I need help in making mono eyes, everytime I try to burn a piece of mono, I either 1)burn myself, 2)burn through the mono, or 3)come up with something I cant even tie onto my fly. What tips do you offer to make mono eyes, and what length of mono do you use in order to make them? Also, do you think I can substitute white glo-bug yarn, for white antron yarn for a fly I am trying to make, or should I go pick up the real stuff?
Smallie14
I use a small hemostat to clamp the mono. I can adjust the width of the eyes by were I grip it.
I am going to invest in an alchol lamp the lighter can get hot.
A tip I got here is to tie in the eyes on several hooks first.
I’ve also learned that after tying in the eye I put a drop of head cement on the thread and then go on to finish the fly. This cuts down the time waiting for the cement to dry.
Try using colored epoxy. I color my epoxy with craft paint. Black, etc. Do not use a lot of paint, because the epoxy will not harden. At times I will touch the tip with a marker, go all around the tip 1/16 below the tip. Then dip the tip in clear epoxy. This works great, and you can control the size of the eye. The dot is magnified when you are done. If you have a fly turner it helps a great deal. This way you do not have to hold and turn it in your hands.
Cheers
Keep tyin and flyin
[This message has been edited by Tony.A (edited 15 January 2006).]
Depending on the size eyes I need I use 3 to 6 pound test mono. I grip a short piece of mono 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 in length with fine point tweezers inch fold it overand snip the ends so both sides are equal. I hold it with the tweezers about a quarter inch from their tips. Then I flash the mono so it melts using the lower part of the flame. If it catches fire quickly blow it out. Do each side part way. maybe about the mono eye size from the tweezer as equal by eye as you can. Let it cool a few seconds then move the dumbell mono eyes closer to the point. If you want black eyes flash the mono with the top of the flame and continue to melt it down so it doesn’t quite touch the sides of the tweezer points. It all depends on how much “bar” you want between the “Dumbells” to how close to the tweezers points you hold, or move the eyes as you melt it down and how far toward the tweezer points you slide the mono. If you want the cloudy eyes so you can color them with permanebt marking pens continue to use the bottom of the flame the slightly blue almost clear part. If you want black eyes flash it with the top, or yellow part of the flame then continue to melt shrink flash it down and the black ‘soot’ will melt in and become permanent.
It is pretty much trial and error until you get the hang of it. Mono is cheap so experiment and you will see how easy it can be. One suggestion, once you cut a piece and place it in your tweezers, before you flash it, hold it against a short piece of ruller or mark it’s length out. Then if it melts down to the size eyes you want you will know exacrly how long the piece should be for the next set.
Another reason for not melting it down all the way when first flashing with your lighter is that even though both sides sticking out of your tweezers are originally of equal tlength the dumbells may be just a hair off in equal size. It is at this point you can move the eyes a tiny bit to one side or the other to get just the tiniest bit more mono material whichever side may need a bit more bulk. Practice, practice , practice. It will become automatic after a while,…It is a little more of a trick if you want flat back sides to the eyes in which case you would carefully melt it right up against the tweezer sides. It is tough because it is easy to over melt the mono and ruin the eyes with the very last “flash”…Bob
Someone suggested using Amnesia mono for red eyes…seems like a good idea.
I seem to be prone to having the mono flame…what’s the best way to avoid that?
Another method I use and find easier after mastering the technique, is to light the end of your mono, and when the ball is approximately the size you are after, quickly blow it out. Then touch the end of the mono onto the fly were you want the eye located. A thin coat of head cement or varnish and you’re finished. Works great on some patterns though on very small patterns it might not be applicable.
Below is an example. [url=http://www.hatchmasters.ca/goldsmalleyes.jpg:61020]http://www.hatchmasters.ca/goldsmalleyes.jpg[/url:61020]
![http://www.hatchmasters.ca/goldsmalleyes.jpg[/url:61020]](http://www.hatchmasters.ca/goldsmalleyes.jpg%5B/url:61020%5D){kind=link}
[This message has been edited by Salmonfly (edited 16 January 2006).]
Hi Smallie. Your first question has been pretty much answered so I’ll hit on the second. Glo-bug yarn is very soft, much less stiff than antron. For this reason it will not hold a shape, especially when wet. So if it was any lenght, say 1/2 an inch or so like a wing or nymph leggs might be, it would become a shapeless mess possibly fouling the hook. If you want a material with lifelike movement I suggest marabou (however the devil it’s spellt). If you want something to hold its shape- for a wing, tail, or shuck for example- go for antron or any craft yarn. Just make sure its a man-made material. No wool. No cotton.
The trick is not to hold the mono in the flame. Just a quick in and out. While it is still hot and melting I press the end onto a drinking glass or mirror to form the dumbell. Using permenant markers you can then colour them any shade you like. Draw in eyeballs if you want.
A good sub for antron is Macrome yarn found at many craft places for $8 or so for a huge roll which for most is a life time supply. Egg yarn is not stiff enough and soaks up water to quickly.
Funny thing is I saw some 3 foot section of macrome yarn being sold in a little sporting good store in Idaho for $2.5 per package to be used as flyfishing indicators. I might have to try that some time.
For larger flies like streamers and some nymphs you can put two seed beads the on mono before melting it. Once the mono glob forms, press it against the side of the Bic to flatten it and thus form the pupil and also form the disk that keeps the bead from coming off. Repeat for the other eye.
I usually use 25 or 30 pound test mono, cut
about a 3 inch section…use hook hemostats
& clamp on the middle of the mono section.
Take a Cricket lighter. Burn one side,
let flame get a little close (1/8 inch) from hemostat. Now do the other end. You can then touch up by waving the flame over
each eye to get an even ball & dark amber color. Color of mono will also give you nice variations. You can find an example of these eyes on my Barbie Shrimp (flytyingworld.com). I do a bunch & label as to what pattern I’m using them on.
Granted, there are some that will not turn out, & you toss. It takes some practice,
but you will turn out some nice realistic eyes (especially on Scuds, Craws, & Damsels) !!!
Thanks for the tips. The glo-bug/antron yarn is for the shellback of a mysiss shrimp pattern used to fish great lakes steel. As are the mono eyes, I am actually going to pick up the antron, and get pre made mono eyes.
I just buy mine pre made these days…I don’t have alot of time to tye…and sure can’t waste what I do have burning eyes…
I’m amazed so many put so much into burning some mono eyes. I just take some cheap 50lb mono (like you can get from wal-mart) and cut some 1" strips. I really don’t care if it catches on fire, I just blow it out. Sometimes I let it burn until it’s almost the right length and blow it out. Sometimes you’ll get some uneven eyes, but the fish don’t seem to care.
I don’t know about the glo-bug yarn, sorry.