Couple of hours at tying desk . . . no flies tied

Maybe we all need to do this at times.

I spent two hours last night at my desk, vise pushed aside. I had created a hook mess. Ran out of spots in my hook boxes etc. I found a bead box at walmart and moved all my beads into that. That opened up more spots in my hook boxes to I could move hooks around and get them all lined up by type/size etc. Had to get reorganized. I am planning on tying at my first show this spring so I need to get things sorted out to prepare for that!

When is the last time you all got your stuff together? :smiley:

Seems like I am CONSTANTLY trying to sort out stuff. The problem is, I always end up getting more stuff that won’t fit where the old stuff was squeezed into.
Magnets are my friend. I now apply a small piece of magnetic tape to the bottom of each hook container (I by hooks by the box keep them in the original boxes) so a spill is rare.
I bought an inexpensive trunk at Hobby Lobby that looks pretty decorative and holds all my hackles.
I bought bead boxes at WalMart (each one has 24 smaller boxes inside) and have sorted all my beads and eyes into these. Again, no more spills.
Dubbing is now all in plastic boxes with peep holes to pull out a small bit.
Chenille is in old 35mm film cartridges with a hole punched in the top to pull out a bit. (These are increasingly hard to find.)
Tools are in two lazy susan caddys. Bobbins are in a multi-hole board. Thread is in a pair of plastic lure boxes from my commie tackle days.
Foam (I use a LOT) is in two large plastic storage bins. Hair and fur are in another bin.
I have 3 (as in THREE) wooden chests for miscellaneous stuff and still there is still more stuff than I can deal with.
It’s an addiction.

Lets see – I havent cleaned or reorganized my 8 x 10 room in years. As far as hooks for tying at shows the one box is always ready to go and I have only four hook sizes to take along. Ask Fishbum he said I dont need many hooks. BILL

If I ‘reorginized’ my stuff, I’d never be able to find anything :wink:

i usually keep my tying materials organized and really hate tying in a messy area. i take out only what i need for a given pattern and put it away when i’m done. but thats just me.

I am in the process of reorganising my bench. I don’t have as much room as some of the places posted here. So I have to cramp everything in a 3’X3’ area in the dining room. Just bought a put it together 3 shelf cabinet for more storage. Everything goes in plastic bins or hangs in their original packs from hooks on the wall. Meanwhile I’m trying to talk Debbie into letting me build a 10’X10’ shed designated just for fly tying. She thinks I’m crazy, or obsessed. Meanwhile I’m stuck with what I have. As far as sitting at the bench for 2 hours without tying something… HMMM. I can’t do it. Jim

About a week or so ago, I had bought some boxes at a craft store. I went home and reorganized my hooks, beads, eyes, etc. I filled 2 of the boxes up completely.

And then I went out and bought 3 new hook sizes/styles…so eventually I’ll have to figure out how to get those organized into some boxes. :rolleyes:

Last fall I decided to start over at fly tying.

Gave away all the stuff I didn’t expect to use in the next year and organized what I had left into six or seven plastic storage bins ( each a little bigger than a shoe box ) from Target. ( Also, I actually got rid of some bad habits while I was at it. )

The hooks are pretty easy. I mostly use Dai-Riki. Their boxes are designed to lock together. I ended up with seven rows of four boxes each stacked in a place on my tying desk that accomodates them quite nicely.

Beads - I don’t use many so I just have them in an empty Dai-Riki hook box.

A week ago, I was preparing a care package for a young fellow who is short of fly tying stuff. Gave me another opportunity to go through all my materials and hooks to see what I could send him, and another opportunity to get my “left overs” organized.

John

My desk looks the worst after we put out a new catalog. In the fall, I take every, and I mean every, sample and new fly tying material I can find and try and use it. If I like it or think you will, I put in in the catalog.

I clean it before a guest comes over to tie with me or I can’t find anything. When I can’t find my glasses, and I usually have a few pair on my desk, then, I KNOW it’s time to clean a bit.

I’ll also clean before tying fly for a specific trip.

Ron

You will probably save more time in the long run having tidied it up in the first instance!

Well done - I ought to get round to going mine. I bet MC (Mike- Conno) has done his!

:smiley: