Another pro…
It’s easy and fun…or is that two…
James, your dubbing brush tool looks nice. Does it come with instructions for those of use who failed basket-weaving?
Thanks,
Ed
Ed,
Yes, I have a file with a couple of photos that I send along with it. Once you see how simple it is to use (there’s only one moving part, you’ll see why folks like it. Let me know if you’re interested. I have a batch of them that I’m finishing up now and taking names for the list. They should ship on Monday.
Jim Smith
Jim,
For longer fibers, is your material tray/groove moveable or deep enough to keep them from getting all bound up?
Curtis,
The material tray is about 1/4 inch deep and seems to work with all types of materials and fibers. If you wanted one with the material tray a bit deeper, that would be no problem for me to accomodate.
Jim Smith
Any hints on making the brush really spiky? I’ve been merrily making brushes of various types and seem to notice that if I want a larger brush the twisting makes it fairly “round”. I haven’t tied yet but am assuming it will just be a matter if picking some of the fibers out???..for example, that seal bugger effect…
What you describe is the problem I’ve seen on dubbing brush tools, where the materials don’t have enough room to freely spin around the wire and tend to get bunched up, creating a “round” effect. It also depends on the material too or whether you use too much for the job. Less is usually better in my experience.
One of the best tools I’ve seen was done by a guy who did a lot of salmon and saltwater flies that required a LOT of material and the tray would swing down out of the way, giving free movement to the materials.
On a machine like Jim’s I think the solution for this issue would be either a removeable tray or a way to raise and lower the spinning head to get the materials away from any spinning impediments. Probably not an issue for what I’ve been spinning though. I use the Nor-Vise, but want something a little more specific to the task.
Anyway, with that said, Jim, I’ll take one “as-is”. Tell me how to pay you etc…
Go Ducks!
Ducksterman,
The way I make dubbing brushes is that once I have all the material “engaged”, (that is caught in the initial twists of the wire), I then grasp both pieces of the wire between my finger and thumb and hold them about an inch or so above the dubbing block to complete the twisting process. The end of the wire hooked to the twister hook stays on fine and this makes it easier to twist the wire. It also gives the material the room to become evenly distributed around the wire making the extra spikey dubbing brushes. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions about how this is done and I’ll do my best to clear them up.
Jim Smith
The way Jim explained it is the way I make mine on his board. Once I have turned the wheel enough times to trap the material, I grasp the 2 wires on the left in my left hand and raise them about 1 1/2 inch and continue to spin the wire.
That works good…thanks.
Any suggestions on storage ideas for these brushes I’m accumulating?..so far I’m using those trays you can get at the dollar store…[3/$]
Another pro I’m finding…
It’s easier to shape the body using the dubbing brush.
This may reflect my lack of technique but it works for me… 
Hi guys. I finished a video tutorial on Jim’s dubbing brush twister if you’re interested:
Dubbing Brush TutorialI’ve been having a lot of fun with it lately. Thanks Jim!
Thanks Curtis…That’s pretty much how I’m doing it now thanks to the above tips…
One thing I’m doing that I like is grabbing the wires on the left with a hemostat to lift them…I find I have real control that way.
Would also mention that JoAnn’s has a 34 gauge gold and also a silver spooled wire for 99 cents…I haven’t used it but have used the same one in 32 gauge from Craftware house
Fantastic job Curtis! Thanks for sharing this great tuitorial on using the Turbo Dubbing Twister.
Jim Smith
Wow, nice clip. Being a newbie I was impressed with the vice as much as the dubbing brush contraption.
Jonathan
I store my dubbing brushes on Cardstock. You can also use the inserts inside the 24 can soda containers.
The Cardstock is available at Wally World. I run some Cardstock through my printer (Portrait Setting) using my Spreadsheet Program, to print some reference lines on the Cardstock. I laminate a 2nd sheet of Cardstock to the back of the printed sheet, then snip grooves into both side edges to secure the Dubbing Brushes.
Brassie wire from Waspi is good, and there is plenty of line. For the Midges, I am using French Tinsel, which is a thinner guage of wire.
I am going shopping for a battery operated coffee grinder. So I can chop of some fur really fine for my smaller hooks. I get scrap fur from the stores that sell fur coats, that also store and repair them. They normally toss the the scrap pieces out. I have Mink, Sable, various Fox, as well as Bobcat, Cougar, Coyote, Lynx, etc.
As for the troth, I am using some long strands of thin acrylic fiber to do some flesh bodies, I just lay the material across the troth, with the ends equal on both side outside the troth. After I spin the Dubbing Brush, I comb the fibers back away from the wire, using a metal eyelash comb, picture below with reference to Tying Tip article.
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/tyingtips/part167.html:21eb1]Tying Tip “Deer Hair Comb” article that I wrote![/url:21eb1]
Dear Mr. James Smith,
I noticed you copy and sell my tool which I originated, developed, manufacture and distribute worlwide 
.
Don?t you have your own ideas?
[url=http://shop.siman.cz/art_turbo_spinning_block/block1_detail.jpg:e1f30]Detailed picture[/url:e1f30]
Regards
Jan Siman
Jan,
Here in America, we enjoy something called “Free Enterprise” and in this case where you charge $80 for your tool, Jim comes along and builds something somewhat similar for only $30. Since I’m not familiar with how your country operates, I just wanted to point that out, in case you didn’t understand.