When you change hook sizes, how do you eliminate wobble and make sure that the true rotary vise rotates on the axis of hook shank? Is there a rule of thumb to make centering the axis of rotation easier?
I am using Dan Vise for my tying, and I like it. However, when I change hook sizes from a small dry fly hook to to a large streamer hook, the true rotary Dan Vise does not automatically rotate on the axis of hook shank. There is some wobble because different hook sizes have different hook gape, so that the axis of rotation becomes off the center. So, I have to adjust the position of jaws until I center the axis of rotation again. In addition, this is just a guessing work, and time-consuming.
Any tips? I will appreciate your comments. Have a good day.
In tying, as in many other activities, there is “theoretical” and “real world”.
The Dan-vise is a hand cranked in-line rotary vise. Exact in-line rotary positioning is crucial when using spinning design vises, like the Nor-vise. For hand cranked vises a small deviation is not a problem, as long as you position the hook shank horizontal, and near axis.
My suggestion is that you go for the ‘close’, maximize access to the hook, and get on with the actual tying.
I also have a Danvise among my stable. Most of the flies I tie are sizes 6 to 16. Almost all the time the variance is accommodated by placing the bend farther in to the jaws for the larger flies. (One of the nice things about the Danvise is that the jaws close parallel.) On the ‘front’ of the angle bracket there is a seam, from molding the plastic, which is on the centre-line. I have highlighted this seam with a thin line of ‘White-out’. When I DO have to adjust centre-line, the white mark is a big help.