Does anyone know how to “make” a bobbin cradle that attaches to the stem of the vise and swings out of the way? I would like to try one first to see if it’s something I would use rather than buy one and throw it in the corner later on.
Thanks
I know I don’t use mine.
I hate the damn thing.
mgj
Hey Mikey. Send it my way
Bobbin cradle comes in to use, for true rotary vises.
You half-hitch the thread at the eye, and then you can rotate the vise to lay the floss, chenille, or ribbing; without twisting of the material or thread winding around the hook shank. This allows for a more uniform layer of material on the hook shank, and in the case of ribbing, more uniform spacing of the ribs.
Bobbin Cradle is also useful for make your own chenille, using a dubbing loop.
~Parnelli
Hey Big Brown,
I made a good one for my vise. It only took about 10 mintes. It is a great aid when rotating the vise while wrapping materials.
I used a length of thick aluminum wire. I think it’s good enough that I won’t need to buy one!
I wrapped the wire five times around the upright base of the vise and formed the rest just by eye-balling it.
If I could send a picture it would be easy to see how to do it. Anyone know how to send a picture? I have a digital camera.
John
Chusha:
I get the idea. Where does one get aluminum wire from? I have never heard of it.
BB,
I got some from a power company worker who reconnected the power to our house. They use aluminum instead of copper now.
Just ask one of them if they have any left over. They don’t need it, but can’t leave it behind either.
John
Use a coat hanger to make one from.
Happy Trails!
Ronn
Mickeytwoshoes,
Do you use a retracting bobbin? Or whatever they call’em? An auto bobbin greatly compliments the use of a cradle type thingie and a rotary vise.
…lee s.
Use a coat hanger–also get a o-ring from you local hardware store that is tight on your vetical shaft to rest the bobbin holder on. It provides a swivel base. I have seen others that have the wire set in a wood base that sets on the tying bench–just slide it away when not in use.
Bill
aluminum welding rod works well, its easier to work with, i just installed it into a donut looking thingy with a set screw in it…i find it handy to keep the thread bobbin outta my way when im wrapping with my clumsy fingers
I have one for a Traveler that I don’t use. I found the damn thing always in the way. I just put extra wraps of thread and then wind my materials on assbackwards, this takes the extra wraps of thread off. With a little practice you can know just exactly how many extra wraps to put on, and when you are done winding your thread will be just where ya want it.
Big Brown,
A.K Best describes how to make a very good one, that works and doesn’t get in the way, in his book on production fly tying.
The different element he introduces is putting the axis of rotation of the cradle directly under the eye of the hook, so that when you swing the cradle back out of the way, the thread length doesn’t change.
Does require a separate mount, but it works very well.
I made mine from welding rod, a piece of doweling, and a C-clamp base from an old vise. Took about five minutes.
Good Luck!
Buddy
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Ronn Lucas and William Fitgerald.
I thought of bending a coat hanger into a 90 degree angle but how do you attach it to the vise stem?
Buddy Sanders.
I see what you used to make yours but how did you put it together?
Mile K
What was the donut thingy with the set screw made of?
[This message has been edited by big brown (edited 31 March 2005).]
Big Brown,
I had an old vise C-clamp, so I started with that.
I took a piece of doweling that fit into the clamp, and cut a piece about four inches long. I wrapped a rubberband tightly around it, so that it wouldn’t slip through the clamp (you can ‘adjust’ the height, if needed, by changing the level of the rubberband).
I had some welding rod, about 1/16" in diameter (clothes hanger wire would work the same). I bent it to ‘fit’, with about a 1" portion bent down to fit into the dowel. You do need to bend a tight ‘U’ shape in the end, to rest the thread through, and I found that filing/polishing the cut end is helpful.
I drilled a hole in the dowel to fit the wire, from the top in the center downwards.
I used 5 minute epoxy to glue the wire in place.
Took less time to make it than it did to write this…not fancy, or pretty, but it works. Only ‘upgrade’ I did was to replace the rubberband with some tight wraps of kelvar thread soaked with a couple of coats of thinned epoxy. This makes a smooth bearing surface for the cradle to rotate eqsier.
The nice thing about this type pf cradle is that it mounts separately to the bench, rather than on the vise arm. If you place the center of the cradle stem under the hook eye, you can swing the thread/bobbin out of the way, and the thread length stays the same. Just a quick finger flick makes it rotate.
When I don’t ‘need’ it, it folds around to the back side of the vise (I set it up so that when properly mounted, the upright portion aligns with the vise stem when folded back) and is completely out of the way.
It seems to be less ‘in the way’ for me than the one that came with my vise. I couldn’t stand using the one mounted on the vise stem. I was always running into it under the vise.
I’m now to the point where I wouldn’t tie without it.
Good Luck!
Buddy
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Thanks Buddy.
I think I get the idea. Wooden dowel swivels inside of the vise clamp and bend wire to what ever shape needed. Then swings out of the way.
big brown,
When I used my Regal and earlier, a Thompson (hate that vise!), I made a bobbin rest with a coat hanger. I took the wire and twisted it around I think a 1/4" metal rod three or so turns. Then I cut off the end which of course wouldn’t be curved because you need to grab it somehow. The spring back of the wire as I recall was just a snug fit over the vise post. You have your now coil with the wire coming out straight 90 degrees from the post to a point where you want the rest, then 90 degrees up. Make a u shaped bend directly across from the jaws. I have the coil resting all the way down onto the area on the base where the shaft mounts. You ought to be able to make one of these in 10 minute or less. The friction of the slightly smaller diameter of the coil against the post makes the rest stay put well yet it is easy to just push away when not needed.
Happy Trails!
Ronn
BB,
Yep, that’s it exactly.
Like I said, takes longer to explain than to do.
Really helpful tool, though.
Good Luck!
Buddy
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Thanks for all your help guys. Going to try your ideas out.
I suggest a 1/2" piece of shrink tubing over the part of the wire that supports the thread - very smooth. I made my holder out of coat hanger and used vise-grips to hold the ‘post’ end of the wire while I just wrapped the wire around the post (3 or 4 times). I use a 1/4" section of clear plastic tubing instead of the ‘O’ ring (for height), and it works the same.