UV Finish

[lastchance]

For the first time in my life I bought some Loon thick UV finish and an LED light and used them on some crawdads I was tying. It doesn't seem to be a hard finish or tough. Does it hold up well when making heads on streamer type patterns? I guess I should have bought the thin for more penetration?

[NJTroutbum]

I've never used the Loon brand. I have Bug-Bond I picked up from Orvis, which i very durable, but gets cloudy on heavy applications. I also have a 3-tube set from I believe Hook and Hackle?...It's "Solarez" brand and comes in three types (Flex, Thick & Hard & Thin & Hard). Not impressed with it really. I prefer the Bug Bond.

[Rick Z]

I use the resin from Silver creek and it has always dried hard. NO tackiness.

Rick

[whatfly]

Depends on the application and what you are trying to do. If you are just building up a clear head, then you want the thicker formula, no matter what the manufacturer. I have some of the Loon, and have used it for Clouser heads and the like, but still prefer epoxy if I have the time.

[lastchance]

I'm just learning how I can use it.

Do you get more use out of the lite or the thick?

[BadBug]

I'm with Rick Z. on the Silver Creek brand.

[tailingloop]

For the first time in my life I bought some Loon thick UV finish and an LED light and used them on some crawdads I was tying. It doesn't seem to be a hard finish or tough. Does it hold up well when making heads on streamer type patterns? I guess I should have bought the thin for more penetration?

You use the thin for a thinner coating. If it penetrates the uv light cannot reach it and it won't cure. It's a coating and not intended for penetrating surfaces.

I have tried several kinds of uv finish and found them easier to use than epoxy but not as durable.

[dpenrod]

flyfishfood.com did a UV resin "shootout". pretty informative and it was worth the read (at least to me).

[lastchance]

What is it used for mostly? I'm trying to figure out for what I can use it.

[dpenrod]

What is it used for mostly? I'm trying to figure out for what I can use it.

i coat my thread midges with loon flow instead of sally hansens. i tie a lot of cracklebacks with a tinsel body and no herl (guess it's not really a crackleback). like to coat the tinsel body with flow, palmer the hackle while the flow is still wet and then cure it. seems to aid in durability. build heads and coat the eyes on my baitfish patterns with loon thick and then top it with flow or silver creek to cut the tack. soemtimes use it in place of head cement. coat wing cases with it. etc. etc.