BobG
01-24-2006, 06:00 PM
[/I]All this talk about epoxy and hot glue got me to looking around, and I found this article. Real interesting trick:
The 5-minute epoxy fly
With a few common tools you can create the popular epoxy head
By Steve Kantner
Fly Tyer magazine
An epoxy mold (right) yields a nice epoxy head on saltwater patterns.
Since they first appeared nearly a decade ago, epoxy and mother-of-epoxy (M.O.E.) flies have become a staple in saltwater fishermen's arsenals.
Many tiers rely on glue guns or molds to produce these popular patterns. But here's a method using standard five-minute epoxy, a bobbin loaded with monofilament tying thread, a tube of superglue, and a short piece of heavy mono.
To start, affix a short piece of 60-pound mono on top of the hook shank with a dozen wraps of monofilament tying thread.
Next, bring the tying thread forward and take several wraps directly behind the hook eye before allowing the bobbin to hang. Touch both ends of the heavy mono with a flame and, after each melts, push the balls with a non-stick surface to create a pair of flattened "eyes."
Touch each eye with a tiny drop of superglue and carefully bring the tying thread from its position just behind the hook eye to the first mono eye, then to the shank closer to the bend where you'll take several wraps, then to the second mono eye and finally back to the hook eye.
You've created a form for the epoxy head. Add a small drop of superglue to each set of wraps and allow it to cure before whip-finishing the head.
Mix up a batch of five-minute epoxy.
Place the hook in a slightly downward-tilted rotary vise, begin heaping on epoxy until you've filled the spaces between metal and thread.
Turn the hook while the epoxy sets.
As the epoxy cures, the mono thread seems to disappear, creating a glossy, molded head.
For additional effects, try adding colored lacquer or sparkle material to the epoxy during the mixing process.
http://espn.go.com/winnercomm/outdoors/flyfishing/i/P2_ff_fea_epoxyhead.jpg
Material from Fly Tyer magazine.
Visit the web site at flyfishingmagazines.com
The 5-minute epoxy fly
With a few common tools you can create the popular epoxy head
By Steve Kantner
Fly Tyer magazine
An epoxy mold (right) yields a nice epoxy head on saltwater patterns.
Since they first appeared nearly a decade ago, epoxy and mother-of-epoxy (M.O.E.) flies have become a staple in saltwater fishermen's arsenals.
Many tiers rely on glue guns or molds to produce these popular patterns. But here's a method using standard five-minute epoxy, a bobbin loaded with monofilament tying thread, a tube of superglue, and a short piece of heavy mono.
To start, affix a short piece of 60-pound mono on top of the hook shank with a dozen wraps of monofilament tying thread.
Next, bring the tying thread forward and take several wraps directly behind the hook eye before allowing the bobbin to hang. Touch both ends of the heavy mono with a flame and, after each melts, push the balls with a non-stick surface to create a pair of flattened "eyes."
Touch each eye with a tiny drop of superglue and carefully bring the tying thread from its position just behind the hook eye to the first mono eye, then to the shank closer to the bend where you'll take several wraps, then to the second mono eye and finally back to the hook eye.
You've created a form for the epoxy head. Add a small drop of superglue to each set of wraps and allow it to cure before whip-finishing the head.
Mix up a batch of five-minute epoxy.
Place the hook in a slightly downward-tilted rotary vise, begin heaping on epoxy until you've filled the spaces between metal and thread.
Turn the hook while the epoxy sets.
As the epoxy cures, the mono thread seems to disappear, creating a glossy, molded head.
For additional effects, try adding colored lacquer or sparkle material to the epoxy during the mixing process.
http://espn.go.com/winnercomm/outdoors/flyfishing/i/P2_ff_fea_epoxyhead.jpg
Material from Fly Tyer magazine.
Visit the web site at flyfishingmagazines.com