Need help melting mono for eyes

[skeeterjeff]

I'm pretty much new to tying salt water flys and thought that using a soldering iron would be the way to go, but when I utilize this method - the mono ends up with a flat surface. I can't seem to get the round ball look on each side for the eyes. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Skeeterjeff

[Epoxytier]

Use a pair of pliers and cut your mono to length and grab the mono in the middle and use a lighter to burn the mono. Just dont keep the flame in contact with the mono for to long.

[ruge13]

Ditto on the lighter. If you cut a larger length you can vary the color in the ball by increasing the time spent in the flame.

[Snuffy]

To get the larger eyes you sometimes see for sale at the shops:

- Burn the End of the mono into a small ball
- Thread on a Small bead from the craft dept at Wal-Mart or Hobby lobby.
- Use a small drop of super glue to hold it in place at the end.
- I recommend make up about 4 sets (8 Total) with matching colors.
- Mix up some Dacron 5 minute epoxy, dip the bead and mono end into it and hang upside down to dry. I use a cover from a styrofoam cooler and jab the mono into it.
- If you try to make more than about 8 at a time the epoxy begins to set on the last ones and may mar the finish.
- Some folks will use Sally Hanson's Hard as Nails instead of epoxy but I've found several coats are needed to get even close to the Epoxy.

Try different colors to get what you like. Yellows and Coppers work real nice.

[Armando]

I Always Use My Hackle Pliers, If You Want Big Eyes You Can Use Up To 80 Pound Mono Or Down For Apropiate Size. Burn One Side With The Lighter And Play With The Flame As It Burns The Mono. Automatically Youll See The Mono Forming A Rounded End, Blow The Flame Just Before It Drops Let It Dry, Do The Same With The Other End. For Darker Color Burn A Little More.
This Is Great To Do While Watching Some Tv. Youll End With Lots Of Eyes.

[dudley]

I use an old plactic hair brush that the wife was throwing out.
Each bristle has the knob on it already.
Cut 'em off, tie 'em in.

[Henry]

Yeah, I use my hackle pliers too. Instead of a lighter I use a candle...lighter gets a little hot after a while and I'm always afraid of the thing blowing up in my face. Make up a bunch of burnt mono eyes and mix up a blob of epoxy and dip each burnt eye into it. The effect of the dark centre with a translucent sphere around it is quite pleasing.

Good luck with it.

Henry

[ruge13]

Candle wicks and wax also have organic material burning wheer a lighter has less and burns more clean. As a result, you get more black in the eyes and will get a darker color faster.


See, it does pay off to burn stuff when you are little...

[BuzFly]

Has anybody tried to use Floro??? If not, try it!!!!!. --126-3-
I use Seagar Floro and it makes eyes that are the shape of dumb-bells not balls. It sound strange but it works. I know it costs more (who cares) and no I dont do it so that it cant be sean in the water.

I only had the Floro one day and used it and was surprised that it worked the way it did. I use it on my shrimp flies and crab flies and it works like a charm. I can get a more consistant shape and they are easey to do. I use a lighter or candel.

Brad

[rhino]

Use a pair of pliers and cut your mono to length and grab the mono in the middle and use a lighter to burn the mono. Just dont keep the flame in contact with the mono for to long.


i do the same but for better color of the eyes i use a sharpie marker (black) to give the mono a deeper tone any ways good luck and tight lines rhino --123-3 --123-3 --123-3

[Snuffy]

I finally got around to taking some snaps of an eye made with an orange bead slipped on the mono prior to epoxy. For the black pupil I dipped it in the cap of gloss black model paint, (So only the tip gets painted), and set to dry. I had problems with the permanent marker coming off a little when the epoxy hits it. Hope this helps, happy holidays from the snowed on So Texas.
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/044325.JPGhttp://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/044324.JPG

[joe e.]

Rhino, same drill for me because there are no windows in my hobby room and alot of melted mono vapor does not agree with me,the marking pen eliminates lighter time.

[FlyFishMich]

Craft stores sell plastic "bead chain" in different sizes/colors....works great and is very economical! --126-3-