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billknepp and others
Sorry, I said Softex but meant Angler's Choice. They are similar in use but Softex is strong solvent based and Angler's Choice is water based. They both are intended as a replacement for epoxy in making heads but Softex stinks up the whole house and Angler's Choice dries slow.
I take some of the Angler's Choice Thick and thin it with ethanol (ethyl alcohol), readily available as shellac thinner. Thinned a little it is like their "Thin" version and thinned a lot, it makes a good head cement and dries fairly fast. It turns cloudy when thinned but dries clear. That way I get three products in one.
Bill: If you need to thin your Softex you should use toluene. Xylene will work but will not dry as fast.
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Joe
[This message has been edited by flyfisherjoe (edited 05 August 2005).]
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For your hackle question here is a general rule of finger. for a dry fly with wings for a size 12 hook use 10 hackle and have the wings a little higher then the hackle. For caddis and use a 12 for a 12. for wet flies I tend to use a 12 for a 12 the that does change pattern but like I said this is a general rule of finger.
Now your gauge does make a difference, I use an old Dette gauge and I know the griffin and whiting gauges do judge different.
But when it all comes down to it if you are tying for your self and your flies are floating right then you have nothing to worry about.
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OK, First question:
I don't use head cement, havem't in years
Second question:
dry flies & nymphs=down eye
spinners=up eye
any fly smaller then 26 I use a straight eye
Third question:
using over sized hackle will cause your fly to stand on end or not float properly, also I blocks the hook point.
lastly:
don't get hung up with exact patterns, tie flies with what you have to match the flies hatching, often the ugliest flies catch the most fish.