I have a standard Thompson vise that a good friend gave to me to learn on and I am now considering upgrading to a new rotary vise. I have budgeted $350.00 for this new upgrade and appreciate any advice or things to look for in a rotary vise. Are they worth the upgrade?
I use the Danvise with the jaw extension, for a total cost of $85.00. Never having tied on other than two thompsons and the Danvise, I cannot be objective about more expensive vises. However, I am curious as to how an expensive vise compares to the Danvise and others that do not cost so much, that is, what features warrant the cost? I know you will have fun finding the vise for you.
Jim take a look at the Griffin vises also.
I prefer the cam lock styles.the warranty is hard to beat and you will come in under half of your budget.
When I was looking to buy a true rotary vise I found this http://flyfisherman.com/ftb/hwvise/ very helpful.
I ended up buying a Dyna King Barracuda trekker from Hook and Hackle and with their %20 online discount saved a bundle. 
I tied on a standard vise for ten years+ before I bought a true rotary and it took me awhile to get used to and take advantage of the true rotary function. Now…after a few months of tying with it I wonder why I held out for so long.
Have fun with your new vice!
For $350 you could get a Peak vise and a little over $200 worth of materials. Look through all the forums on the net. It’ll be hard to find any negative comments, and easy to find comments from very satisfied users.
(Don’t forget the $200 worth of materials!)
I like my Peak very much. I looked at a number of different vises, and am satisfied with my choice.
Instead of the Peek, use a cloths pin and save $349.00!!! Maybe, you deserve a nicer vise though. :twisted: there are some real nice ones out and mostly you get what you pay for. Not a sponsor, but Dyna-King makes some nice stuff as does Renzetti.
Dear Jim,
Peak Vise.
Best Wishes,
Avalon
Jim,
I have a Dyna-king Barracuda (standard) that is an excellent rotary (inline) vise that should last many life times. I believe it retails for around $350. A little more for the other Barracuda models (deluxe or indexer) There is an optional midge jaw available for around $50. There is a smaller version of the Barracuda called the Barracuda Junior Trekker. It retails for around $230. It too has an optional midge jaw.
What I like about the Barracuda is the easy of placing the hook in the jaws, incredible holding power, smooth rotary action and its heavy weight (I use a pedestal mount).
The Barracuda does have a pouch for storing and travel, but I find it a bit heavy for an on-the-go vise.
I also have another rotary (non inline) from Dynaking called the Voyager II. It is a lighter setup and made to last many life times as well. It goes for around $260. Like the Barracuda it has an optional midge jaw. I use it for when I am at work, or out fishing.
Hi Jim
(I have budgeted $350.00 for this new upgrade and appreciate any advice or things to look for in a rotary vise. Are they worth the upgrade?)
I know I'm going against the grain----But 350.00 for a vice. Ha. The vice doesn't tie the fly -It just holds the hook. Don't get caught up in the advertising gimmick. Ive been fly fishing for fifty years and seen it all -----invest that 350.00 and in twenty years that money will be worth lots of vices.
Regards
JaD
I will not recommend any particular rotary vise for you. I have a rotary Renzetti Traveler and I also have a Regal non-rotary vise. I love using both of them. All top-end rotary vises have their good points and their bad points. They all will work just fine. You need to determine what flies you will be tying the most and then determine if a rotary will help you to tie them easier and better. You may decide that the rotary is not what you need, but, a good standard vise, like the Regal or other top-end vise, will do everything you are looking for. If you have a good fly shop near you with a good selection of vises, you need to sit at each one and see what each does better and then decide which one is what you need for upgrade. For me, I like to be able to turn the fly as I am tying it to see the bottom and other side. I can do that with the rotary as well as the Regal. The rotary will make it easier for you to palmer hackle, like in a Woolly Bugger, because you just hold the material and turn the hook. I could go on and on with the advantages of the rotary, but, you can also be just as happy with a good standard vise such as a Regal or other top-end standard vise. It will be so much easier for you if you could sit and try each one. If you just take someone else’s advise and purchase what they recommend, you may find yourself with a rotary that you hardly use the rotary while tying your flies. That means you spent more money on too much vise for your needs. I highly recommend that you sit at each and try them before making this purchase. This is just my 2 cents worth on your question and nothing more. 
“You need to determine what flies you will be tying the most and then determine if a rotary will help you to tie them easier and better.”
That’s fine if he knows from now until the day he stops tying which flies he’ll tie. Also, rotary tying is not something you pick up after 5 minutes of use, albeit some techniques you can quickly master. To have him determine if overal a rotary tying vice will help him improve his tying is not possible in a short amount of time.
Jim, I for one buy for quality, functionality and flexibility. Because I have no way of knowing where my interest will be done the road, I like to make sure I have flexibility built in to my purchase to be useful down the road.
I was in your situation a couple of months ago. End up getting a renzetti. Either the traveler or the presentation are in your budget. And you get what you pay for, worth every single penny!
Martin
If I were in the market I just know I would buy the new Renzetti Presentation 2000:
Jim,
When I upgraded from a Thompson to a rotary vise (a Renzetti Traveler with the Cam) I stopped by my local fly shop and they let me tie a few flies on the different vises they carried. The Renzetti was easy for me to tie on (suited my hand placement and such) and fit within my budget. Should you have the chance to do something similar I strongly suggest it. Having the fly shop guys show you a few things about the vise is also a good idea.
REE
Selecting the best fly-tying vise, by Hans Weilenmann and Bruce Salzburg
No one has mentioned the Nor-Vice yet. I have been using one for many years and love it. If you tie a lot of buggers and streamers, bigger flies overall, you will love the Nor-Vice. The aoutomatic bobin is awsome too.
However, both the vice and bobon do take a little time to get used to. The Nor-Vice is great, but admitedly, not for everyone. It really is one of those, you love it or hate it, pieces of equipment.
“Different stokes for different folks”, BUT…
I tied for many years on Herter then upgraded to Thompson vises. My boys bought my a Renzetti Traveller many years ago and I enjoyed it very much. A few years ago I upgraded again, (IMHO) to a DynaKing Barracuda Junior Trekker from Hook and Hackle. Wonderful! In my estimation it’s just about the ultimate. And the price is right.
If you get a true rotary vise please also get Al Beatty’s tape/DVD about rotary tying. It’ll supercharge your tying and allow you to use the many advantages of the rotary vise.
Good Luck!
Bill
Jim,
Several replies have said you get what you pay for, and completely agree. I do not think, however, they “got” what I was suggesting when I recommended a Peak and materials rather than a more expensive vise. When I upgraded from a basic, non-rotating vise to a Peak last fall, I know what I got for my money - a great vice. I haven’t tied on a Renzetti or Dyna King, but I have a hard time imagining what more you could get for your money with them. What can you do with them you can’t do with a Peak? Couldn’t say. I could tell you what can do with a Peak (and the change from your $350). Want to try some Rangely streamers? You can now afford that jungle c@ck cape and silver pheasant skin. Intrigued by soft hackles? You can now get the partridge, snipe, waterhen, woodc@ck, golden plover (and the hare’s lug to go with it), plus the mole skin for dubbing and all the silk thread you could possibly want. You could even get into full dress salmon flies - not all the way of course, but far enough to know if you really want to take this addiction to the next level. Upgrade your tying or just upgrade your vise? It’s up to you.