What if I want to pursue this addiction and purchase some decent tying tools (vice, etc.) and didn’t want to break the bank (yet)?? What would you suggest?
Do any of you guys have a spare vice (I know, silly question)? Ummm… that you’d be willing to part with (better question)? At a price I can afford? (Or see my swap suggestion in the thread on pipe smokers.)
What about things like bobbins, hackle pliers, etc.?
I know this is all bad… but, lovely wife is encouraging me. I must take advantage…
JohnR; Get in contact with your nearest Fly fishing Club and talk to the people there.
You will be surprised at the help you will be given. Good luck in your new venture and be warned. “There is no Turning back once started on your journey” Have Fun. Jax
E-Mail your address and I will send bobbin,hackle pliers, stacker,scissors ect. will have to check about the vise.and if you ever have more lemon wood duck than you need remember me.
ibrb
I have been building vises with and for beginners for about ten years now.
It has become an … obsession.
Average cost is about $4.50.
Average value ---------------- priceless.
Before you embark down this road I will need to know if you have access to and are comfortable using a drill, drill press, bench grinder, hand saws, table saw, tap and die etc. Believe me, you don’t need to have access to all of these.
I have made vises from common can openers, and strap hinges.
Go ahead and build a vise … heck, you can even use a vise grip pliers as a vise … or, stick the end of the hook into a tree branch.
Then, when your curiosity has been satiated, go buy the best vise you can afford, one that you won’t outgrow, and have fun!! Try out a bunch of them first, but get the best you can get. Tying is an insidious affliction. It’s also a tremendous enjoyment!
<I won’t say anything about rod building right now! I like to play fair!>
I really enjoy tying flies with it. I’ve certainly added to my collection of materials and hooks in the past 2 years, ut I’m still using that cheap vise for the time being.
Nicer vises would certainly be helpful. But I’ve tied a few hundred flies on the one that came with the kit. For $59 it probably won’t break the bank and you get the vise, hooks, materials, and a DVD teaching how to tie half a dozen patterns.
i started with a danvise (79USD) and upgraded last year to a renzetti traveller cam with a pedastal base. the new traveller cam look much nicer than the old version one that i have. However the danvise is in fact a good vise, value for money and very user friendly. i enjoyed it very much and even though it is now my travel and backup vise, i still use it quite a lot. plus, its 360degree rotary, dont think there’s a cheaper vise with a rotary function
happy tying! its quite addictive
