on a dubbing brush block?? Any help??
Normand,
There are several (maybe ‘lots’?) of different dubing brush ‘blocks’ out there (the one I have doesn’t have anything that ‘spins’).
Perhaps a better description, or even a picture?
If you are building your own, then maybe some of us can help, but need to know more first…
Thanks,
Buddy
on the following website is a turbo block (scroll down) and on the end is the spinning device I’m seeking (or an equivalent). Its the black thing that holds one end of the wire/thread. I’m trying to build my own.
Normand,
I found myself in a very similar situation a couple of years ago, when I wanted to try dubbing brushes and did not want to spend $80.00 plus shipping for one of the dubbing twisters you gave the link to. I ended up making my own and while it involves some woodworking, it came out so nice that I ended up making some as gifts for friends. Well, they showed their friends who showed their friends etc. and I have now sold quite a few of them. Here is a link to the one that I make and sell for $30.00 plus shipping. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozuKuJwWFns
If you want to make your own, send me a PM and I’ll explain how I made the spinning device on the model I make.
Jim Smith
I have one of the dubbing brushed made by James Smith. It works great and I’m very pleased with it.
Me too …highly recommend it and Jim.
Oh and as an aside, Jim how’s the power thing working out?
Just watched the video Jim and that is one awesome tool I will save the money for one.
Normand,
You don’t ‘need’ that spinning thing.
Make the ‘block’ part (wood is nice, but you can make one very quickly by pressing a 3/4 inch dowel down into some styro foam).
Stick a pin or nail with a small head on it into the end of the ‘block’ to hold your wire.
Bend a ‘shepards crook’ shape into a piece of stiff wire (clothes hanger type wire).
Wrap the end of your dubbing brush wire around the pin stuck in the end of the block and lay it in the groove.
Place your dubbing material of choice in the groove.
Pull the loose end of the wire over the material, leaving a loop out the far end and wrap the free end onto the pin. The dubbing material is now ‘between’ or ‘inside’ the wire loop.
Catch the loop of the wire with your wire hook and pull it tight gently to snug it down onto the dubbing material.
Spin the loop with your fingers to capture the dubbing and make the brush. Spin it as tight or loos as you choose.
Simple to do, easy to make. Will work on any length dubbing brush, as long as it’s not longer than the groove in the block.
I ‘bought’ one for a few dollars at the fly shop years ago that was made this way. It was too short for me, so I just used a router on an 18 ince piece of oak and made a longer one.
Good Luck!
Buddy
Buddy…Instead of the shepard’s crook …I’m visualizing a power drill/screwdriver with a cup hook as used for furling leaders.
Normand,
James Smith was kind enough to send me six of his flies and six extra dubbing brushes. The flies, which were tied with dubbing brushes and the dubbing brushes themselves were beautiful—full, bushy and buggy. I would suggest that you consider James’ offer for a dubbing block. Just my two percent of a dollar. 8T
Love the dubbing block …I just sit in my recliner and watch TV while I’m turning out brushes.
I recently made a dubbing block like the ones Jim Smith and Mr. Simon sell. I used a nylon spacer as a bearing. The spacer is about 1/2" long and has a hole slightly over 1/4" through it. I clamped it between two pieces of wood. I used a 1/4" shaft, some stop collars and a radio tuning knob. (Sometimes it helps to have alot of junk 
)
It works fine. It would probably be better if the knob was weighted and balanced though.
Duckster,
I’ve thought about it, but it only takes a few seconds to twist one of these up. Wouldn’t be worth the setting up the drill time unless you wanted to make a bunch at once.
If that was the case, then you could make dozens of them in just a short time with power.
Looking at those devices with the ‘knobs’ it just looks unweildy to me. One end has to ‘move’ as you twist, since the wire loop shortens the more you twist it, which means complicated springs or stretchy stuff. And, you have to twist a knob, shich is much more time consuming than twisting a thin wire between your fingers. I can do that real fast. Maybe a crank type would work faster.
I’ll stick with the simple way.
Good Luck!
Buddy
Buddy,
It actually only takes me about 2 minutes from start to finish to make a 10 inch long dubbing brush. That includes clipping in the wire, adding the dubbing material and twisting the brush. It’s really very easy and once you start using dubbing brushes, you’ll wonder why it took you so long to give them a try. I have also “created” a powered dubbing brush with a 1/20 hp motor, but it is much larger/heavier than the unpowered one. Also with the smaller, unpowered twister, I can sit and watch TV while I make up a bushel of brushes. I did make some brushes with a Dremel, but it’s a bit difficult to get it to spin slowly enough to not super twist and break the wire before the entire brush is completed. As usual, there are many ways to solve any problem and a dubbing twister is just one of them.
Thanks again for your bass tidbits, it is very imformative and really getting me pumped up about the upcoming season.
Jim Smith
Here is a system I’ve been using…
To me :
I like the idea of power …but…
Dremel type tools have been too fast…
Cordless screwdrivers [which could be great] are too slow…
I’ve got a corded very old style drill that RPM’s @ 1000…but too complicated to hook up etc.----like it for furled leaders though 
Well,ended up at Christmas with this thing pictured which was supposed to be a battery powered brass brush thingie to clean BBQ’s…totally useless…BUT hooked up with that plastic tube runs the dubbing platform …great…it can be disconnected and reconnected at will…
Oh, and all this is on a cutting board I put on my lap while I watch TV…
I also have one of Jim’s & it is a great tool.
Thanks Jim!
Mike