Epoxy

[Sentience]

At the Marlborough show I watched Enrico Puglisi work quite a bit. So did the rest of you - it was crowded in that area. He really talked a lot about 1 minute and then 20 minute epoxy as being key. Indeed I went around the corner and immediately bought some. I really like this new way. I, like everyone else, used 5 minute for a long time. I like the timing of that epoxy but it definitely cracks and yellows. I use a lot of clousers and always loose the eyes and head to cracking. The 20 minute stuff is really clear and shiny. It definitely makes the fly look better to me. We'll have to see about all the rest of the stuff, come late April.

You definitely need a rotary fly drier for 20 minute. Usually, it ends up being much more than 20 minutes as far as being able to handle it.

Any thoughts?

[Quicksilver]

I didn't know there was a one minute epoxy. What does E.P. use it for, attaching the eyes? I haven't used the twenty minute yet, but will soon. A rotary device is a must for anyone tying flies with epoxy as an ingredient.

[David Churbuck]

I've heard that FlexCoat, the rod-building epoxy used for covering thread wraps over guides on home-made rods, will not fade and yellow over time. It takes, if I recall, a half-hour to set up.

I use 5 minute epoxy only because I don't have a rotary drier and usually lose the flies to bluefish, snags, etc. before they can yellow or crack.

I will say that I have sworn off head cement and now use 5 min epoxy for finishing all my patterns.

[Sentience]

Yeah, head cement is definitely not in my arsenal anymore. Every fly I tie has an epoxy head. The twenty minute cement makes the head crystal clear.

E.P. uses the one-minute stuff to form the fly and put eyes on. it is because the twenty-minute stuff takes a long time to set up and on the rotary it can then misform the fly. the reason why he pushed the 20 minute was that it is waterproof also. he said that the one minute is definitely not, but since it is covered by the other it doesn't matter. the 5 minute is not waterproof.

i usually lose the flies before they yellow too much. it is the cracking that gets me. if i can solve that with the new stuff, i will consider it a big success.

[AlderBrookFarm]

For Christmas I was given a new rotary wheel for drying epoxy flies....straight out of the junk yard....a rotissiere motor for a BBQ grill. Check out yard sales, etc. You can probably buy them for a few bucks. Make your own styrofoam wheel or other holder and voila!!!

[VAN]

I do the same thing. I bought a new gas grill last year with the rotisserie set up and realized it would be perfect as a drying wheel.
I fit a slim piece of wood into the slot and cut a disk of soft foam and it's perfect! And the speed is just right.

[Animal Chris]

Since I wrap rods, I have a slow rotary drying motor, but I bought a VHS on tying flies featuring Lenny Moffo. I took some of the features he had on his home made turner and applied them to mine. first a on-off switch. second, attach several radio shack alligator clips to a piece of PVC and attach that to the motor and third put a small piece of rubber tuning to the alligator clips to keep a grip on the flies. If garage sales aren't you cup of joe, an electronic supply house (EPO here in Houston) for the motor and clips and Home Depot for the PVC, box / switch, an extension cord and some wood for the base. Cost about $25.00 and works great.
As far as the 1 & 20 minute epoxy, I haven't run across that, only 5 & 30 minute. Who handles it? Thanks.

[Nauti Buoy]

I did a similar thing with a rotissiere motor for a BBQ grill a couple years ago. The grill was set out for trash pickup when I noticed it while out for a walk. I called the neighbor and she was thrilled that I might get some use from it. I made up a wooden disk with a "V" groove along the circumference, installed a length of the skewer into the disk, epoxied the skewer section to the motor drive, and then attached a suitably coiled spring. Then made a base to support all this for ease of use. Voila! Works great. ;)

[Animal Chris]

I usually get my money's worth out of my grills and related equipment that's why I wouldn't recommend anybody fishing one out of my garbage. Besides, it takes a while to get the BBQ rib smell out of a deceiver. Tight loops and tight lines in 2003.

[Frequent Fly-er]

With 5 minute epoxy I give the fly a lite coating of clear Sally Hanson Teflon Tough quick dry top coat nail polish. This will prevent yellowing and cracking. I also use this in place of head cement. Also a mecanical sign motor will work for a drying motor.

[Paul Cheever]

I have found old lobster bouys found on the beach to make perfect drying wheels ,just cut it to size ,and they last along time .

[sandflyx]

I stopped using epoxy, too messy now i use e-z shape sparkle body(no mixing ) also you don't need a wheel for drying. I just hang my flies on a bead chain rack. Lots of colors for differant patterns

[striblue]

I do what Frequent Flyer does..5 minute epoxy then coat with nail polish or Hard a hull. prevents cracking and yellowing

[culley06]

Does anyone have a solution for getting the bubbles out of Devcon 30 min epoxy? I am using a turner and the shape of the head is great, just gets "clouded up" with small bubbles.
thanks

[Animal Chris]

When building a rod, I apply a little heat (via an alcohol burer) to the epoxy after it's applied to the wrapping. I haven't tried it on flies because the heat would probably mess up the rest of the materials. You might try applying it in thinner coats and keeping a stick pin handy for when the bubbles rise. Using a thin coat of epoxy (Flex Coat Rod Wrapping Epoxy) and an outer layer of "Hard as what ever" is working real well on some Crease flies I am tying. Can't say how it will last over the long haul, though. Let you know in March when the specs and reds start in on the surface.

[jswegel]

Like sandflyx I stopped using epoxy entirely. I occasionally use ez shape because I like the variety of colors and it's definitely E Z and not messy.

[boba]

No argument about using the longer drying epoxy with a rotary dryer, but you don't need epoxy at all with clousers. It is the thread wrap that holds the eyes; the glue/epoxy/nail polish just protects the thread. A coating on the eyes, however, does protect the eyes from rocks, sand, etc.

[thynnus]

To avoid bubbles in epoxy be careful when you mix it - not too fast. Mixing it slowing and bubbles won't get in in the first place.

[striblue]

Another way to avoid bubbles is to use a bodkin and mix it on a piece of glass.

[lemaymiami]

I've been building rods for more than 30 years and started using Flex-coat when it first became available. After I started tying flies commercially, Flex-coat was the natural thing to use when I needed the best finish on big flies. Dave Beshara's American Angling Supplies probably has a few you could look at from an order I did last year.

Since, until recently, I've always tied in quantity the usual large wheel drying apparatus was not practical. Here's the solution that I came up with years ago and still use today. I my shop I have a long motorized bench for rod building. I've taken several sections of rod blanks (from quarter to half inch) that are 18 to 36 inches long and glued cork rings on them, spaced about 6 inches apart. Each ring will hold from 4 to 10 flies mounted securely. On my drying motor (which has a time switch) I've mounted a short piece of veltex synthetic grip material. It acts as a flexible joint to place the end of a drying stick in. When applying finish the small end is fitted into the socket so that when I hold the turning shaft long enough to mount a fly the shaft will slip with the motor still turning. When I've finished 2 or 3 dozen flies the stick is turned around and the large end is held firmly by the veltex until the finish is set. I usually allow 90 minutes for each set of flies to turn before starting the next group of flies. The sticks when rotation is completed are leaned upright for a day before handling.

Bubbles in epoxy or flex-coat are always a problem. Here's a qauick fix. I use plastic dispensing cups for Flex-coat. After measuring and mixing thoroughly the cup is placed in a microwave for about 10 seconds before application. It warms the mix enough to allow most bubbles to dissipate without causing the stuff to set up too quickly. For 20 minute epoxy you might try it as an experiment to see what the results are before trying it on anything you've tied up. Remember to use only plastic in the "mike" and only for a few seconds. Wives get cranky about such things...

[WildmanSpecial]

another way to get rid of the epoxy bubbles is to hold it close to your light bulb. the heat from the bubble is usually enough to get rid of the bubbles...

[flyslinger]

in the grand scheme of things, do fish really care if there are tiny bubbles in the epoxy? or are we building show peices.
i catch plenty of fish with flies with tiny little bubbles in the epoxy. remember it's the fish we need to impress!!




dan

[pig pen]

If you use Devcon 2 Ton 5 Min epoxy it won't yellow

[Epoxytier]

yes big pen devcon 5-min does yellow just not as fast as others. i finish all my flies with epoxy. i also build rods and so on. to get the lil bubbles out use a a-burner or a hair dryer yes thats right a hair dryer. i have found many ways to form and shape and de-yellow epoxy im only 16 and have been building rods sence i was 13 and have been tying sence i was 12 and i have found many ways to work with epoxy hence my name epoxytier. so if you have any other questions ask me and the other fellow forum viewers

tight loops
, jeremy

[CO FLy]

Bubbles are formed while mixing the two resins. If you are careful and don't agitate it too much the bubbles should not form.