I see my 1 quart can of toluene is marked $3.99…don’t remember where I got it but…paint stores and Wal-Mart are where I get most of those kind of things…e.g. Marine Goop at Wal-Mart.
This search started because I needed a thinner for my Dave’s flexament by Umpqua. When I called one store, the store said it was the same thing as "“Goof-Off” I had this product on the shelf called “Oops” and I looked up the MSDS on it and found out it was 95% xylene. Anyhow, I poured that into the Flexament and perfecto magico, it’s thin again.
I called Wal-Mart and no toluene at my local superstore. I found the gallon at Menards, but nothing iat Home Depot, Lowes or Farm and Fleet. I’ll still buy some when I find a decent price on it. Ace had it for $8.49 for a quart and I thought that it should be under $6.00 and I am a cheap bastid so I didn’t want to spend more than I thought that I should.
Can you believe a guy that fishes with a rod that cost more than many people make in a week’s worth of work and has a fly line that sells for $60 and a net that retails at $185, can’t or won’t spend another two bucks on something that he wants? Strange I know, but it just rubs me the wrong way and I can be stubborn in my old age.
Rick
grifs thin and black duck
I like Loon. It goes on really neat, and stays where I put it.
I also like the Fly-Tite Head Cement because it dries clear and stays flexible.
Bill
I use Umpqua’s dave’s flexament. It makes a hard but rubbery coating.
I should’a read this thread b-4 my last purches, Orvis HC, could have saved a dollar, that’s ok, it will last a while and also helped a friend keep his doors open, ( not that his store needs help) Now I have info the next time I can use…
Ditto! Make mine out of gloss clear lacquer and MEK. Mostly use my own for the jigs I tie and use it very thin as to not leave a hard spot where the knot is. Can make it as thin or thick as I want. Do also use Sally’s on some fly heads.
Also use some home made Flexament or Softex.
Just depends on what I am doing.
Skip
I’ve made head cement before as well. I used LocTite Vinyl glue and Naptha. There were no Fly Shops where I lived then. It worked great, but now we have the internet, and can buy online, so I use Loon from Cabelas.
Has anyone tried to use Miwax Polycrylic to make head cement. I assume it can be thinned just with water. I guess this is along the lines of trying to make a non-solvent based head cement.
I use just plain ol gloss laquer, a quart for ten bucks