peacock herl dubbing brush

Any help on how to construct one of these things would be great, I want to tie up a bunch of prince nymphs and figure this would be the way to go for the body.Thanks

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Rick Schlarb

Rick, I donot know of these gagets that make dubbing brushes. If I want to renforce peacock herl I tye in a length of gold or copper wire. Then wrap the herl around the wire then twist the herl and the wire together. Don't twist it to much or the wire will break.

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Bill

Here's what I do, and it's not too different from above:

-Mount a needle in the vise
-Wrap on a length of very fine copper motor wire
-Use wire to tie in peacock herl(s)
-Make a wire dubbing loop and spin herl and wire together with a dubbing spinner, or grab the bottom of the "u" with a hackle pliers and twist it until the herl is all wrapped up
and bushy

Repeat until you have a bunch of brushes, a good off-season pursuit.

ACtually a Herl Rope would be the best way to contruct an incredibly strong body that you can just tie in while tying the fly

Align base of herls to be same length, the stronger thicker ends.
Cut the tips, the weakest ends so they are the same length.
Tie herl in by the weaker tips just behind the hook eye and continue to wrap towards bend, at about the mid section of the shank, stop winding thread.
Now pull herls out towards your body, while holding the base of them, pull your thread out to the same length of your herl, and loop the thread back up to the point on the shank where you last wound/tied the herl in. This will form a large loop the length of your herl. Continue to wrap to the hook bend, this will bring the the herl rope to the rear end of the hook, to point where the body will begin. All you need to do now is grab the herl and the looped thread with your hackle pliers, and begin to twist them together. I usually dont twist more than and Inch or so of thread and herl, because it will just wind to tight and snap. Just twist enough to make 2 or three body wraps, then twist some more, then wrap the body ,etc.
later
Mike

[This message has been edited by Newfoundlander (edited 30 September 2005).]

[This message has been edited by Newfoundlander (edited 30 September 2005).]

[This message has been edited by Newfoundlander (edited 30 September 2005).]

[This message has been edited by Newfoundlander (edited 30 September 2005).]

Here is what I do:
Make a thread loop about 3" long where you want to tie in your herl. Wind your thread back to the eye. Snip one end of the loop by the hook so you only have one strand of thread. Now you make a tool out of stiff wire(cloths hanger works) that looks like this [url=http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/ice_shack/herltool.gif:0f4e1]Herl Tool[/url:0f4e1] about 4" long. Put the shank of the tool up against the thread and herl together and twist the end of the tool only. This will twist the thread and herl together into a nice rope. I think you can figure the wrest out.
I have not busted a herl since I was showed this.
HTH

[This message has been edited by Fly_Line (edited 30 September 2005).]

Hey, just dye ostrich herl. http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/wink.gif That stuff is stong as rope!

I just leave a long tag end when I tie the thread in and spin the tag end of the thread with the Peacock herl. This really makes the fibers pop and the thread helps to strengthen the weak herl. I tie alot of prince nymphs with bead heads because they are a great year round lake fly. Also they are always Amie's first fly of choice unless there is a hatch going and she can fish dry flies. By just hooking my hackle pliers to the thread and herl and putting on my home made dubbing spinner made from and old cabinet knob and cup hook. A quick spin and the herl is ready to spin onto the hook and its all held together well. I used to add a little head cement to the thread but I have found that this was not really a needed step as long as you spin the thread and herl together well enough.
With the body done this way the biots wing and tail will be gone long before the body.
This is how I learned to tie the Prince and why change what works.

Hi,
a few years back a fellow published an article in Flytier Mag where he described using melted glue in a glue pot (craft store about $9.00) to dip and glue the shaft ends (not the tips) of 5 or 6 peacock herl together. According to his method, he was able to prepare ahead of time for a tying session and the tying process was expedited as well as made easier by having the herl held together. Wire or thread can be added later to reinforce the fly or to wrap around the herl brushes. I have not tried this myself but it makes sense to me if you use a lot of herl in your tying.

I just reviewed the title of this thread and realized the question is "How to make a dubbing brush."
The best dubbing brush is simply a toothbrush. Some say to use a stiff one, but whatever you have around should work well.
A person could use some of the 'hook'(scratchy) side of self-sticking velcro and wrap it on a pencil.
Or, check this tying tip here on FAOL, [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/tyingtips/part179.html:1713b]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/tyingtips/part179.html[/url:1713b]


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There's almost nothin' wrong with the first lie, it's the weight of all the others holdin' it up that gets ya'! - Tim

Could you be thinking of a dubbing rake? I have seen them for sale at the show booths made out of both ceramic and metal.