material storage

[hikepat]

I little off topic but what would you do about protecting material not in storage containers. I am lucky to have a complete bedroom in the house that has been converted into a tying room and all my materials are hung up in either their original packaging or in the case of some of my acquired materials from hunters or furriers in plastic zip lock bags and all hanging from one of the peg boards around the room. This has made it easier to find materials then sorting through boxes of assorted feathers, chenille etc.
While I do make sure all none store bought materials are first frozen for 3 months left out for 2 or so weeks then refrozen for another 3 months or longer. I am still am concerned about bugs getting into my materials. I also have a cat that gives me further pause of it bringing some type of pest back to the house when it goes to the vet. Its an indoor cat so no real concern about it bringing something into the house from outside. I also keep the cat locked out of the room itself.
Is there more I can do to protect the materials since they are not in any type of bin and are just in their individual plastic bags?

[TyroneFly]

hikepat,

I recall reading that Ronn Lucas uses a bug bomb in his material storage room from time to time. May be you can contact him for more details.

[modocdan]

Hikepat, You have a whole bedroom set aside for tying ??? Wow, man. You're my hero.....really........................ModocDan

[Bamboozle]

The smell reminds of my childhood when I watched the fly tyers at the SF Sports and Boat show in the 60's.

It conjures up good memories for me too!

BTW - What brand of moth balls did you buy? I never buy the balls just the crystals so the "ingredients" info I posted was from web sources not the side of the box.

Thanks for the heads up!

[Bamboozle]

Is there more I can do to protect the materials since they are not in any type of bin and are just in their individual plastic bags?

Pat:

You're luckier than me; I have to tie in the UNHEATED garage!



If I was you I'd just dump some moth crystals in your Zip Lock bags; maybe a tablespoon or so. That should be plenty for such a small area. I wouldn't worry too much about small bags of natural dubbing. It's the expensive hackle capes, saddles and feathers that will break the bank if the bugs get them.

I also HEARTILY recommend buying a large Rubbermaid container and using it for an isolation container; AKA "The Chamber of Death"! Put ALL new natural skins; pelts, feathers from hunters or roadkill in that container with a LOAD of moth crystals. Leave them in isolation for AT LEAST a week before adding them to the rest of your inventory.

You will NEVER be sorry if you do that. I wouldn't bank on freezing or microwaving to accomplish the same thing.

[TyroneFly]

Enoz Para Moth Balls. They are sold at Home Depot and Orchard Supply Hardware in my area (San Jose, CA).

[Jayhawk Jeff]

I would rather start tying with all synthetics than smell moth balls for 10 seconds. I got a pheasant skin from a buddy that had been mothballed and I had to air it out in the garage for a month before freezing it for a month and then bringing it into the house. That stuff is nasty.

[Bamboozle]

Enoz Para Moth Balls. They are sold at Home Depot and Orchard Supply Hardware in my area (San Jose, CA).

Very interesting! I guess the supermarket I buy mine at only stocks the "classic" variety; I just checked the boxes I have and they are labeled Enoz "Old Fashioned" Moth Balls and are naphthalene.

Thanks for the education! I may have to look for those since the balls are neater than the crystals.