wing material

[Dryrod]

[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3][cool]Anyone using Wapsi or similar material to produce fly wings? If so how do you cut it to shape the wing of your choice? Do you use a wing cutter?[/size][/green][/font]
[signature]

[macfly55]

.. is a wing cutter one of those stencils that you can pick up at a fly shop or is it some other type of tool that is used to cut the material.. like a hot wire or something like that???

MacFly [cool]
[signature]

[Dryrod]

[cool][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Hi mac - a wing cutter works just like a cookie press cutting micro-thin synthetic material. Whereas a wing burner is just that. Kind of smelly if you are doing it in the house. [/size][/green][/font]
[right][/right]
[signature]

[macfly55]

...so neither one has anything to do with wing [url "http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_66716_175004005_175000000_175004000_175-4-5"]stencils[/url] like the ones I found at basspro?


MacFly [cool]
[signature]

[Dryrod]

[cool][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]There are some dies that you use to trace an outline of a given wing & then cut same. Just as you said a stencil. I do have a set of wing burners but always looking to explore the use of other tools.[/size][/green][/font]
[signature]

[macfly55]

... seems like you and I think alike.. Im not trying to be overly innovative but I am always looking for new things.. especially something that will make it easier for me or something I am more comfortable with... i.e. a half hitch tool vs a whip finisher.. not saying one is better than the other.. just saying Id like to try both to see which one works best for me.. []


MacFly [cool]
[signature]

[flygoddess]

I have a set of Wing Burners also, but they are for the straigh up wings. Love those burners.
I use the mesh synthetis stuff also, but I cut them by hand. It is great for Hoppers and Mayfly wings. In fact just bought some Gray and Tan while in Montana.
[signature]

[macfly55]

Montana... good golly missed something here.. [sly]... I keep telling my wife I lost a day last week and cant seem to find it... [sly]

.. DR.. on a serious side now.. these wing burners.. do they look like weird shaped tweezers that you heat up and burn the feather with>... saw somethign like that on a site today while looking for video/instruction on how to use a half hitch tool today..

MacFly [cool]
[signature]

[Dryrod]

[#005050][cool]Yup and it is something that a Blue Angel doesn't want to hear from his wing man. LOL[/#005050]
[center][/center]
[signature]

[Dryrod]

[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3][cool]Hey there FGD - do you mean to say that you sneaked away to Montana for a little R&R & FF too? How come Mac wasn't advised? LOL[][/size][/green][/font]
[signature]

[macfly55]

ur DR.. that did sound really nosey.. I guess I was just surprised is all.. usually FG gives us all a heads up on things like that.. but then again.. if she wanted to be on the qt.. then I would not broadcast it on this board either.. [sly].. we all know how things spread here.. worse than a wild fire.. [sly]

MacFly [cool]
[signature]

[macfly55]

... that is the type of set I was on line today.. I guess I had pictured in my mind more of a hot wire being guided around a stencil.. like some of the old construction sets used to do .. youd get a foam car or boat kit and had to cut all the pieces out .. but instead of a saw blade you had a hot wire to guide around it.. looked like a jigsaw type set up..

MacFly [cool]
[signature]

[flygoddess]

Dry Rod, those are the ones I have. I wished I had bought the Mayfly ones, but some day.
I was in Montana the day before my Mother passed away. Bought some real cool tying stuff.
[signature]

[macfly55]

...what kind of tying stuff did you pick up.. just curious.. [angelic]


MacFly [cool]
[signature]

[flygoddess]

Some Holographic Tinsel in all sorts of colors and some of the TAN strips I sent you, plus some more white beads. The tinsel is the coolest. Makes outstanding Chironomids as you all that are in the fly swap will soon find out.
[signature]

[macfly55]

you're too good to us sis.. [].. cant wait to see your handywork..

.. but I do seem to be running into a fly tying problem.. seems everytime I get and idea or want to sit and do some tying I keep realizing I got "something" wrong.. like the wrong color hackle or marabou.. or the wrong size hook .. [sly].. for example.. I want to tie up some "Halloween" wooly buggers and I dont have the color thread, hackle, or marabou I want.. the other side of that is that I have found in most cases unless I go to a well stocked fly fishing store, whose prices are usually a little higher, I cant find what I want..

... is there an easy way to solve this problem?? []

MacFly [cool]
[signature]

[macfly55]

..thank you for the reminder.. I got to sit down and sort that bag of material out.. there are days lately that I know for sure have been way less than 24 hours long.. that is the only way I know of that I keep running out of time on a given day.. []

MacFly [cool]
[signature]

[flygoddess]

Now you are getting the picture as to why people that have been fly tying for awhile have SO MUCH STUFF!
Eventually you will use it is my modo.
As far as a Halloween, WATER PROOF magic markers or Pantones are a must in fly tying. Orange Chenille, black marker, black marabou tail and optional black hackle. Don't forget to try rubber legs on them sometime.
[signature]

[Scruffy_Fly]

[size 1]MacFly wrote : ... is there an easy way to solve this problem?? [/size]
[size 1][/size]
[blue][size 1]Yes, Do like what Charlie Craven did. Open a fly shop.[/size]
[/blue][size 1][/size]
.... well I guess in part that would do it.
[signature]

[macfly55]

.... Id have to win the lottery for that.. then Id have to get good staff from this site.. in some cases Id have to pay for their flights to Ca and new house and moving expenses... .. and that is just the tip of the iceberg.. sounds like the same type expenses as material for fly tying.. [sly]

MacFly [cool]
[signature]