Travel/Hotel tying
I have a job that requires that I travel for 4-6 weeks at a time. I'm looking for ideas for a travel/hotel tying kit. I drive to hotels, so size and airport security isn't an issue.
I'm specifically looking for vise mounting ideas (I have a renzetti clamp traveller).
I'm also dreaming of next springs camping trip, so I'm looking for ideas on a smaller camp size travel tying kit.
Photo's would be appreciated.
"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne.
"When you know, to know that you know, and when you do not know, to know that you do not know - that is true knowledge..." Charlie Chan (author Earl Derr Biggers ...Behind That Curtain 192.
When the desk in your hotel room won't accomodate your clamp-on vise, you could use a large wood or synthetic cutting board. The white synthetic provides good contrast, too. We have one that's about 12 x 18" that works well. We also have a wooden board that has a channel around the edges (for carving meat) that nicely traps beads as they try to escape.
Typically, the weight of the board is enough to counterbalance your tying, but if you need to, you can put a book or two on the back edge to keep the works from tipping.
Doesn't Renzetti have a spare pedestal you can switch out for your clamp?
SonOfMartin:
My first suggestion would be to buy a pedestal base for the Traveler. You may strike out quite a bit with hotel furniture having ideal clamping conditions.
What I do to AVOID having to build a separate tying kit with separate tools and materials is to store all of my dubbing at home in large Ziploc bags sorted by color: black, brown, green, grey, etc. I keep the rest of my materials, things I don?t use as often in Rubbermaid containers of various sizes which normally sit on a shelf in front of my tying desk. My hooks, beads, threads, tinsels, wires etc are in compartmentalized boxes. My tools live in a large flat compartmentalized Plano box in the center drawer of my desk.
When I want to travel and tie I just grab a couple of large duffels and put in my tools, threads, materials of choice and of course my vise AND a tying light, (my choice is a McKenzie Bright Light). This system of course can only work if you have some order to the way you store your materials at your home tying station. I just didn?t feel it was necessary in MY case to duplicate stuff just so I could have a dedicated kit for traveling. I know all to well that when you try and share stuff between home and the road you inevitably forget something.
Of course IF you want to make a dedicated tying kit there are lots of awesome bags out there from many manufacturers just for the purpose.
[This message has been edited by Bamboozle (edited 08 September 2005).]
The last time I was in a hotel with only a c-clamp, I used the fold out ironing board to clamp to. Really though, a pediastal would work the best.
For sure bring good lighting with you. I have never had a hotel room with anykind of good lighting. The McKenzie light is your ticket. Depending on what you tie will help on your choice of a pedestal base. There's a guy on eBay who sells 6lb bases for around $20-25. Nothing i hated more than the small light weight base on the Traveler and the short shaft of the base model. Seeing as you have the longer c clamp post(9") with a 6lb base would be sweet!
Brent
What I use is an old briefcase of mine. Capes, saddles, foam sheets go into the file holders in the top. Small plastic containers for hooks, beads, and other assorted garnishments go into the bottom. I also have a cutting board that I drilled a 3/8? hole in it that accepts my vise (an old Thompson A).
I have pulled that out in a lot of places like wayside rests and parks and gotten some pretty strange looks. Brought new life into that old thing.
Fly_line thats a good Idea my compliments .I got an old briefcase sittin next to my desk.My vice is a clamp type A but I'm thinking about hto gluing a wood block in the corner and clamping my vice to it when open.A 2x4 would fill the area nicely and make it like a counter with nothing rattling arond in side to do damage.
Right now all materials are stored in file folders in a filing cabnet or in those zip lock storage boxs.
Several years ago I got one of those travel kits from Cabelas for about $20. A nice wooden box with an incredibly slip-free vise. No, it's not a fancy thing, but its more than serviceable. Heck, I used it as my primary vise for several years. Light weight. Has the major tools you'll need. Otherwise I'll take my Danvise with a pedestal. That's if I'm truck traveling. If I'm going by suitcase I'll take the Cabelas. JGW
Fly Line
Great idea. That would be perfect for any out of town trips, and even streamside. Thanks, you just made my day.
------------------
[url=http://flyangler.ca:195dd]http://flyangler.ca[/url:195dd]
Get a pedesal (sp?) stand for your Renzetti. Also bring a good light and a small extension cord. I also put a small amount of itmes in zip lock type bags, Packs easy. All dubbing is in an easy to cary plastic boz with holes. You buy the empty box and then stuff it with your own dubbing. I have a Renzetti travel case or my vise and tools. Works out excellent. Best bet would be to select a few patterns that you kow for sure that you want to tie. Then just package up the patterns in zip lock bag.
Hope this helps,
------------------
John G.
Albuquerque, NM
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
