what would you buy??

[streamwalker]

alright well im looking to start tying my own flies. ive tied a few in the past and was guided by a fella who has been tying for 30+ years. so i have very little but some experience. i know the basics on how to tie. but anyways im looking to buy my own gear and start tying daily. i have right around 250ish to spend as i sold one my hunting bows ( other extreme addiction ) so i was thinking the renzettie travler vise for a vise that i wont have to upgrade unless i want to. now for tools this is what im lost on and would like your opinion. what is a nice set of tools that wont break the bank? and the excess cash left over will of course be spent on materials which i will pick out according to what flies im wanting to tie. thanks in advance!

 

[williamhj]

Poke around and you'll find other threads on this that will go into good detail. Here are some of my suggestions:

- Scissors, don't skimp on these. I like Dr Slick and would get an all purpose pair. If you tie small get small ones too. I have a pair of Dr Slick's for cutting hair which I like but you can use cheap scissors for this if you want to save some money.
- Cheap scissors for cutting wire
- Bobbin, I like ones with ceramic tubes
- Bobbin threader, not necessary I suppose but cheap and useful
- Bodkin, useful for applies head cement, etc
- Hair Stacker if you plan to tie caddis and other flies with hair wings etc
- Whip finisher. There are a lot that work and you can use your hand to do it, but I like one that has a spring and rotates, think I got mine on ebay

There are other tools that can be helpful but really depends on what you plan to tie.

 

[mudbug]

Peak Vice
Orvis Economy scissors (I have anvil and Dr. Slick but I always go back to the Orvis economy)
The cheap ceramic tube bobin with the ceramic tube held in place with shrink tube.
I never use my bodkin, I have a large sewing needle stuck in a small cork that I like better.

 

[trout champ]

Scissors - Dr. Slick Razor tip. I have two pair and love them. These are your premium scissors so make sure you get an inexpensive pair for cutting materials.

Bobbins - make sure they have the ceramic tube inserts. Metal ones will start to cut your thread after a while. Bobbins are one of those things that you wil pick one up every couple months and will have a collection very soon.

Bodkin - useful for a number of things just pick up an inexpensive one.

Bobbin threader - Skip it and get dental floss thread packs like this:

Floss Threader 25pk

Whip finishers - I got two one big one and one small one that comes in handy when tying really small flies.

A piece of light blue or cream color foam board as a background for tying. I find it easier to have something one color and one dimensional in the background than my tying desk and all the **** on it. Makes it easier on the eyes.

 

[JoJer]

Another thumbs up for ceramic bobbins. It's no fun trying to learn propper thread tension and having your bobbin work against you and cutting thread.
I have two bodkins I made by sticking a large pin (like nearly hat pin size) into a piece of dowel. I have a fat one and a skinny one. My first hair stackers were made from empty and cut-down 30 and 40 cal cartridge cases. I still have them but really like the storebought one I have now. My bobbin threader is made from a piece of guitar string JB Weld-ed into a piece of dowel. (Thought flytire is right-I usually suck-start the thread)
I've been tying on bottom end cheap vises- I've worn out 3 or 4 of 'em- and just recently got an Apex Anvil. I like it a lot! Look around on this site and find the vise comparison by Ohio Fly fishers. It could save you some bux.

 

[flytire]

here is some basic tools/ideas I recommend

2013 renzetti traveler $160

dr slick or equivalent scissors

ceramic insert/tube bobbin holder (steel tube bobbin holders are ok to start with and nobody can tell you/us how long it takes to wear the tip using thread)

bodkin (a dowel with a sewing needle stuck into it works just fine)

forgo the bobbin holder threader entirely and learn how to draw the thread up the tube using your mouth

hackle plier - get a decent one for smaller hackles. the natural hackle plier you have on your hand (finger & thumb) will work excellently with longer hackles

hair stacker - get one but if you don't foresee stacking hairs or buck tail in the near future, then buy this one later on

whip finisher - learn to do a hand whip finish and save yourself some money to buy materials

utility scissors - get some scissors like the fiskars with the orange or black finger holes and use these scissors in place of your expensive one to cut up materials, hairs, wire etc

 

[mcnerney]

After you get yourself a vise and some basic tools, think about getting Charlie Craven's book titled "Basic Fly Tying". He starts out detailing how to tie the very simple patterns and progresses to more complex patterns, on each pattern he lists out the materials needed and the book is loaded with tips on tying. Also look around your area and see if there is a fly shop or fly fishing club offering fly tying lessons, getting hands-on training will accelerate your learning as the instructor can give you first hand feedback.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Cravens-Basic-Fly-Tying/dp/0979346029/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362997959&sr=1-1&keywords=charlie+craven%27s+basic+fly+tying"]Charlie Craven's Basic Fly Tying: Modern Techniques for Flies That Catch Fish: Charlie Craven: 9780979346026: Amazon.com: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51maKAS6wSL.@@AMEPARAM@@51maKAS6wSL[/ame]

Also take a look on YouTube, there are thousands of fly patterns detailed there. I especially like the stuff that Davey McPhail, Hans Weilenman or Tightline Production does, so search those names and you will find some great instruction.

