that, including the member-highly-recommended Renzetti Traveler (& it's also important to consider when comparing different models that some include accessories that others charge for as optionals).
Vise discussions on this Forum often start out focusing on "value" vises for the beginning tier but typically then escalate to much more expensive vises better suited to professional &/or tiers with a lot of "loose change", so keep this in mind as the recommendations come trickling in. I know plenty of professional tiers who tie on the Danvise - Delrin plastic, perhaps, in its unstressed parts, but state-of-the-art in its design features (true full rotary, ball-bearing construction, included bobbin hanger, D-Arm, material clip, etc.).
Vise discussions on this Forum often start out focusing on "value" vises for the beginning tier but typically then escalate to much more expensive vises better suited to professional &/or tiers with a lot of "loose change", so keep this in mind as the recommendations come trickling in. I know plenty of professional tiers who tie on the Danvise - Delrin plastic, perhaps, in its unstressed parts, but state-of-the-art in its design features (true full rotary, ball-bearing construction, included bobbin hanger, D-Arm, material clip, etc.).[/QUOTE]
I have looked at the Danvises, and I am quite familiar with the Derlin material, due to my materials engineering major. I know that the material itself has a great strength and limited bend. My only concern with this vise is that I am unsure of what the actual jaws are made of? Are they the plastic, or metal? I am very leery if the jaws are plastic, as to how well it would hold the fly?
Second, considering fly sizes, Most flies I tie are in the 8-20 size ranges. Most flies fall around 14 and 16 for steel head and trout nymphs. Is the Danvise sufficient for holding and tying these sizes of flies? And how well does that particular vise "hold" the hook from slipping and sliding with a bobbin hanging, or giving some good pulls to securely lock down some material?
I have looked at the Danvises, and I am quite familiar with the Derlin material, due to my materials engineering major. I know that the material itself has a great strength and limited bend. My only concern with this vise is that I am unsure of what the actual jaws are made of? Are they the plastic, or metal? I am very leery if the jaws are plastic, as to how well it would hold the fly?
Second, considering fly sizes, Most flies I tie are in the 8-20 size ranges. Most flies fall around 14 and 16 for steel head and trout nymphs. Is the Danvise sufficient for holding and tying these sizes of flies? And how well does that particular vise "hold" the hook from slipping and sliding with a bobbin hanging, or giving some good pulls to securely lock down some material?
FrankB2
Well-known member
Some people love the DanVise....LOTS of people. I had the chance to play with one at a Cabelas store, and couldn't stand the vise's bulky design. I have large hands, but knew that I'd never ever feel comfortable with the vise. The delrin is partly responsible for that bulk, as more material is required when using a plastic. The Danvise also flexes when you rest your hand on top, and that ended the demo for me. There are knock-off rotary vises available for $45, and they're 100% metal. Some of the posters here own this vise (known as a Zephyr, E-Z, etc), and I've used one myself while talking to a guy a demo. It's fine, and it's the vise this particular tyer uses for tying shows. Try before you buy, or buy one with a return option.
I have a Peak vise, and it's a peach. The other vise I had considered was the HMH Spartan. The HMH does work as a rotary vise when the head is lowered
parallel to the table. It's not an "in-line" rotary vise, but most aren't unless you adjust the jaws for each hook size (which most people don't).
I have a Peak vise, and it's a peach. The other vise I had considered was the HMH Spartan. The HMH does work as a rotary vise when the head is lowered
parallel to the table. It's not an "in-line" rotary vise, but most aren't unless you adjust the jaws for each hook size (which most people don't).
Fly2Fish
Well-known member
Frank, I agree that the Danvise is bulkier than the Peak, which you and I both currently tie with. My problem with the Danvise was not its bulk, which for me was not that much (especially considering its light weight), but more that when tying midges, the bulk around the jaws made tying these tiny flies cumbersome. That's why I upgraded to the Peak with its (optional & expensive) midge jaws.
Regarding the Zephr EZ Rotary, this vise was one of the top-rated under-$50 vises in the Fly-Fish Ohio comparison test. I wasn't clear whether it was a true rotary, but at that price and rating, it certainly has to be considered a great starter vise.
Both our Franks (FrankB2 & Frank Whiton) are keen on vises being pure metal (& for Frank W., preferably ferrous, not aluminum). As Frank W. has stated, this is a matter of personal preference. I know that Frank W. does not like plastic gun stocks either. But while I don't like, say, plastic plumbing, there are several different types of plastics, some more sturdy than others. My M-60 machine gun in Nam was - like the Danvise - largely composed of Delrin-type plastic in its non-stressed parts, and it took care of me and my platoon just fine.
---------- Post added at 03:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:45 AM ----------
Madfly, the jaws are steel, as are the other stressed parts, i.e., shaft.
Those fly sizes are right in the Danvise's sweet spot. I never had any problem easily holding flies in that size range (BTW, there is a larger jaw optionally available for, say, saltwater flies, but just not a smaller one for midges).
Jimmie
Well-known member
I tie on a Danvise so to address your questions. The jaws are metal. One of my major criticisms is the metal jaws are a little soft. The jaws can torque down super hard but you don't want to do that and run the risk of curling the edges on the jaws. There are specific directions on how to consistently adjust the torque so there won't be any hook slippage.
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ezamora
Well-known member
Keep using the vise you have now and save for a good one. You're only going to keep tying more and more. Cut out the beer and chips
, sell blood at the Red Cross, sell your flies online and save your money and get a good rotary vise that you'll have for the rest of your life. Renzetti, Peak, Nor-Vise, Griffin, Thompson Cobra, Dyna King etc.
If you have to have one now, spring for the Danvise like others suggested. At under $70 most of the time, you'll have a new vise and can save up for a really nice one. One you can introduce to your parents and not be ashamed.
:yikes:
, sell blood at the Red Cross, sell your flies online and save your money and get a good rotary vise that you'll have for the rest of your life. Renzetti, Peak, Nor-Vise, Griffin, Thompson Cobra, Dyna King etc.If you have to have one now, spring for the Danvise like others suggested. At under $70 most of the time, you'll have a new vise and can save up for a really nice one. One you can introduce to your parents and not be ashamed.
:yikes:
vanceinak
Well-known member
Just got my Danvise in the mail yesterday. Haven't had a chance to tie on it yet, but when I clamped it to the table it seemed nice & sturdy. Quality is nice & I feel it was money well invested. I guess time will tell.
I also ordered the extension arm to give a little more working room (now that I have the vise I'm not sure the extension arm is needed). Total for the vise & extension was about $82. due to their sale this month.
JS Fly Fishing: Rod Building, Fly Tying: Danvise
I also ordered the extension arm to give a little more working room (now that I have the vise I'm not sure the extension arm is needed). Total for the vise & extension was about $82. due to their sale this month.
JS Fly Fishing: Rod Building, Fly Tying: Danvise