Got the Nor Vise for Christmas. Very nice. Took to it like a duck to water. I initially had the rewind bobbin in the spool backwards and was wondering why it wouldn’t recoil correctly. Now I know. Got extra bobbins, spool cradle, magnifier/light(new one). Will get the base board and something else when it comes in. In the time being I had a piece of 1X12 that worked perfectly. Took maybe 5 minutes to mount everything up.
The magnifier/light is just OK. Comes loose easily(mounting screw does not tighten well) and the bendable shaft is not strong enough to hold the unit in place that well. May use it just for a light. May send it back. Will see.
I really like how you can lock the rotation of the vise in place and unlock it at will and very easily. Hooks hold extremely well.
The spools are simply awesome albeit slightly hard to thread.
So far so good. Looking forward to many years of use.
Happy for you BBW. That’s a “Dandy” vise. I had the pleasure of watching, in person, Norm tie one of his Extended Body Mayflies at an outdoor show here in the Spokane area a couple of years ago. I still have that fly in my collection. I’ve always wanted a Nor Vise but they’re just too expensive for me.
Congratulations! You must have been a very good boy this year for Santa to bring you such a great gift. I also took to the Nor-vise like a duck to water and learned about threading the bobbins backwards the same way as you. I find that using dental floss threaders like this http://www.amazon.com/THREADER-PartNo-70942000840-SUNSTAR-AMERICAS/dp/B004JCI18I are the best tool for threading any bobbin. I keep a couple of them looped near my vise so I always have one handy. Also, when you’ve finished with the bobbin when tying a fly, simply make a couple of wraps around the “thread holder” on the post oposite your vise. This will keep the bobbin from rewindinging on itself and have it ready when you start your next fly.
Also I find that the thicker floss for cleaning dental bridges and false teeth like this http://www.dentaldepot.com/product/thortons_implant_bridge_floss/DENTAL_TAPES_ is absolutely the best tool for cleaning out the eye of a hook if you accidently get head cement or epoxy in the eye of the hook. You can find it at any Walmart or drug store. One end of this floss has a very fine, stiff end which easily slips through the eye of the hook. About two inches in, the floss gets thicker almost like a small chinelle but it also easily slips through the eye of the hook and cleans it up like new. I keep one strand of this floss looped around the base of my Nor-vise so it’s always right there if I need it. One strand lasts me about 6-8 months and I think that there are 50 strands in a pack for about $3. Just another tip for setting your new toy up at the bench.
Great vise that will add to your enjoyment at the bench.
Already learned the trick about looping to the post when not in use. Otherwise… :). What do you use on the bobbins to keep the thread from unraveling when not in use?
Two really great tricks from Norm…
He has small rubber “cones” that slip over the tip and hold the thread in place when not in use. Of course the O-ring on the screw on the second upright is to wrap your thread around to hold the bobbin between flies… or when dubbing and such…
He carries a small piece of rubber tubing on the tube of his bobbin. When whip finishing he pulls the tubing up over the hackle to keep it out of the way. Remember to pull it back onto your bobbin each time…
I added a small tool caddy to my desk with a “tower” that I use to keep the extra bobbins. You can see it on the right of this photo. It sort of looks like an airport control tower. It spins around so I can have easy access to any of the four “extra” bobbins. I could add more if I wanted to. To make the holder, I simply attached a rubber faucet washer to the ball. It’s easy to wrap the thread around and keeps them right where I need them.
The base is really no big deal. One piece of 1Xwhatever and you have a base. Literally takes 5 minutes to construct a base and mount this to it(if you are slow). No base means you are free to mount it how YOU want it. The way it comes, it is so easy to mount to anything. The flat-head bolt easily recesses in any pine board. For hard wood, you may have to drill for a recess. Also there are clamps available for mounting if you wish. I may send back my clamps as I see no need for them after making a simple base out of scrap 1X12. Also, after mounting it to 1X??, it is now “portable”. You aren’t “tied” to tying in one place. I like that, as I tie at home, work and go to a friend’s house occasionally. And now everything is the same wherever I go.
