Glue anyone?

[dudley]

I use Crazy Glue on all my saltwater flies
A good example would be a deceiver
... after the tail (Lefty calls it the wing) is mounted, those wraps are glued
... then a thin layer of the glue along the shank before the body material is wrapped
....the base of bucktail collar gets a generous dose as well as the final wraps/head
A solidly built fly like this lasts a good long time

[JeffHamm]

I used to put a thin coating of head cement on top of the thread base. If you then wrap your body material on top, it will help keep it all together. I stopped doing it though as I tend to lose them faster than they wear out.

- Jeff

[Buddy Sanders]

Dudley,

It was a saltwater fly tyer that suggested it to me and got me started using the stuff as a mater of routine.

Bass Bug,

I'm also using the stuff from Hobby Lobby. I like that it comes in three different viscosities. The thin stuff penetrates well, and dries very fast. It's what I use mostly when assembling a fly. The medium is about the same as regular Zap, but seems to be a bit stronger and quicker setting. The thick stuff is perfect for attaching eyes and filling viods.


As far as flexibility goes, I use the CA glues to bind stuff to the hook, not where it would effect flexibility of the materials. For coating stuff, and I do a lot of that, there are many good flexible products out there.

The combination of thread wraps and penetrating 'thin' CA glue makes a rock solid connection that won't slip or twist, and keeps materials from pulling out from under wraps while the fly is being fished. A thin layer of the glue applied before wrapping things like chenille, herl, long fibered dubbing blends, etc., anchors them firmly while still allowing their inherent natural movements. Plus, it eliminates the 'problem' of the materail being cut by the teeth of the fish. If the material is glued onto the hook, if the central stem is cut, it doesn't matter, because the whole length is tightly bonded in place.

Another place where I find it helpful is as a substitute for a finishing knot on some flies. Especially deer hair bugs and flies where access to the eye is obstructed, or where the tie off point is at the back of the hook. Places where it's a bit more difficult to whip finish or half hitch. A bit of CA along the thread, wrap it a few times, hold it tight for a couple of seconds, and just cut it.

It's also the best thing I've found for anchoring dumbbell eyes, and glueing foam to a hook.

By the way, not all CA glues turn that ugly white color. The stuff from Hobby Lobby doesn't do that on my flies. I've only seen that on flies where I've lost control of the glue and used too much.

The bottom line for me is that the use of these glues both speed up the tying process and produce a stronger, more durable fly. I'm not in a hurry when I tie flies, but I hate to spend time just spending time. Tying eficiently is a big thing for me. Ca glues help me with that. I can eliminate some steps, streamline others, (mostly thread wrapping) and still get strong, durable flies.

I don't use it much for a head cement, and it's not something I need for the simple dry flies tied for trout, but when I'm tying streamers or bass flies, I wouldn't be without it.

It definitly has an important spot on my bench.

Buddy

[brandonl]

I mainly tie nymphs and dry flies for trout, and don't use it on any of them. Tight wraps and a whip finish and so far I've not had any issues. Like Jeff I will more than likely lose a fly in the bushes before it wears out.

[Rob Knisely]

Dave Whitlock uses quite a bit of glue, esp on his hoppers (can't argue with success!).

I generally use CA glues to coat underbodies (lead wire on the sides, etc), gel types for putting eyes on. For most flies I just use lacquer and what-not on the heads, and that just so it looks nice.

The exceptions are flies where the finishing knot isn't at the hook eye, but tied somewhere in the pattern. For these the cement is pretty much necessary to hold the wraps together over a large area (like on my crayfish pattern).

[Gigmaster]

What is CA glue?

I coat my hook shank, and finished heads with Sally Hansen. I also use Zap-A-Gap, and various Super-Glues to hold things in place. But mostly, I use Sally Hansen.

[Uncle Jesse]

Cyanoacrylate = CA = Super Glue

[ducksterman]

I was hoping someone would spell that.

[CoachBob]

-- I tie thousands of foam flies each year and CA glue is simply mandatory. It makes a permanent bond between layers of closed cell foam that is often stronger than the foam itself.
-- I also use it as a base when palmering hackle over slick materials like tinsel.
-- When putting a rattle in a fly, the hook shank is usually covered with a thread base and the rattle CA glued to the thread. Otherwise it's a real pain to wrap around.
-- I fish fresh and salt water and have never had the "whitening" problem discussed above.
-- Practically every day I get CA glue on my fingers. You just have to let it dry without rubbing on anyting and it peels right off. Use a brush-on applicator and you will get a lot less on your hands.

[Bass_Bug]

What is CA glue?

I coat my hook shank, and finished heads with Sally Hansen. I also use Zap-A-Gap, and various Super-Glues to hold things in place. But mostly, I use Sally Hansen.

Gig, reads the ingredients on your Zap-A-Gap. It should only list cyanoacrylate. Cyanoacrylate is a generic chemical name, Zap-A-Gap is a trademarked brand name. Super Glue, Krazy Glue and a plethora of of other brand names are all made from cyanoacrylate. Don't know for sure, but I suspect Zap-A-Gap was one of the first to market a CA glue in different viscosities.

On an unrelated (to fly tying) note: Derma-bond (a CA based glue) is what the medical profession uses to seal up cuts and incisions, thats why it's the best thing to use on paper cuts.