There was a post on a forum from our friends across the ocean where he used the paper from a tea bag, glued it to the shiney surface of the feather and then shaped it in a wing burner.
Inspired by this, I looked around for another material that would be translucent, have good floating qualities and yet very durable. I tried a very fine, high quality bridal netting and was extremely please with the results.
I realize none of this is necessary, but does anyone else add anything to strengthen their wings?
Rookie, yup, Typhoo tea bag material. Sounds surprising but the UK tea bags are much stronger than the American version, they’re also usually round tea bags. Great stuff.
Hummm … Panara Bread company has round tea bags … maybe should take a trip to pick one up …NO, I CAN’T BE HELD RESPONSIBLE if a pecan roll comes with it!!! Also, Barnes and Noble has silk tea bags. Wonder how they would work? OK, books have fewer calories, too!!:rolleyes:
BUT - if the Barnes and Noble you go to also has a Starbucks Coffee Shop like we do here, the coffee shop will have pastries that will act as a magnet to the bucks you were going to use for books ??!!
I take it that you are unfamiliar with the pecan rolls from Priester’s Pecans. After those, you will be able to resist the pecan rolls from Panera. Alas, the addiction is far worse.
Ah, a true Scotsman. Uses the tea first to make a cuppa. Actually the tea bag is used for tying before the tea is brewed. I use it after. The brown color helps make the wings a richer, darker color more like the local natural caddis wings.
One of my mates on UK board was kind enough to send me an assortment of teas so I would have the proper type of bag to make the sedge wings. The tea is really good too. I have a preference for the Typhoo, but a nice Earl Grey comes in a close second.
After reading this thread, and a few cups of the nectar,
I remembered reading about a Slovenian, who had a method
of preparing sedge [caddis] wings, using various feathers
glued to nylon stocking material.
His name is Bozidar Voljc and his flies were known as the
Slovenica Series. I shall dig out more info, watch this space.
What a kewl idea!! I’ll dig out my stockings I haven’t worn since I retired from the office! That would be good use of them … cuz I’m sure not going to wear them again!!
I don’t know if it would work for wing making but I’m noticing that the fiberglass sheetrock tape (2" wide) has some interesting properties.
Square openings, sticky on both sides, can be cut easily with pocket knife, can be pulled this way and that to make the openings diamond shaped, low or high profile and is fairly thin. Would likely be too thick/bulky for small dries but in larger patterns it might work.
I wonder if the sheetrock tape would have any other uses in fly tying.
As an aside, I used it to make the arbor for the reel seat on my 7wt. build. Best thing for that purpose I’ve found yet.
Also, Barnes and Noble has silk tea bags. Wonder how they would work? OK, books have fewer calories, too!!:rolleyes:
