Yes, the title of Tying Tips is true, the fly tins are free. Just
that to turn them into fly tins, requires some other components.
The tins are free! You may have to buy the articles inside the
tin, but you bought the tin, for the articles inside, not for the tin.
(Am I a spin-doctor, or what?)
I am a fugal Minnesotan, fugal is a nice way of saying cheap.
It is said that when a Minnesotan goes on vacation, they put
on a new pair of jeans placing a $20 bill in the back pocket,
and don't change either one the whole time they are on
vacation.
I have lots of flies, and need lots of fly boxes, and I am too
frugal to be wasting my money on something I can get for
nothing. So I make my own fly tins to store my flies. They
fit in my pockets at stream-side, and they are wonderful.
Materials Needed
Mint Tin (example: Callard & Bowser Altoids)
Large Cardboard Box
Stiff Paper/Thin Cardboard Sheets
Roll of Masking Tape.
Roll of Wide Gap Foam Weather Strip (example: 1/4 inch wide,
3/16 inch thick, 17 feet length costs $1.39)
Cans of Enamel Spray Paint (Various Colors)
Assembly Steps
1. Set Large Cardboard Box on its side, you will be
using this as a spraying painting booth, to eliminate any
over-spray.
2. Using Masking Tape, cover the sides and bottom
of the lower half of the tin. Place the tin on the Stiff Paper/Thin
Cardboard inside the spray painting booth. (You're just spraying the lid).
3. Shake can of Enamel Spray Paint, until it is thourghly
mixed, and lightly spray the mint tin. You only want to lightly
spray, rotating the tin to cover all side of the top half, with a
fine covering. Wait until the paint dries, and repeat spraying
until you have a finished surface.
4. Remove Masking Tape, and open Mint Tin. Wipe
the interior of the tin until it is clean. Cut sections of Foam
Weather Strip, to fit inside of tin. Placement at your discretion.
You now have a Free Fly Tin. There are many ways to use
them, you can write on them and/or color code the lids at
your discretion as to the type of flies. You can mark them
with a Permanent Marker as to the fly or which months hatch
on your favorite stream. The possibilities are endless.
I have a good source of mint tins, people at work give me their
empty tins, when they are done with the mints. Some even give
me mint tins, with the plastic wrappers still on. I wonder if
they are trying to tell me something? ~ Parnelli
Please check out the Fly Tying Section, on the
Bulletin Board, on FAOL too.
If you have any questions, tips, or techniques; send them along.
Someone else thought up most of this material before we did,
they just forgot to tell anyone about it. Or else we just
forgot about it, while learning something else. Let us
share with each other, all the things we know!
~ Steven H.
McGarthwaite (Chat Room AKA Parnelli)
|
