Solder as a "weight" on a fly?

[gordon in nc]

Hi all,

Digging around in the man cave and found a big roll of thin guage SOLDER stuck in a back drawer.

Hmmmm, says I ... will this work to weight flies I would like to attempt to tie ?

It is the ELECTRICAL type with ROSIN as the flux core .. NOT the ACID flux core as some are.

What think thee ?

Gordon in NC

 

[jpbfly]

It should work...depends how thin it is...and the size of flies you want to tie.But remember heavy flies are not easy to cast

 

[MoscaPescador]

It could work. But I do not think solder is as dense as lead wire.

MP

 

[BigCliff]

It should work, although it won't be as heavy as the same guage in solid lead wire, due to having the less dense rosin in the core. It also might break off easier due to the hollow core.

I'd also consider the scent of the rosin. It could be a turn-off to the fish, then again it might mask the scent from your hands from tying.

 

[shorthaul]

I bought a spool of lead fuse wire that works very well for weighting flies. 3 amp is about right. I split it with a friend and after 20 yrs i'm getting down to the bottom of it.

 

[kimkim3074]

I bought a spool of lead fuse wire that works very well for weighting flies. 3 amp is about right. I split it with a friend and after 20 yrs i'm getting down to the bottom of it.

Any pic of it??

 

[shorthaul]

No Kimkim---the green spool says: Buss Fuse Wire 1/2# 3 ampere

Made by: Bussmann mfg div
Mcgraw-Edison co
St.Louis 7, Mo

It seems to me that we had 2 different sizes(The other size was a bigger diameter) but I just have this one left. The diameter of the lead 3 amp wire is .033"

 

[okuma]

Snap! What a cool idea. Hmmmm...wonder if i spin the vise it will go round like my glue egg flies do i make?(brain cells in over drive now)

 

[gordon in nc]

Snap! What a cool idea. Hmmmm...wonder if i spin the vise it will go round like my glue egg flies do i make?(brain cells in over drive now)

Glue egg flies ? More info please .. pictures would be great !

Gordon in NC

 

[afishinado]

Solder might work, but in order to allow the solder to adhere to the hook, you need to heat up the hook close to red hot. That being the case, you may ruin the temper on the hook. IMO, wrapping lead or lead substitute wire is easier and faster anyway. Good luck.

 

[gordon in nc]

Solder might work, but in order to allow the solder to adhere to the hook, you need to heat up the hook close to red hot. That being the case, you may ruin the temper on the hook. IMO, wrapping lead or lead substitute wire is easier and faster anyway. Good luck.

My bad on explaining what type of solder I have on hand ...

What I have is a SPOOL of solder ... just like a spool of lead wire you buy for fly tying. Just pull off a strand of what you need for soldering or fly tying

Plus, what I have is very thin gage .. for use with small tip pencil soldering irons .. THIN stuff for sure, like you use on circuit boards.

Your right .. trying to take a "hunk" of solder and get it to stick to a hook ... doubt that would work without messing up the temper for sure ..

 

[okuma]

Glue egg: use a small glue gun and some translucent glue sticks. When glue is heated, apply a small amount to the hook....spinning the vise so the egg shape forms round. This also cools the egg some. After you have the size egg you desire, remove it from the vise and drop into some cool water. You can also do these to form the head on egg sucking leeches.

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[fyshstykr]

Taking the solder and make some "splatters" (you know...those little drops that roll off and hit the cement). Just don't do it from too high above the cement.
The "splatters" will roll and flatten nicely around the hook shank, cover with head cement and lash it in with the thread. Solder is soft enough that you can help shape it with a gentle squeeze from a pair of pliers.