Thread: Wanna Be Jig Newbie

Welcome to the jig tying from .you need a vice, a bob, some wax thread. I like 210 dernier and a whip finisher. I would start with Marabou and chenille .you can get supplies for Barlow's, bass pro ,crazy angler and more places.you can spend as much as you want but you can get on to tying for as little as 30$. A cheap vice will be 15$ a bob 10$ whip finisher 9$ (supplies) thread chenille and Marabou are 3-5$ a pack . You need collarless jig heads you can get them for someone on here or get a mold and make your own but it's addictive I got way too much stuff lol. Good luck we'll help you anyway we can and most of the guy's on here are a lot better than me so take there advice over mine.

Find the sticky at the front of the forum. A lot of the info you're looking for is in the sticky. And I'll add by saying spend money on GOOD scissors. Welcome, you're about to have a lot of fun!

Bobbins need to have a ceramic insert to keep thread friction low and keep thread from breaking. Got mine for about $8 at BPS. I use a lot of 140 denier thread, kinda the best of both worlds. A bodkin is handy, along with a bobbin threader, some small tip scissors and a Matarelli whip finisher. The Thompson isn't near as friendly to use. If you got the change, you wont regret buying a good rotating vise. Atlas and Peak and Renzetti are all good names among others. Should you later sell it you will get more back from good equipment than from entry level. I haven't had to upgrade in several years since following this theory. Good luck and welcome to the addiction......Skeet

Well said skeetbum I think the ceramic bobbin will save much pain and heartache lol

Starting spot is the sticky post at the top of this page, then after reading all that, ask any questions still lingering in your mind. That would be my 2 cents.

I bought a $40 vise and then stocked up on chenille, marabou, thread and jig heads. You can find most of the items on the net for a good price. Some say buying a more expensive vise is better and I bet it is but I do just fine with my vise. Find a site that has all the jig making feathers and hackle in one place if you can to save on shipping. Ebay, Amazon, and store front web sites all have the stuff you will need. Watch videos on youtube about tying also. It will help you out a lot.
Oh and once you start making your own jigs you may want to start painting your own then you will need to buy a heat gun, powder paint, and more jigs. Then the real fun begins!!!
Good luck and ask questions when you have some!

A good vise is probably the smartest thing to get, I struggle with my 20 dollar ebay special that holds hook well until it decides to unclamp. rotates sort of. Yet I struggle on. Bobbins and a bobbin threader or two (they get easily misplaced), a good matarelli style whip finisher. Nice scissors or shear, Frequently, I use a disposable utility knife for cutting thread and trimming necks. Watch this list as well as a few others for a materials swap.

Materials is where you really get in a jam. Maribou feathers for tails is very popular and good for starting out probably the easiest material to tie. Crystal Chenille makes a great looking jig as do some of the tinsel chenilles, but plain old rayon chenille is easy to work with and comes in lots of colors. I find Ebay to be a "value source" for materials and the occasional bargain. Several internet vendors are outstanding but some are downright slow. I am a firm believer in PayPal for my internet purchases as it gives an added level of protection.

The biggest problem with materials is having a good selection. If you only plan on one color combo, no problem but if you are like many of us, you will not be content tying just one pattern. Jig heads can be purchased raw and you can paint, powder coat or use raw. I started using nail polish (read as sally hansons hard as nails brand) and still use some simply because the colors are so good. It holds up very well and is inexpensive as a little goes a long way.

A few other items I would suggest
- A drying rack a cooling rack from kitchen supplies at dollar tree is a cheap starting point
- A nice desk lamp good lighting helps immensly
- Storage boxes for your materials.

Join some jig swaps, great learning experience and newbies are always welcomed and encouraged.

Good luck and welcome to our madness!

Welcome aboard and enjoy the madness!!!