How to make a tube fly mandrel

[jigtosser]

First thing is to figure out is what tube you are going to use. In this case I am using a Q Tip with the cotton pulled off. Next I used a round cut off disc on my Dremel tool and made a notch in the end of the Q Tip.

tube.

Next get a piece of wire that will fit inside the tube. The best way I have found is to go to a hobby shop or good hardware store and get a piece of music wire. You may need to heat it to take out the temper in order to make the 90 deg. bend.



Next put the mandrel in the vise. The notch in the end of the tube will go over the bent part of the mandrel and this will keep the tube from turning while trying to wrap. Be sure and push the tube up against the jaws of the vise to keep it from sliding back off the mandrel. If you have a Nor Vise or Roto Vise you can center the mandrel in the jaw and you are ready to go. If you have a conventional rotary vise you may need to adjust the jaw to get the tube to rotate on center. With the conventional jaw you will need to be careful and not impale yourself with the back of the mandrel. It can and has happened, you get focused on the fly and when you go to put material on the hook with the left hand you can poke yourself real easy.

[skiptomylu]

That is pretty nifty there jigtosser and I bet works well, but got to say if I get into doing tube flies I think that I would just buy the conversion jaw for that. I have been looking at doing some for about 3 years and just never had the time to put into it. I looked at the HMH since they were the first vise maker to make one for just this I think. They also make a quality vise, but I just didn't have the time to mess with them yet, but want to as you can make some beautiful flies like that. I believe you may have talked me into buying the jaw conversion for that, LOL! Darn just want I need something else to do. However not your fault though as I have had some parts for that for a long time now and even have some mandrels for this. May as well buy the jaw huh?

Skip

[jigtosser]

I owned an HMH tube fly vise and it is very nice. If I were to have a dedicated tube fly vise it would be the HMH. You have the Nor Vise and you can buy the tube conversion from Norm at a reasonable price and then you would have the Rolls Royce of tube vises.

[skiptomylu]

Yes I was thinking since I have the Nor that I would do that and the jaw come with different size mandrels and the matching collars so am going to do just that.

Yes I liked the HMH, but was not ready to get into tube flies so didn't get one, but I do know they are very good vises.

I am going to order one in a few minutes, conversion for my Nor that is.

Skip

[jigtosser]

Skip be sure and post some pics of it and a fly or two. Since you tie commercially you will have a whole new market for flies. Tube flies are almost impossible to buy and they are a snap to tie. Who knows you may like it so much that you will end up tying nothing else. I know that I am entertaining the idea.

[skiptomylu]

I will when I get the chance, but it's been a couple years since I even looked at how, but about to need to since I ordered it. I just liked the idea when I first saw them and even have some mandrels, but never used them, LOL!

I am just having so much trouble catching up since my shoulder gave me so much trouble, but now that I moved the vise lower it's a lot better, but also way behind. Probably 4 weeks behind at least and I hate that so much. I have even been painting at night and weekends and tying some on weekends too. Still no light at the end of this tunnel yet. Right now working on a 256 jig order and a 200 right behind that, then another 15 orders to do not counting locals, but also trying to keep the locals fishing and tying them a bunch the last couple weeks too. Sometimes I want to hurry, but then my better side says not get them right and good first.

Think my head is going to burst, LOL!

Skip