Wire Forming Tools

I have looked at a couple of wire forming tools but i can't decide which one to get. I also want one that forms a "smaller" eye like those of the commercial products like a rooster tail. I would like to know what you guys use and recomend or dislike(both of which would help). To make things more interseting Im looking for one more on a budget side maybe less than 50$. I've looked at all the ones on jannsnetcraft, barlows, and lurepartsonline. The little blue wire bender is looking fine to me though any complaints?

The little blue wire bender won't wrap the wire.

I wish I had the Bogg's tackle maker, right now I use one of the free hand held ones and it is really a pain. A stable base with a consistant eye bend and a stable twist would make things a lot easier. A more expensive one would be nice to have but I would settle for the Boggs right now and it would be a huge improvement.

And I bet you can find one for around $50 even with a couple extra heads for smaller/larger wire.

for many years I used a jeweler pliers the in's were round so you could wrap the wire around and make eye let's we made thousands of salmon spanners also for steelhead we did have a fancy hundred dollar wire Binder I did not like it and I believe I still have it laying here someplace but pick up a pair of those pliers if you're only doing eye let's.

Snake

I have the Netcraft Wire former which I've had since the 1980's and it puts out alot of spinners, but the eye will always be WAY bigger than the eye on a Rooster tail. This will show you the size of the eye next to an actual Rooster tail (on the left in the pic), the eye from the Netcraft on mine on the right WAY BIGGER.

Attachment 89410

I also have the handheld Worth wire former - It will make a smaller eye but I agree with fish it's a PITA, I use it mainly for making beetle spin frames.

I'm not sure what size eyelets are made on the Boggs or Twist Tech. The one thing I dis-like about the Twist Tech is that they assume you just want to mount the thing to a bench and you have to buy the mounting screw bracket sepretly (double your cost). the little blue bender is not for making spinners but for spinner bait frames.

Here's the instructions on the boggs and the eyelet looks pretty big but not absolutely clear. http://www.barlowstackle.com/instructions/Boggs.pdf

If I can help more just let me know

I wonder if you can modify the pin on the Boggs and make it smaller or put a smaller pin in.

I'll give the pliers a chance and I hope I'll like em like you do snake. I've seen that picture before fatman and thats what made me talk about the eyelet....you also got me obsessing over another type of tackle making....thanks!!! :bash! I've got fly and jig tying to fall back on just incase, but looking foward to trying the pliers.

na na na na na!!!!! Just because I post a pic doesn't mean I made you get obsessed over another tackle making item LOL Don't feel bad I'm fighting like crazy not to get into plastics!!!!!!!!!!! I've got a buddy who has the twist tech I'll see if he can send me a photo of how small the eyelet is on his.

Guess that I am in the camp with snakeriver. It is real hard to beat the round nose pliers. Btw if you are going to pick up a pair of them for wire wrapping get the better pair with the jaws that are tool steel. there are many inexpensive pliers out there and not all are created equal. Also there is if you look around a type of pliers that are made for making rosarys. They are call rosary pliers (DAH) and have finer tips on them so that you could make the smaller loop eyes. My favorite pair is one I picked up back in Jewelry school in 1969 they have repaired alot of jewelry and bend a good amount of wire for fishing. Not only that but they bent more than a few hundred hooks for a couple of molds that I have that require a special bent hook.

Redman

Fatman posted a home made screw driver handle with two pins some time back for making the small eyelets. I took the idea and modified my own version that works great. Most of all "IT'S CHEAP". Feed us some more addictive photo's Fatman...lol.
NightProwler

lol thanks for the feedback. Theres a lot more positive feeling about the pliers than I would have expected. HAHA I thought i was gonna get into plastics but decided to go the cheaper routes liike jig tying and wire baits.....for now hhehe