I have been tying on a rotary for about 7 or 8 years and can do all the ‘regular’ winding stuff (dubbing, dubbing loops, ribbing, hackle, placement of wings, Clousers, etc.) At the Winter Hatches Tying Symposium where I have been an assistant to the star tiers for the last 3 or 4 years, I have often coached individuals in short 5 minute sessions on the essentials of rotary technique. It surprises me the number of tiers who have a rotary vise and don’t use that feature!
So this year I will be leading some full-length sessions on rotary technique. The flies will not be all that special because the focus is to get tiers to get into the new habit of rotating. However I need some advanced techniques for those already using a rotary (for example) on woolly buggers or nymph bodies.
I have emailed Al Beatty about his video and book, and will probably buy one but not both. His reply to date is that neither show using the rotary to make dubbing brushes. This is the kind of ‘advanced’ use I seek. Along this line, I am trying to develop a plan to use the rotary function to make whip finishes for instance (not going so well).
The next Symposium isn’t until February, but I do have to create the lesson details by Xmas. Any links to webpages or YouTube videos that you can provide are gratefully received.
Thanks in advance, Greg
I believe a search on YouTube will produce some examples. Not sure though. Have you already tried that?
Byron: I tried to find ‘rotary vise whip finish’, but the responses were for ‘rotating a whip finisher’ on any vise. I will continue to search, but of course was hoping to tap into experience already residing here. I did findhttp://www.thebowriver.com/alberta/rotary_tying_tips.htm, which has good ideas (some of which are specific to the Nor-vise, and some of which are not rotary). I have printed it off to re-read more carefully, but in general there was nothing revolutionary there (at least for me). I am still changing the Google search words to see what turns up.
…use a rotary vise to make a Snellie, which is any fly tied on a snelled hook.http://montana-riverboats.com/index.php?fpage=Fly-Tying/Sandy-Pittendrigh/Lathe/The-Lathe.jpg <== how-to-make-it
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https://picasaweb.google.com/117699446496822594209/SandyPittendrigh#](http://montana-riverboats.com/index.php?fpage=Fly-Tying/Sandy-Pittendrigh/Lathe/Snellie-Sculpin.jpg)
What is an “advanced rotary technique” anyway? While Norm Norlander has a particular style of tying, for example, it really is a function of the Nor-Vise and not really a matter of tying technique per se. Any technique that can be achieved of a rotary vise can also be performed on a non-rotary vise, albeit perhaps not as efficiently.
Personally, I would focus on using a rotary vise for mundane tasks rather than trying to dream up some contrived technique. The point of the exercise is to change how people perform regular tasks, so your focus must emphasize examples that are conducive to rotary tying. Extended bodies, tube flies, dubbing loops, and creating dubbing brushes are a few examples, but your students would probably learn just as much from tying woolly buggers, mohair leeches, thread midges on small hooks, Catskill dries, etc. using their rotary vise. YMMV.
Whatfly: I agree! My apologies for misleading you (anyone) by trying to condense my request. I tried to save space and focus on what I hope to find for the advanced rotary user. I do like the idea of a Catskill dry because it would force the tier to use the rotary quite a bit and also careflully (as opposed to a bugger).
The Symposium attracts about 100 tiers and is a daylong event, rather like high school. An instructor teaches two flies in the first period and two in the second. Then after lunch repeats the two lessons. The instructor and assistant tour the class coaching the students as they do the fly(s). There are usually 5 lead instructors so that makes 10 distinct classes, and the students choose 4, moving to the next class if necessary. For students wanting to learn specific flies that works great.
I currently am planning to have class 1 and 3 for novice tiers and do as you suggest getting them into the new rhythm; a bugger and maybe a soft hackle or perhaps a Casual Dress/Fox Squirrel type fly. My concern is filling lesson 2 & 4. I assume that of the 100 students only 30% at most will be interested in the novice lesson (15 in each class) - but what do I do for the second lesson? If I have something more unique then I can keep other ‘rotaries’ happy, otherwise I might be done by lunchtime (two novice classes in the morning and goodbye).
I like the dubbing brush idea because although not hard it is topical and something they may not have considered. So that’s where I’m looking for a second idea. The Snellie looks exciting, and am continuing to search as well. As I mentioned, I thankfully have about 8 weeks to form a good plan.
OK how would you make a dubbing brush with a rotary vise???
One fly that I have been tying lately, that would be very difficult without using a rotary vise, is a Craven’s Flashback Jujubaetis. This uses two brown and one black superhair fibers wound in parallel (not twisted) for the body. It is hard enough for me to keep the superhair fibers properly distributed for the body using rotary, so I don’t think I would have a chance with fixed vise jaws!
Ted
Try #13 video…that is one way
I want to know more about the “snellie” - is that just a twisted hackle? It’s fascinating!