 

[Hombre06]

Large refrigerator magnet. Flip it upside down and slap it on your table. Good for holding hooks, metal beads, anything that rolls or slides. Sf

Oh yeah, they come free from the pizza guy. Buy a pizza.

 

[coug]

Dr. Slick has a kit with the basic tools. http://www.drslick.com/catalog/gift-sets/fly-tyer-gift-sets

The tools are very good.

 

[streamwalker]

Thanks guys for the great tips I like the look of that book. Also I'm subscribed to davey mcphail on YouTube and have been watching his videos for awhile now.

And that magnet idea is great!

 

[socorrofly]

A good light with a magnifier is worth the few extra $$. Small hook sizes aren't as daunting and practice makes perfect. LOL

The creativity and variation on some patterns can be a reward, not to mention catching fish with your own handmade goods.

Good luck, enjoy and share if it strikes you! :thumbup:

 

[moucheur2003]

Another good book, which includes a lot of tips for making and using some handy tools you can't find in stores (or making cheaper homemade versions of ones you can):

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Better-Flies-Faster-Fly-Tying-Levels/dp/081170744X/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363017544&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=klausmyer"]Better Flies Faster: 501 Fly-Tying Tips for All Skill Levels: David Klausmeyer: 9780811707442: Amazon.com: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51queYV4m6L.@@AMEPARAM@@51queYV4m6L[/ame]

 

[streamwalker]

Just orderd the Charlie's cravens book. Hopefully will order a vise and tools later tonight

 

[jaybo41]

Large refrigerator magnet. Flip it upside down and slap it on your table. Good for holding hooks, metal beads, anything that rolls or slides. Sf

Oh yeah, they come free from the pizza guy. Buy a pizza.

You can also get them free from a package of Tiemco hooks or at Staples. Staples sells adhesive magnets that are sized for placing a business card over and they're perfect for lining fly boxes with or applying to your table, just as you mentioned.

I agree with scissors, don't skimp here for the set that you'll use to cut fine material. If you tie hair you might want a pair of scissors especially for those. After one pair gets worn out, use them for synthetic materials and or wire. You can always get a cheap pair of sewing scissors from a craft store to cut through synthetics.

A brush for teasing dubbing. I use one of these and really like it. Two tools in one:

PEAK Ritt Pick-N-Brush Dubbing Tool at BEARSDEN.COM

You can use velcro on a popsicle stick too but I found this to work much better on more corse material. The velcro does well for finer, softer materials.

Tons of great advice so far which isn't a shock, there are lots of great and very skilled tiers here.

 

[dabluz]

You will find that you will be using dubbing material for most of your flies. You can make a small tool to twist your loop of waxed thread containing your dubbing. There are dubbing twisters you can buy too.

Overton's sticky wax to make dubbing a lot easier.

The empty barrel from a ball point pen is excellent for packing deer body hair on the hook shank. You can also buy tools for this. It's also a great tool for making a quick half hitch knot or two when needed.

In stead of buying clear lacquer by the tiny bottles sold in the fly tying boutique, buy it in 1 pint cans at your local hardware store. Also buy lacqueur thinner in 1 pint container.

Buy one of those small plastic lacquer applicators with the long thin tube. It's easy and fast when it comes to apply lacquer to your fly. However, since the plastic does allow the vapours from the lacquer to escape (the tiny molecules from the vapour can escape through the plastic) you will have to dilute your lacquer every now and then with the lacquer thinner.

Filling the small plastic bottle is easy....just depress it and stick the needle into the liquid and the bottle will slowly draw up the liquid on it's own.

What's nice about the plastic bottle with the long thin tube is the fact that if you knock it over, you will not create a mess.

Buy a battery operated vacuum cleaner to clean up loose fibers.

 

[cw76]

Another vote on a good light. I have a flexible neck reading style table lamp with a good full spectrum bulb that I find perfect for tying flies. Also a good chair you can sit comfortably at for a couple of hours.

The chair I use came from the dump salvage section. I see good ones at thrift stores all the time for 10$ or so

 

[streamwalker]

i will for sure get a light but it wont be the $150 dollar ones they sell made just for fly tying. but a magnifier i will look at getting too. so many great tips that i havent really thought of.

 

[jaybo41]

I've been using a cheapie halogen desk lamp from Walmart for years and it works just fine. I do have it raised so the light is above my vise. Also, if you are tight on space, don't want the magnifying lens in your workspace and your eyes will cooperate, a pair of reading cheaters will get the job done.

 

[JoJer]

Buy a piece of white poster board. Cut it in half on the long sides. Lay a half sheet shiney side down where you tie, set your vise in the middle. It will protect your desk, it helps diffuse the light, and make it easy to see materials on hand.