Fly tying

[BadDog]

Well, I'm finally starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel, so maybe back to the shop soon. And my son has discovered an interest in fly fishing, which leads him to an interest in making his own flies (as well as other lures). I'm thinking a fly tying vise/jig would be a nice project that might teach him a bit in the shop. Anyone got some nice designs (pics, plans, whatever) that he (we) can look over? General suggestions?

[Joel]

A search yielded an article in the Aug/Sept Machinist's Workshop. I dug out that edition and on the cover is a picture of one very nice fly tying vise.

[Furnace]

I bought a back issue from 2001 of HSM that had a nice fly tying vise in it. I was making it for a dear friend at work who used to fly fish after work every day, sadly he passed away last September and I havent touched it since. Seems to be a heavier duty vise than the ones I have seen at the fly tying shops here. Good luck.

[Your Old Dog]

I know longer feel the need to fly fish and make my own flies. I bought a lathe, mill and shaper and can now feel dismayed, disgusted, beaten and stupid without wasting the gas to go fishing

[lynnl]

Back when I received that issue with the pretty fly tying vise on the cover, I was motivated to take up fly tying just to justify building the vise.

After awhile I realized the sad truth I revealed in Alistair's "Take it Easy.." thread, and came to my senses. Tho the desire is still in the back of my mind. ...maybe some day.

[BadDog]

Thanks guys.

Joel: What year? I checked last year's but no article. I'm guessing 2001 from the other post? I did a google search myself and saw lots of different designs, but no idea what would comprise a "good one".

Furnace: Thanks, I'll have to see if there is a copy at the local library. Sorry to hear about your friend.

YOD: Yes, tell me about it! Last thing I want is another frustrating and time consuming hobby.

Lynnl: Must be pretty nice to motivate like that.

Anyone got a pic of the vise from MW?

[PTSideshow]

Made one for my dad in the late sixties in high school from a idea by the teacher. An old hand drill chuck mounted on a threaded at the ends rod neck bent about 45' near one end and the other screwed into a base of steel. Not to fancy or to many parts to get youngens frustrated

[lynnl]

Baddog, the article index shows "Let's Tie One On", by Peter Stenabaugh, Vol 15, number 4, Jul 2002, Machinist's Workshop.
There may have been other fly tying vise articles, but that's about the right time for the one I remember, and the author - Stenabuagh sounds about right too. (I don't have my collection accessible right now)

[Joel]

Whoops, sorry BadDog - 2002.

[wendtmk]

Well, I'm finally starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel, so maybe back to the shop soon. And my son has discovered an interest in fly fishing, which leads him to an interest in making his own flies (as well as other lures). I'm thinking a fly tying vise/jig would be a nice project that might teach him a bit in the shop. Anyone got some nice designs (pics, plans, whatever) that he (we) can look over? General suggestions?

Ah, BadDog, it's a dark, slippery slope when you start introducing your machine shop to fishing... I'ev been making bamboo fly rods since shortly after the start of 2000, and I use the lathe, mill, drill press and other machinery in the shop to handcraft cane rods. I turn my own ferrules and reel seat hardware from nickle silver, and machine the reel seat inserts on the lathe too. I'm in the process of designing and building a CNC machine that will cut the tapered triangular splines of bamboo, ready to glue up, from the cane I split/saw from the culm. I've made 99% of the tooling, fixtures, jigs and whatnot that I use in the shop, and even designed and made a convection oven for heat treating the cane strips. And there's always something new to make to make life easier in the shop.

Mark