I’m trying to come up with a good flash/angel hair storage idea. I’ve found suitable ways to store almost everything that I have for my tying, but tinsel, flash, and that sort of material is an issue. Right now they are in their original envelopes, but it is a bit of a pain getting what I need from the packages.
Does anyone have a good solution that you’ve come up with?
It is an issue isn’t it:(
You can make a small slit in the envelope on the end where the flash is folded over and reach through with say a bodkin and capture the number of strands you want and withdraw.
I don’t do it that way but kind of wish I had kept on using that method…
I maintain two tying areas and here’s one way I do it…a tie rack that extends…
the other way I use is to store the flash in those plastic tubes with the removable red caps on each end that were around some years ago…somewhat pricey if you have a lot.
Cut a smallish hole in the middle of the bottom of the bag it came in. Then use your bodkin to pull out a few strands at a time as needed.
i leave it in the original baggie and just cut one of the corners off for access with a bodkin
or be creative and make one of these flash-go-round (found it at the wapsi website)
I found something similar to this on clearance at Orvis. It might be worth experimenting and building one.
I’ve also seen something like this, but don’t know if it would work or not. http://www.shop.com/Floss_Organizer-88373787-109257940-p+.xhtml?sourceid=298
Any idea who sells the wapsi version?
I made on similar to the one in Normand’s picture, but I used two cheap wood plaques and a dowel rod from Michaels and around the perimeter, I stapled 1/2 " elastic. Most flash is held together with a wire tie, if it isn’t I add one and slide the tag end of the wire tie into the elastic.
A piece of milk jug between the top plaque and the dowel makes it so it can spin, but I have soo much junk on my bench, I have yet to give it a good turn.
Then I drilled a bunch of holes in the top plaque to hold tools that I don’t use very often.
Total cost about 5 or 6 bucks.
Roy
I have a drawer full of flash/angel hair material stored in tubes. The tubes have a cap on each end for ease of removal.
I bought my tubes at a Fly Show in Seattle about 5-7 years ago. Best thing I ever bought. When I get home I will see if I have a name for them.
Cal E. Batis
see if you can find a firend who works in a hospital operating room
many of the products used will come in tubes (as described in above post with caps on each end–good length and width for storing flash, synthetic hair, spools of thread or wire
Anyone looking for the tubes mentioned earlier, I bought some from Al and Gretchen Beatty at the last tying expo. Prices were pretty reasonable as I recall. They are sponsors of this site. http://www.btsflyfishing.com/catalog/page6-7.htm Scroll to the bottom of the page.
Like several of the others, I chose to store my flashabou type products in tubes, however at the time I did this (about 9 years ago) I couldn’t find clear plastic tubes at a reasonable price especially since I have about 50 different products/colors. I went to the big box store and bought 3/4 clear plastic tubing. I cut the tubing into 8-9 inch lengths and slit each tube down one side. Then, I cut a 1/4 square notch at one end of the slit about 1/2 inch from the end of the tube. This allows me to pinch the flash material by the tie-tie that holds it together and simply run my finger up the slit in the tube. The flash material is stored perfectly inside the tube and the tie-tie is sticking out the notch so I can pull the material out easily the next time I need it. It’s worked great for me for the past 8 years and best of all it was a cheap solution so I had more money to buy flu tying supplies.
Jim Smith
Dot Man, a sponsor here, carries my ZDO bags. There are multiple sizes, some of which were designed with flash/flashabou in mind. He has a lot of other cool stuff too.
I forgot about those bags. I got three of the 20 bag assortments from Dot-Man a while back. They are really great for hackles, and the skiiny ones work great for squirrell tails and calf tails. With a zipper at both ends, they are great for flas material as well. Easy to keep the stuff in view and neat in those bags. Dot-Man is also a sponsor here.
I second the tubes from BT’s. Bought a few from Al a few years back at the Fly Fishing Show in Pleasanton, CA. Best way yet I have found for storing Flash.
The bags Dotman sells sound interesting.
Interesting ideas. The tie rack is probably a bit overkill for what I need, but the bags/tubes have some definite promise. I’m not sure the stand is what I need, but then again, it might be.
Check out, Dan Bailey’s Fly Shop for storage tubes. The tubes are 10" long with red caps on either end.
Tony
Like Normand, I cut the top corner off of the original bag and “fish” out what I need with a bodkin or tweezers. The bags store well in a drawer or box of any type. It’s not fancy but it works well for me. Some of the other solutions are elegant but a little too complex for me. Keep it simple! 8T 
The tubes I do have are just like those at Dan Bailey’s. I do have two sizes though. Works great for me.
Cal E. Batis
I use the metal strip out of a 3 ring notebook binder. I have the metal strip fastened on the back of a cabinet door and just have the flash hanging from the 3 rings. That way I just open the cabinet door and cut what I need and the color and shut the door.
Works for capes and saddles too.
I have 3 of those notebook binder rings fastened on the back of the door. When you open this door you can choose hackle or flash and close the door.
I just got my hands on some of these bags. Very nice product. Pick some up if you get a chance. They are a good product for a very fair price. The variety pack has some bags for rooster and hen hackle and those are great, too.
Dotman’s site, or troutgeek’s site has them.