Went to a JoAnn store with the wife and while looking around saw some 2MM closed cell foam sheets. They are 9 X 12 in various colors for 69 cents each. Has anyone ever used it? I bought some to tie some ants.
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Went to a JoAnn store with the wife and while looking around saw some 2MM closed cell foam sheets. They are 9 X 12 in various colors for 69 cents each. Has anyone ever used it? I bought some to tie some ants.
works great and doesn't cost a whole lot.
The craft store is my favorite place to buy foam sheets, glass beads, odd feathers, and whatever else I can find.
Kelly.
Ants, hoppers, beetles, crickets, crease flies, gurglers... I heart foam.
Regards,
Scott
Hi Donat,
Craft foam sheets have been the source of foam for bluegill bugs for a big number of us for many years. It is also used for foam hoppers and many other foam bugs.
We warm water tiers have used it for years, and trout fly tiers have been using it for many years also, as mentioned above, for hoppers and beetles, etc., but not as long or as extensively, I think, as have the warm water tiers.
Skip Morris has had a book out for quite a few years on tying with foam.
Regards,
Gandolf
Donat -I also use it and have for years. If you don't mind spending a few extra pennies get some that has stick-um on the back. That way it is easy to stick different colors together for poppers or whatever.
Tim
WalMart has it cheaper, but not the selection of colors. But then, how many ants can you get out of a sheet and will you ever use that many? :lol:
Those foam ants are a great beginner's fly. Real easy and quick to tie.
My local Walmart and other stores have these big, shrink-wrapped packs of the foam in a rainbow of colors for dirt cheap (on the order of three bucks for around twenty 8x10-ish sheets). Alas, whenever I'm in there I either don't have the cash on me or forget to grab them. :(
Edit: Oops, meant to add that you should check out the kids/crafting aisle of any local store for these "value packs".
Got the same deal as Jeff , enough to tie a thousand flies.
I graduated highschool not long ago and had to use some of these foam for my calculus project... i still have a whole bunch left (im a pack rat:p)
Company: Darice
Name: Foamies
i think it cost me like $5 for a big package(9in x 12in each sheet) of assorted colors back then.
Donat,
Check out:
http://colo2.flyanglersonline.com/bb...ad.php?t=31874
On 'laminating' foam sheets for poppers.
I recent found and purchased 6mm sheets (just not in as many colors). when gluing layers together, that really cuts down on glue joints.
It really depends on the pattern you're tying.
I use the craft foam for a few patterns, but I find that the evazote foam that Rainey's makes works much better for most of my patterns. It has a stiffer "hand" and flairs up much better than craft foam does.
Kevin
Yep, use the stuff all the time.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...h_PC260025.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...h_PC260026.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...h_PC260031.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...P1230009-1.jpg
Jeff.
I'll be posting some step by steps on my blog site in a week or so. I have a soft hackle to do next week and then I'll be postig the sheet foam. I'll do some more traditional poppers later in the winter.
Jeff (link to blog in my sig line).
Best bang for the buck I have found ....... WalMart>Craft section>Big pack 2mm.
6 colors, 2 of each: white, yellow, red, green, blue & black. Sheets are 12 x 18".
Cost was $4.39.
I won't need more for a while now.:D
Wally world also has some foam with a sparkly side to it.
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...2/IMGP0333.jpg
Works real well for crease flies and other similar flies.
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...IMGP0348-2.jpg
Kirk
I bought 3 packs of 50 sheets each, neon, rainbow and primary colors. Sheets are about 8x10 and 2mm thick. I now have more foam than I could use in 10 lifetimes and the total cost was under 10 bucks. Regular price is $5 a pack, I came across them at 40% off.
Hobby Lobby is my friend!
