heres how i made my own profile plate. this is not the definitive answer in making one. others may have better ideas.
Excellent Step by Step:) Works and sure beats paying $39 bucks. Thanks for the examples
Jim
I was away for the weekend fishing Normand. Thanks for the nice pictures and explaination. Cool.
so much better than $50!!!
BP
Excellent simple design Norm!!! Every time I see that kind of rigid foam I wonder what else it could be used for at the bench. After following Jay 'Fishy Fullum for many years, I don’t discount any item as a possible material for fly tying. In my opinion, Innovation and Creativity are the best attribute’s a fly tyer can have.
as a nit picker I’ve got to wonder how to clean up the rough edges of that…
picky picky picky :!: 
i’ll leave that up to you or buy the $40 one
I’ve got an idea on that, but will keep it to myself until I see if it works. Sounds like a trip to Hobby Lobby is warranted!
I even think there is something at Ace in the specialty hardware that would attach to the vise shaft like what the vise vendors use for bobbin cradles and other accessories.
If you glue felt to it and wrap it around the edges it will take care of the edges. If you want to change colors as felt sticks to felt you can just lay another sheet of felt on it and it will be a different color.
With the state of my tying area IE feathers fluff bits of tinsel and wire everywhere I don’t think the rough edges are going to make a bit of difference.
Eric
nope.
mine…
Now that’s the way a desk should look:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:.
If the foam plate is large enough, the rough edges won’t show in the picture so they don’t need to be addressed.
Thanks for the details (and the other suggestions). Great thread.
I have been thinking about the edge thing. If it bothers you buy the material from a Hobby Lobby or Michaels or what have you from their picture department and have them cut it to size on their equipment for matting pictures. The edges will be cleaner.
Yes, the back ground color and panel is important but how it attaches to the vise is what is going to make it convenient to use. This will take some thought.
Rick
Blur – I especially like the Green Bay Packer flag on the side.
Sorry for the hijack.
Clay,
I spent about 20 minutes at Ace looking thru the specialty hardware boxes. I found shaft collars with a 3/8 I.D and a 1/4x20 set screw. Since set screw thread is common, I’m thinking a simple thumb screw with 1/4x20 threads would work. I looked at plastic knobs with a threaded shaft, but they didn’t have any small enough that would look right. That will allow adjustment once slipped onto shaft. Thats the easy part.
It gets a big trickier from here but still doable. Drill an 1/8" hole on the flat edge opposite the set screw. That should be fairly easy as long as the ID and OD of the collar are more than 1/8". Now the fun(hard) part. Drill a hole on the round edge perpendicular to bisect the first drilled hole. Tap the second hole for another thumb screw.
Insert the rod holding the profile plate in the 1/8" drilled hole and secure with thumb screw. This of course all depends on the size and hardness of the shaft collar. If you get one designed for a drill bit stop. It should not be too hard to drill and tap. This is just first round design phase, so feel free to run with it and modify as needed.
Next idea is to start from scratch with aluminum bar stock. It should
actually be easier to machine.
remember, profile plates do not have to be attached to any vise to make it work.
i think this profile plate thing is being over thought.
standing up a piece of your favorite colored cardboard behind your vise will work as a profile plate.
i only use the one i made for a background for photographing my flies.
the backplate i came up with is similar but i use agilader clips on the top edge of the board so i can just clip it to the bobin rest…
I think that you are right. I tend to over anylize :shock:
Well I’m done thinking about it, just bought the Dyna-King Profile plate in blue and look forward to putting it through it’s paces.
ok so i have a question whats this used for???