I buy foam from these craft stores all the time. Plus, there are 40%-50% off sale coupons in our local newspaper (and I think online) all the time. They also sell larger sheets of foam at some places. The only problem is that they don't sell all the colors that I use for some of my fly patterns.Quote:
Originally Posted by Donat
I have a cutting board, a 24" long brass ruler, and a Fiskar circular fabric cutter (could also be classified as a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands!), and can cut perfect strips of foam in any width in the blink of an eye.
Now, if only my flies caught fish that fast!
John
Donat,
If you can get yourself a can of spray contact cement you can even laminate sheets to make a great banding effect with thise sheets. I usually cut then in quarters and then cut a quarter in half to laminate. If the combination works, you can always make more. If it doesn't it only took $0.30 to find out.
Craft stores are among the cheapest fly tying shops you will find, but don't tell them that, they will raise thier prices
Tight lines,
George
PS, please spray the adhesive out of doors, the wife will appreciate it!
Michael's has foam sheets with adhesive on one side already. Already wife friendly. :)
Seems to me I've heard the adhesive on store bought sheets doesn't stand up to water well.....true?....false?
Could be. I'm pretty sure the manufacturers were thinking Foamies door hangers and picture frames rather than fishing flies. :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by ducksterman
There are three of us who have been using this stuff for about ten years now. We have some "deadly" bass and sunfish patterns to show for it. Also have some GREAT grasshoppers and blue Damselflies made using it, as well as other "bugs".
There are at least three very good, inexpensive glues for lamination. One is the already mentioned Pliobond. Perhaps the oldest, and best, is Barge Cement, but it is hard to find. Another old standby is Weldwood Contact Cement (red can). In addition to the "original", they now also offer a "Nonflammable" version that is a water-cleanup cement (green can). I have it from a reliable source that the "rubber cements" also work. I recommend that you take either a rolling pin or a brayer to the sheets immediately after putting them together. Rolling them together eliminates any air pockets that might have been trapped and also ensures that both surfaces are in direct contact with each other over their entire surface.
Rather than poke a hole through them, we cut a slit with a razor blade on the bottom side and glue a hump-shanked hook into the body using CA glue. The faces can be cupped by using a round polishing stone in a Dremel tool before they are glued to the hook. After being glued to the hook, the bodies can be shaped as desired with a Dremel tool equipped with a 320 grit sanding drum while being held in a small pair of vise grips or a sturdy pair of hemostats. (They can be hand held, BUT, I don't recommend it!!) You have to make your own 320 grit sanding drums. I save my old drums that have been relieved of their grit and cut strips of 320 grit sandpaper to fit and apply using whatever contact cement I happen to have on hand. They seem to never wear out "sanding" foam rubber!
You can add rubber legs, tails, tails of feathers, flash materials, or even rabbit strips; whatever your heart desires. Use you imagination. A pair of eyes adds a lot of "fisherman" appeal.
Care to share any of the deadly bass and bluegill patterns?
Another post on this topic intrigued me enough to buy some foam and give this a shot. Looking forward to spring already!
Greybeard
Agree with the Walmart statement above as I have a couple of packs I bought there and they were low cost and lots of colors. Each pack had different colors on the ones I bought.
Skip
Hobby Lobby Stores sometimes have 3mm thick sheets along with the 2mm sheets.
I can't find a "how to" for posting photos to this site. Will be happy to post if someone will take me by the hand! (I am not the swiftest cricket at the ranch when it comes to computers! Wated til too late in life to try to learn,)
Aged_Sage,
Posting pictures isn't difficult but like everything associated with a computer you need to know how its done before it becomes simple. Until you know how to do it, posting pictures isn't difficult, it's impossible!
The first thing you need is to post your pictures on a website that hosts photos. Once you've done that you reply to a note normally and then click on the icon between the Title and Body of your note that looks like a post card with a yellow sky and a dark mountain. If you mouse over the icon it will say insert image. Click on it and it will ask you for the web address of your picture(s) (a URL - you know http://www.someplace.com/aged_sage_p...mpopper123.jpg or something like that).
If that's too complicated, you can PM me and I'll send you my email address and if you can email the photos I'll post them.
Greybeard
Our Aged_Sage e-mailed me some foam poppers and brim bugs to post here. Here they are. He mentioned the last one is the bit he uses in his Dremel tool to hollow the face of the poppers out. Other than that, I'll let him explain the pictures.
Greybeard
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/p...&pictureid=728
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/p...&pictureid=726
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/p...&pictureid=727
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/p...&pictureid=730
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/p...&pictureid=729
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/p...&pictureid=731
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/p...&pictureid=740
??? You can post pics on this site right straight from your computer..!!!
Go down below a post to "attach files" and pick the ones you want to show
You have a PM.Quote:
Originally Posted by aged_sage
John
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/p...&pictureid=739
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/p...&pictureid=738
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/p...&pictureid=737
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/p...&pictureid=736
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/p...&pictureid=735
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/p...&pictureid=732
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/p...&pictureid=733
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/p...&pictureid=734
Frank,
You are getting behind on your photo posting here and elsewhere....I'm waiting to see those furling pictures;)...
I'm not having trouble with photobucket but if you are I would uninstall it and do a fresh download and start over.
Actually if John doesn't solve your problem PM me and we can go through it over the phone.
Greybeard....if you do it the way you say does that allow folks to access your folder[s]....through "properties"?
ducksterman:
Just like an old cow's tail, I have always been behind. I WILL get them posted.
Now, let me extend my profound thanks to greybeard for posting these for me.
The first two are of a striped bug to show both the cupped face and the quilting pin eyes I often use. The bass seem to really like the vertically striped body.
The third one is a horizontally bi-colored bug with doll eyes. Note that the yellow part consists of two sheets of foam. These bugs were shaped with a Dremel tool and sanding drums.
Pictures 4 & 5 are of a simple bug made from 6mm thick foam. This one was given to me. I have another made the same way, but with the body more akin to a grasshopper.
Photo 6 is of a balsa bodied bug that has been epoxy coated to enhance durability.
Photos 7 & 8 are of one of my balsa bugs that has an attitude. This bug has a flat face and has also been "epoxied".
Gurglers!!! Will catch almost everything (other than trout)
The first photo is a sampler of my deer hair bugs. The second photo is a combined "sampler" of my balsa bugs, some of which date back to the late '60's, and my balsa box. Photo three is a sampler of my foam bugs. Photo 5 is of foam, balsa, and deer hair bugs that I have made. The silver minnows in the upper right-hand corner are balsa bodied. The steeply angled "forehead" makes them great divers. The two foam frog patterns in the upper left corner are fantastic if you want to "walk the dog". They make a heck-uva- commotion. I do get whimsical with them on occasion, as noted in the eyes on the deer hair bug, right side, mid way up. The little white foam minnow just above the little frog on the lower left corner, is a great wobbler-diver. Photo 7 is just another view of the foam sampler and my foam box. The final photo, number 8, is of the Dremel tool that I have used for over thirty years to cup the faces of balsa, cork, and foam bugs.
Drop me a line if you have any questions about any of these.
Frank
I think so but I'm still figuring things out here. Posting the pictures was more of a challenge than I thought it would be...but not impossible or hard, just head scratching. If you can't access them, PM me and I'll see if I can change the settings. FWIW, all the pictures in the folder are posted here, so you're not missing a thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by ducksterman
Frank, Not a problem - poppers are an area of tying I've never done and I want to learn...well I started trying some last spring and didn't like the results. I plan to figure it out though...if nothing else, I'm persistent.
Greybeard
Greybeard:
My German ancestry won't let something like this defeat me. I just need to devote the time to figure it out. It's not that I am persistent; I just don't have sense enough to know when to quit!
I sincerely appreciate the advice and the offers to help from all.
Frank
Greybeard those are great looking flies...two thumbs up!
Have them in my box too.Quote:
Originally Posted by golfinjoe24